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Things to do Waterskiing For Holiday Accommodation and Business owners
Maps of Cornwall : The Ordnance Survey publishes the Explorer series of maps which are
ideal for walkers.
Those covering Cornwall:
Map of Isles of Scilly: 101 Isles of Scilly
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Cornish Language and Place Names in Cornwall
Businesses are also embracing the use of Cornish. Local enterprises such as Polgoon Vineyard have made a point of choosing Cornish branding as a mark of local origin and several of their products are named in Cornish. Meanwhile national companies such as JD Wetherspoon have a policy of putting up bilingual signage in their Cornish pubs, as well as giving them names in Cornish such as the “Try Dowr” (Three Rivers) in Truro and “Chapel an Gansblydhen” (Centenary Chapel) in Bodmin. In 2009 Cornwall Council adopted a policy on the use of Cornish which encourages all departments of the Council to consider the use of Cornish. The most visible outcome of this policy is the bilingual street signage which is now appearing across Cornwall, and which costs the Council not a penny more than it would have done previously as the bilingual signs are only put up where new or replacement signs are needed. Cornish is all around us in the community too, with Scouts and Guides learning their motto and promise in Cornish, gig rowers naming their gigs in Cornish and films being made in Cornish to be shown at Cornwall Film Festival. For further information about Cornish culture, including Gorsedh Kernow and the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, see our Culture and Tradition page. By understanding just a few of the most often used Cornish words you can get a better idea of where you are and enjoy exploring Cornwall even more.
Place Name of the Month May: 'Padstow and Helston' It’s the merry month of May when our thoughts turn to dancing in Helston and jostling to get a view of the Oss in Padstow. There’s a touch of irony here as the two Cornish towns with the two truly ancient May celebrations have English names… or do they? Padstow comes from Petroc’s stow – so a Celtic saint’s name and an old West Saxon word meaning ‘holy enclosure’. Helston is derived from hen ‘ancient’ + lys ‘court’ and a West Saxon word ton added onto the end. So both are sort of hybrids but the Kernewek for Padstow and Helston are Lannwedhenek and Hellys reveals little pieces of history that may be older than the Oss or the Furry themselves. There was an Irish bishop by the name of Gwedhenek and it was he who had the town of what is now Padstow named after him. Hellys is derived from ‘ancient court’ and Helston was the Stannary town for the United Stannaries of Penwith and Kerrier. All the tin west of Scorrier had to taken to Hellys to be coined. Hellys po Lannwedhenek – May day for ever! - Kala Me bys vykken ! Pol Hodge
Some words & phrases in Cornish: Onan hag Oll - One and All Kernow Bys Vykken - Cornwall forever Dydh da! - Hello! Ha sos! - 'Right mate! Myttin da! - Good morning! Dohajydh da! - Good afternoon! Gorthuher da! - Good evening! Fatla genes? - How are you? Pur dha, meur ras. - Very well, thanks. Da lowr, meur ras. - Ok, thanks. Pur dha - Very well Yn poynt da - In good spirits Da lowr - OK Ha ty? - And you? Oiw os ta? - Who are you? ...ov vy - I'm ... Ple'th os ta trigys? - Where do you live? Trigys ov vy yn... - I live in... Kernow - Cornwall Pow Sows - England Awstrali - Australia Kembra - Wales Traveller - Tremenyas Dha weles! - See you! (to one person) Agas gweles! - See you! (to more than one person) Duw genes! - Goodbye! (to one person) Duw genowgh hwi! - Goodbye! (to more than one person) Nos da! - Good night! Mar pleg - Please Meur ras - Thank you Gav dhymm - Excuse me Mynnav - Yes please Na vynnav - No thanks ...hweg - Dear Sira hweg - Dear Sir Benvas hweg - Dear Madam (Man's name) ker - Dear (man's name) (Woman's name) ger - Dear (woman's name) Yn lel - Yours sincerely Gorhemynadow a’n gwella - Best regards Gans gorhemynadow a'n gwella - With best wishes Oll an gwella - All the best Penn bloodh Lowen! - Happy Birthday! Nadelik Lowen! - Merry Christmas! Bledhen Nowyth Da! - Happy New Year! Dy'gol Pyran Lowen! - Happy St Piran's Day! Pask Lowen! - Happy Easter! Dy'gol Mammow Lowen! - Happy Mothers' Day! Penn-bloodh Demedhyans Lowen! - Happy Wedding Anniversary! Keslowena! - Congratulations! Chons da! - Good Luck! Bydh Gwell yn Skon! - Get Well Soon! Keskalar Gwir - Sincere Condolence Gans Kerensa - With Love Gwrys yn Kernow - Made in Cornwall ... a'gas Dynnergh - Welcome to ... Jynn amontya - Computer Negys - Business Kesrosweyth - Internet Ygor - Open Deges - Closed Privedhyow - Toilets Gwer - Gents Benenes - Ladies Onan - One Dew - Two Tri - Three Peswar - Four Pymp - Five Hwegh - Six Seyth - Seven Eth - Eight Naw - Nine Deg - Ten Gwynn - White Du - Black Rudh - Red Glas - Blue Gwyrdh - Green Melyn - Yellow Gell - Brown Rudhvelyn - Orange Gwynnrudh - Pink Purpur - Purple aval - apple karetysen - carrot kowlen - cabbage kegisen hweg - celery keresen - cherry kestenen - chestnut knowen goko - coconut kowlvleujen - cauliflower turnypen - turnip aval kerensa - tomato tanjerin - tangerine routabaga - swede sodonesen - sultana sevien - strawberry kowlennik - Brussels sprout spinach - spinach eyrinen - sloe salad - salad beler lowarth - rocket trenkles - rhubarb
Topical phrases of the month May: 'May flowers in Cornish' Bluebell Bleujen an gog Campion Glusles Primrose Brialli Clover Mellyon Daffodil Lili Korawys Daisy Kaja Gorse Eythin Heather Grug Honeysuckle Gwydhvos Iris Elester Lily Lili Lily of the valley Losowen an hav Rose Rosen Sea Holly Morgelyn Thrift Bryton Cornish dialect Cornish dialect is still spoken although it is not heard as often as it was 20 years ago. Here are a few words: avee? - Have you? dreckley - soon, but with no great urgency airy mouse - a bat (literally an air mouse) stank - to walk heavily bulhorns - snails cloam - crockery, pottery, etc. scat - to break or hit grammersow - woodlouse Wozzon? - What is on? or What is happening? Gezzon! - You must be joking! Madder Do Er? - Does it matter? Wozza Madder Withee? - What is wrong with you? Place name of the Month and This Month's Topical Phrases are published in conjunction with MAGA, the Cornish Language Partnership. To find out more about the Cornish language visit the MAGA website www.magakernow.org.uk We will be adding new words and phrases to this page regularly so please visit us again soon. Books More Cornish Language Books Cornish Language Books 
Useful Links Agan Tavas - Our Language Cussel an Tavaz Kernuak - Cornish Language Council Cornish Language Partnership Kesva an Taves Kernewek - Cornish Language Board Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek Warlinenn - Cornish Language Fellowship online Radyo an Gernewegva
Cornish Language and Place Names NEWS Cornish Language Groups Around Cornwall
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