CORNISH LANGUAGE RESOURCES

Words, courses, literature, podcasts

A CORNISH DICTIONARY FOR CONVERSATION

ON-LINE HERE: Gerlyver Kescows, 2nd edition, full text, completely revised, 5000 words and phrases for conversation + grammar words + 'outbursts' + place-names, easily browsed, easily searched

NEED MORE CORNISH WORDS?

ON-LINE HERE: Kescows Nebes Moy, 2nd edition, thousands more words supplementing Gerlyver Kescows, classified by topic, easily browsed, easily searched (work-in-progress)

Five Hundred Most Useful Words

ON-LINE HERE: Minimum working vocabulary for those wishing to learn just a little Cornish, or a first step for those aspiring to greater things

Conversational Phrases

ON-LINE HERE: Short phrases worth learning for fluent everyday conversation

CARA KERNOWEK 1
Complete up-to-date coursebook for beginners
Published September 2023
Free on-line access
Click or tap here

THIS WEBSITE NOW CARRIES
MORE THAN 400 PODCAST ARTICLES
BY NICHOLAS WILLIAMS
Each one accompanied by the full written text
Crystal-clear pronunciation
Professor Williams is one of the foremost teachers of the Cornish language
Click or tap here

KESCOWS NEBES MOY
Cornish for Everyday Life
Supplementary to Gerlyver Kescows, Second Edition
Now as far as Section 17 Quantity, calculation
More than 4,000 classified entries
Click or tap here

EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES
now in more colloquial register
Click or tap here

INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET
Growing bank of Cornish words
in IPA spelling
Click or tap here

THE PROPHET
Kahlil Gibran
First Chapters of the Classics
Click or tap here

TRAVELS WITH A DONKEY IN THE CEVENNES
Robert Louis Stevenson
First Chapters of the Classics
Click or tap here

THE CORAL ISLAND
R.M. Ballantyne
First Chapters of the Classics
Click or tap here

THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
John Bunyan
Christian Sets Out on His Journey
(First Chapters of the Classics)
Click or tap here

MOONFLEET
John Meade Falkner
First Chapters of the Classics
Click or tap here

There are now eighteen FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE CLASSICS to read in Cornish on the Literature page of this website, all with comprehensive glossary supplementing on-line GERLYVER KESCOWS (available on the Vocabulary page)
Click or tap here

THE PRINCIPLES OF NEWSPEAK
Appendix to NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR
Click or tap here

THE SIGNALMAN
Short story by Charles Dickens
First instalment of Cornish translation
Click or tap here

PASSYON AGAN ARLÙTH
In Standard Cornish spelling
But adapted to be as faithful as possible to the poetics of the original
Click or tap here

ORIGO MUNDI
In Standard Cornish spelling
Complete text now re-edited as far as line 100
Click or tap here

PASSIO CHRISTI
In Standard Cornish spelling
First 901 lines
Click or tap here

This website is dedicated to supporting those who are learning the Cornish language (Kernowek) in LOVINGLIVINGCORNISH classes and/or using the self-study book DESKY KERNOWEK, or who just want easy access to high-quality Cornish writing, audio, and vocabulary resources.

Both Desky Kernowek and the Cara Kernowek coursebooks used by lovinglivingcornish employ the modern spelling system known as Kernowek Standard (KS). Most Cornish written material on this site is spelled in KS.

It is important to realize there are several other approaches to revived Cornish, drawing on the historical sources to strike different balances in matters of grammar and vocabulary. There are alternative spelling systems too, most publicly the Standard Written Form (SWF) favoured by Cornwall Council. Debating the merits of such differences is outside the scope of this site. Cornish that is written in KS tends to follow the principle of tota Cornicitas, which means it reflects all the evidence found in the historical tradition.

The weekly lovinglivingcornish class in Newlyn (Lulyn) has its own website kernoweklulyn.com carrying further compatible material. There is also moderncornish.net, the website of Cussel an Tavas Kernôwek who specialize in applying the later historical sources. There is a lively magazine Gweles with a majority of its content in Cornish (KS and SWF with traditional graphs). Additional material appears on its website gweles.com where you can subscribe.

Are you a prospective teacher of a class in traditional Cornish? We offer a full Scheme of Work, as well as classroom kit and logistical support. Don't hesitate to get in touch. And whether teacher or student, you can always contact us with questions about traditional Cornish grammar or vocabulary, or with queries about idiom or style.

We are not a commercial website. We are however eager to carry well-written literature in Cornish, original or translated. We also welcome interesting podcasts in Cornish. We accept advertising for publications in KS, and for events suitable for learners where Cornish is spoken. Click on Miscellany for our literary / audio and advertising policies.

SCROLL DOWN

Items are in alphabetical order of Cornish title. Alternatively, for items recently added for reading on-line, you can click or tap ON-LINE HERE: MOST RECENTLY ADDED and follow the links.

ON-LINE HERE: MOST RECENTLY ADDED

Click or tap and follow the links for open access on-line literature recently added to this website

FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE CLASSICS

ON-LINE HERE: Catalogue of famous First Chapters available to read in Cornish on this website

CATALOGUE OF PUBLISHED WRITINGS IN STANDARD CORNISH

Link to a comprehensive list of published material available in Kernowek Standard (KS)

Adro dhe’n Bÿs in Peswar Ugans Dëdh

Jules Verne's Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours (Around the World in Eighty Days), abridged for young readers

Amêthva an Bestas

ON-LINE: George Orwell's Animal Farm, with Cornish-English glossary (instalments from January 2021)

Amêthva an Bestas

ON-LINE HERE: Chapter 1 of Animal Farm by George Orwell, with Cornish-English glossary

An Beybel Sans

The Holy Bible (Old Testament, New Testament)

An Brynces wàr an Bysen

ON-LINE HERE: Hans Christian Andersen's Prinsessen paa Ærten (The Princess and the Pea), with Cornish-English glossary

An Canker Neb'rug Gwary gans an Mor

ON-LINE HERE: Rudyard Kipling's The Crab that Played with the Sea (a 'Just So' story), with Cornish-English glossary

An Corn Tan

ON-LINE HERE: Hans Christian Andersen's Fyrtøjet (The Tinderbox), with Cornish-English glossary

An Cronyclys a Bow Bara

ON-LINE HERE: Chapter 1 of The Warden by Anthony Trollope, being the first volume of The Chronicles of Barsetshire, with Cornish-English glossary

Radyô an Gernowegva

Literary Sounds

Nicholas Williams Podcasts IV

Nicholas Williams Podcasts III

Nicholas Williams Podcasts II

Nicholas Williams Podcasts I

LOVING LIVING CORNISH INTERMEDIATE

This class is currently for those progressing to Common European Framework of Reference B1 (Lower Intermediate). Thursdays, 19:30, by Zoom. The coursebook is Cara Kernowek Book Three, with lessons available in pdf format while we road-test it. Our vocabulary resource is Gerlyver Kescows (free access on-line). The course is planned to go as far as CEFR B2 (Upper Intermediate), subject to demand.

Date: 28/09/2023 19:30
Location Online Event

KERNOWEK QWYCK

ON-LINE HERE: Quick Cornish, free taster course

CARA KERNOWEK 1

ON-LINE HERE: Cara Kernowek Book One is the first in a series of coursebooks for learners of the traditional Cornish language, specially commissioned by lovinglivingcornish

CARA KERNOWEK BOOK TWO

ON-LINE HERE: New coursebook (CEFR A2) for those who have already taken a beginners course: consultation draft (consultation complete: now being prepared for publication)

CARA KERNOWEK BOOK THREE

ON-LINE HERE: Tentative draft of first 11 Lessons of new CEFR B1 coursebook (currently being road-tested)

CARA KERNOWEK BOOK ONE

ON-LINE HERE: The consultation draft for Cara Kernowek 1 will continue to be available here until the whole of the finalized coursebook has been uploaded

On-line CEFR A2 / B1 Class 2021/24

ON-LINE HERE: Worksheets and other material

On-line Summer School 2023

ON-LINE HERE: Materials

On-line Bridging the Gap Class 2022/23

ON-LINE HERE: Worksheets and other material

On-line Beginners Class 2022/23

ON-LINE HERE: Worksheets and other material

On-line Beginners Class 2021/22

ON-LINE HERE: Worksheets and other material

Newlyn Class 2019/21 Worksheet Compendium

ON-LINE HERE: Newlyn Class, all the worksheets for the on-line lessons, March - June 2021 (with cumulative vocabulary)

Newlyn Class 2019/21 Individual Worksheets

ON-LINE HERE: Newlyn Class, individual worksheets for the on-line lessons, March - June 2021

ALPHABET

ON-LINE HERE: The Standard Cornish alphabet and how to spell out words

PRONUNCIATION

ON-LINE HERE: A simplified guide to pronouncing Cornish

IPA Spellings

ON-LINE HERE: Cornish words spelled in the International Phonetic Alphabet

Conversation patterns

ON-LINE HERE: Basic verb patterns with bos, gwil, mydnas, gallos, godhvos

Four Decades of Prose Development

ON-LINE HERE: Famous prose passage written 40 years ago, and how it might look if written today

Questions

ON-LINE HERE: Ready-reference guide

Reported speech

ON-LINE HERE: Ready-reference guide

Introduction to Simple Drills

Simple Drills

An gyst wag

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 1

Dëdh dâ, Wella

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 2

Man-gows

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 3

Dëdh dâ, pyw osta?

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 4

Me a wra marhogeth

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 5

Myttyn dâ

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 6

In chy Wella ha Tamsyn

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 7

An fyt pel droos

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 8

An delgolyow hâv

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 10

Eus gloos dhis?

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 12

Dëdh dâ, Morwena

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 14

Pandra wrussys gwil?

Playlet for use with Skeul an Tavas Lesson 17