At Home With Cornish

So far you can say what you like (or hate doing) and what you would like to do.  But how will you answer if someone asks you what you ARE doing?   Pandr'esta  ow  kil ?          What are you doing?     This question uses " pandra ( what )   again, but for this question we have a different way of saying  is  or  are.   And when we are talking about an activity (or position) we also have a different way of saying " I am".   Thera  vy  ...  I am ...     We have looked at some of the activities you like doing,    e.g.   redya   (reading)  Da  ew   genam   redya .      I like reading.     Now we have to use a special linking word “ ow ”   to join “ I am”  to the activity.   Thera  vy   ow   càna .           I am singing. Thera  vy   ow   kerdhes .     I am walking. Thera  vy   ow   lebmel .       I am jumping.            Thera  vy   ow   liwya .          I am painting. Thera  vy   ow   marhoga .    I am riding.   Thera vy ow neyja.    

Let's have another look at ourselves. So far you can say a few things.   This boy might say: Lôwena dhis. Hello. Peder o vy. I'm Peter. Maw o vy. I'm a boy. Seyth bloodh o vy. I'm 7 years old. Ma dhebm pedn bloodh en mis Genver. I have a birthday in January. Trigys o vy en Truru. I live in Truro. Ma hôr dhebm. I have a sister. My a gar ow theylû. I love my family.     His sister might say: Lôwena dhis. Hello. Maria o vy. I'm Mary. Mos o vy . I'm a girl. Naw bloodh o vy. I'm 9 years old. Ma dhebm pedn bloodh en mis Dû. I have a birthday in November. Trigys o vy en Truru. I live in Truro. Ma broder dhebm. I have a brother. My a gar ow theylû. I love my family.     Family members: hôr sister, broder brother Let's meet some other members of the family: mabm mother,

Constructions used in At Home with Cornish Kernowek en Chei Blogs 1-20 Part 1 These blogs are based on the assumption that children learn by asking questions. See the questions in red.   These extra notes are in case parents and teachers would like a bit more explanation. It is amazing how much you can do with the verb bos (to be, being) and a minimum number of other verbs!   1.    With the verb bos ( to be ) descriptive, 1st person singular:   X o vy - with maximum emphasis on descriptor Tho vy x - with less emphasis on descriptor   Tho is a contraction of Eth o vy where Eth (earlier Yth ) is a verbal particle that stops the sentence being a question. O vy x? Am I x?       e.g. O vy gòcky?     Am I silly? Gòcky o vy. I am silly !     Tho vy gòcky!   I am silly!   Name + o vy              e.g. Peder o vy.                    I'm Peter. Noun + o vy               e.g. Maw o vy.                      I'm a boy. Adjective + o vy