At Home With Cornish 63

In the last post we saw some uses of “ma”.

This is part of the verb “to be”. It means “there is” or “there are”.

e.g. E'n copart ma … In the cupboard there is/are …

You can change the cupboard for any other location, at home or round and about, e.g.

E'n gegin ma … In the kitchen there is/are …

E'n lowarth ma … In the garden there is/are …

E'n leverva ma … In the library there is/are

Here are some things you might find:

flourys

lies lever

pemp bolla

bucket

bolla' de

jynn amôntya

tekel

biskys

 

Here's a new way to use “ma”. This time it is a way of saying that I have something (with me). It does not necessarily belong to me.

Ma … genam. Literally There is … with me. i.e. I have …

e.g. Ma lever genam. I have a book (with me).

e.g. Ma 'gas lever genam. I have your book.

e.g. Ma diwros genam. I have a bicycle (with me).


This is parallel to the use of Ma … dhebm, which means it is mine.

If I want to ask you if you have any of these things, I say:

“Eus … dhe whei?” or “Eus … dhis?” 

“Do you have …?” 

“Have you got …?”


e.g. Eus biskys dhe whei?

       Have you got any biscuits?

       Eus bolla' de dhis?

       Do you have a cup of tea?

       Eus bucket en neb le?

       Is there a bucket anywhere?

 

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