Drew Wills gave a presentation about learning Cornish in Arizona. He has had a lifelong interest in Celtic languages and wanted to learn Cornish in particular. Cornish originated in Cornwall in southwest Britain and was once widely spoken there, but died out by the 18th century. There have been efforts since the early 1900s to revive the language. Wills discussed the history and features of Cornish, including its spelling systems and vocabulary. He concluded by providing his contact information for anyone interested in learning more.

1. Learning Cornish in Arizona
Drew Wills
Welsh League of Arizona
Irish Cultural Center, May 7th, 2011

2. Prag y Tyskav Kernewek?
• Lifetime interest in ancient languages
• Always wanted to learn a Celtic language in
particular
• Appreciate the (considerable) challenge
• Family connection

3. An Vro Ow Thasow Vy

4. Kernow
• SW tip of Great Britain
• One of the 6 Celtic Nations
• Beautiful beaches
• “Mildest, sunniest climate in the UK”

5. Tavas Kernewek
• Closely related to both Welsh & Breton
“P-Celtic”
• Once the dominant form of communication in
the region
• Gradually gave way to English between 1300
& 1750
• Once considered
extinct

6. Oft-Quoted, Oft-disputed Claims
• Chesten Marchant: last monoglot speaker(?),
d. 1676 Gwithian
• Dorothy Pentreath: last native speaker, d.
1777 Mousehole
• William Bodinar: learned as a boy, d. 1794
• John Davey: last person taught by a native
speaker, d. 1891 Zennor

7. William Bodinar's letter (1776)
[Ow] bloedh vy [yw] tri ugens ha pymp.
Yth esov vy den boghosek an puskes.
My a wrug dyski Kernewek [y'n] termyn [ha] my a veu maw.
My a veu dhe'n mor gans [ow] sira vy ha pymp den moy y'n kok.
My a wrug skantlowr klywes unn ger Sowsnek y'n kok rag seythun
warbarth.
Ny wruga vy bythkweyth gweles lyver Kernewek.
My a wrug dyski Kernewek ow mos dhe'n mor gans tus koth.
Nyns eus moy es peswar po pymp y'n trev ni a yll klappya Kernewek
lemmyn,
pobel goth peswar ugens bloedh.
Kernewek yw oll ankevys gans pobel yowynk.

8. Cornish Revival
• 1904: Henry Jenner, Handbook of the
Cornish Language
• “There has never been a time when there has
been no person in Cornwall without a
knowledge of the Cornish language.”
• “Today more people speak Cornish
that at any time in the last 250
years.”

9. Language Features
• Initial consonant mutation
• Inflected prepositions
• Long & short forms of bos (to be)
• 3rd-person singular verb form for all subjects
in simple, affirmative sentences
• No word for “yes” or “no”

10. Lytherennansow
• Unified Cornish [UC]: early 1900s, based on
Middle Cornish (14th & 15th cent.)
• Modern Cornish [MC]: 1980s, based on
latest written examples (17th & 18th cent.)
• Kernewek Kemmyn [KK]: 1986, Middle
Cornish base, but with phonetic spelling;
adopted by Kesva an Tavas Kernewek as
their preferred system

11. Lytherennansow
• Unified Cornish Revised [UCR]: 1995, a re-boot
of UC with more regular spellings
-Independent Cornish Lang. Commission (2007)-
• Kernowek Standard [KS]: based on traditional
orthographic forms, phonetic spelling
• Standard Written Form [SWF]: Ratified May,
2008, by all represented parties as a standard
for public life

12. Lavarow
Dydh da Hello
Myttin da Good morning
Dha weles See you (1 person)
Agas gweles See you (more than 1 person)
Mar pleg Please
Meur ras Thank you
Penn bloodh lowen! Happy birth day!
Chons da! Good luck!

13. Henhwhedhel
An Hond Len

14. Govynnow?
Drew Wills
wills.drew@gmail.com