Publication of the second edition of Gerlyver Kescows in printed form is expected once the new Gerlyver Brâs has been finalized. Meanwhile the full text of the 'Outbursts' section appears below. This may be modified from time to time in the light of comments. So if you are supportive of revived traditional Cornish and the Kernowek Standard spelling system, please let us know in the event you find any errors or think something might be improved.
Last updated: 11 April 2024 (16:00)
‘OUTBURSTS’
The main part of the dictionary contains only a few short interjections like now and wèl, along with words for ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Here is a broad array of words and phrases that will make conversation more lively, and which invite an exclamation mark. Singular you-forms (familiar) are given throughout, except where only a plural / polite form exists. Plural / polite forms can often be substituted: e.g. by changing dhis to dhywgh or dhe why or by changing from a singular to a plural imperative.
Hello and goodbye
bennath Duw genes pronounced benatuw genes
hello! goodbye!
bys wharê
I’ll be back!
dëdh dâ
hello! (from about 11:00 till about 18:00)
deus ajy
come in!
dha weles
so long! see you!
dohajëdh dâ
good afternoon! (from midday till about 18:00)
Dùrda ‖ dhe why
how do you do?
Dùrnostadha ‖
good night!
Duw genes
goodbye!
farwèl ‖
all the best!
gordhuwher dâ
good evening! (from about 18:00)
hail dhis
hello! hi [there]!
lowena dhis
hi [there]!
myttyn dâ
good morning! (till about 10:00)
nos dâ
good night!
wolcùm
welcome!
Good wishes
Bledhen Nowyth dâ
Happy New Year!
fortyn dâ
good luck!
god spêda dhis
all the best!
Nadelyk lowen
Merry Christmas!
pedn bloodh lowen [ha meur anodhans]
happy birthday! many happy returns [of the day]!
sowena
all the best!
Being courteous
gav dhybm
excuse me! (interrupting, going past)
me a’m beus oll an blam
[it’s] my fault entirely!
ny vedham mynysen
I shan’t (won’t) be a moment!
y praydha (y praya)
excuse me? (preface to question / request, also when sth not understood)
Getting attention
ay
hey! (remonstrating)
hay
hey! (hailing sb)
how
hello! (surprise, also answering telephone)
maydes ‖
help!
In good company
arta
encore!
brav
bravo!
clôw clôw
hear hear!
Kernow bys vycken
Cornwall for ever!
oyeth or
listen! (when making announcement)
tergweyth hùrâ rag ...
three cheers for ...!
yêhes dâ dhis / dhyn
cheers! (toast)
With the young (and not so young)
bô-gîk ‖
peek-a-boo!
bou
boo!
cùsk cosel
sleep tight! sweet dreams!
harow
ow! ouch!
myàm myàm
yum yum! yummy!
myny myny (chùg chùg)
come along now!
sa’ sa’
there there!
thùck (yùck)
yuck! ugh!
ûps
oops!
whyst
hush! ssshh!
I’m the boss
avaund ‖
get lost!
bëdh war
careful! look out!
darwar ‖
watch out!
deus [rag]
come on!
dhe’n dor gans ...
down with ...!
gas cres
cut it out!
gas dha son
stop your noise!
gas ev in y wres y honen
let him stew!
gwella dha jer
cheer up!
gwra derivas dhybm
let me know!
gwra kestedna dha honen
pull yourself together!
hana ‖
fetch! (to dog)
hyllyowgh
here boy! (to dog)
in mes genes
get out!
in sol
up you get!
kê wàr dha gàm
steady on! don’t overdo it!
kebmer with
take care!
kebmer with a’n stap!
mind the step!
kep kep kep
giddy up! (to horse)
na wra vry orto
take no notice [of him]!
otta dha shara
that’s your lot!
prûyt
get along there! (to animal)
pùbonen ragtho y honen
every man for himself!
sav in nes
stay where you are!
sens dha glap
shut up! stow it!
tàn hebma
take this! hold this!
tycky tycky
come and get it! (when food is ready)
voyd a’m syght
out of my sight!
wàr yêw
let's get on with it!
Making a point
col orthyf
mark my words!
jevody (jevojy)
I’m telling you!
re’m leouta (re’m leawta)
honestly!
Reacting to people and events
The social conventions that originally governed what Cornish expressions were appropriate in what contexts can no longer be reconstructed. They would not accord with modern values. ‘Strong language’ in English now likes to exploit taboos about excrement and sexual activity. Traditional Cornish drew rather upon shared Catholic beliefs, universal horror of the plague (after the Black Death), and fascination with the hangman’s noose. The Revival may eventually establish conventions of its own.
â gen da whedhlow
get away [with you]!
abarth an pla pronounced barthanpla ‖
damn! blast!
adhevîs
excellent! super!
agh
oh! (disapproving)
ahâ ‖
aha!
an den truan
poor devil!
an gwir a leverta
you’re right!
an milyk truan
poor thing! the poor darling!
ass osta dâ
that’s good of you! how kind of you!
ass yw dieth
what a pity! what a shame!
ass yw dyflas
[that’s] disgusting!
ass yw mothow
what a disaster! what a fiasco!
ass yw omgyjor
what a wanker!
ass yw scogyn
what an idiot!
ay
phew!
besias saym
butter-fingers!
brabm an gath
cobblers!
bryntyn
wonderful! splendid!
bÿth na lavar a’n dra
don’t mention it!
bÿth ny vednen
no way! (refusal)
cabmen vëth
not in the least! not in the slightest!
cales lùck
hard luck!
camdybys osta
you’re wrong!
certus
certainly!
cudyn vëth
no problem!
dâ aqwytys osta
[it] serves you right!
dâ lowr
OK! okay!
dar what! why! well! I say!
Often followed immediately by negative question (without interrogative particle): e.g. Dar, ny wosta? What! Don’t you know?
dhe’th cregy
damn you!
do way
now now! lay off!
drocka loos
what a pain!
drog yw genama
[I'm] sorry!
dyowlyk bian ywa
the little devil! the rascal!
eâ mar pleg / na vadnam, gromercy dhis
yes please! / no thank you!
eâ, mar teffen ha cafos an chauns
chance would be a fine thing!
ellas (elhas)
alas! oh dear!
êhân ‖
heigh ho!
er y wu
worse luck!
fatell esta ow lavasos
how dare you!
faven gog
not a dicky-bird! not a sausage!
flows ha whedhlow
stuff and nonsense!
forsôth ‖
true!
fy
rot!
gas dha flows
don’t talk rubbish!
ges a wres
you’re joking!
god chauns re’th fo
good luck to you!
gool ha gwary
fun and games!
gwir poran
quite right!
gwir yn tien
spot on!
gwydnvÿs ‖
that was lucky!
hâ
ah!
heb mar na ma’s
no buts!
hedna a gòst dhis
you’ll pay for that!
hèn yw onen dâ
that’s rich!
horssen plos
son of a bitch!
in lagas dha din
up yours!
keslowena
congratulations!
kewar yn tien
exactly! precisely!
kyj an air
go play with yourself!
lowena re’th fo ganso
good luck with it!
ma va owth hegasa ow dens
he really gets up my nose!
malbew dabm ny’n gwrêta
oh no you don’t!
malbew devnyth
that’s no use!
malbew jauns
fat chance [of that]!
malbew onen
not [a single] one!
mewl yw hedna dhe’m breus avy
I call that a disgrace!
na fors
never mind!
na le
no less!
ny amownt màn
it’s no use!
ny’n jeves chauns canary
he hasn’t a bat’s chance in hell!
ny rov oy
I couldn’t care less!
ny woram malbew dabm
blowed if I know!
nyns yw marth
no wonder!
ô
oh! (realization, surprise)
ober dâ
well done! proper job!
ogh
oh! (emotion)
owt
damn!
owt warnas
blast you! confound you!
pandra vern?
so what?
pandr’yw hedna dhyso?
mind your own business!
pëth adhevîs
just the thing!
pòr dhâ, sos
way to go!
prat plos a wrusta
that’s a dirty trick [to play]!
re’th fo crog
get knotted! take a running jump!
re’m pât
I say!
ria reva
amazing! incredible! unbelievable!
rial
fine! splendid!
ren ow thas
gosh! wow!
soweth
bad luck! more’s the pity!
spladn
brilliant! splendid!
te a ol hedna
you’ll be sorry!
te a worr whans wheja inam
you make me sick!
te javal
you scoundrel!
tety valy
tut tut! fiddlesticks!
th’eroma i’n nevow
I’m over the moon!
tru
that’s a pity!
tybyans dâ
good thinking! good idea!
yn tien
absolutely!
Here are some exclamations based specifically on religious or spiritual ideas.
a Dhuw
oh dear!
a Dhuw ker
dear God!
abarth Duw pronounced [a]bartuw
for God’s / Christ’s / pity’s sake!
alelûya
[h]alleluya!
bennath Duw pronounced benatuw ‖
bless you! (to sneezer)
cres dh’y ena
God rest his / her soul! (when referring to deceased)
crows Crist[, painys trist]
cross my heart [and hope to die]!
dh’y lawa
praise be!
Dùrsona dhis
God bless!
Duw dyfen
God forbid!
grass e dhe Dhuw
thank God!
iffarn tan
bloody hell!
in iffarnow heb gow
bloody hell!
kê dhe’n jowl genes
go to hell!
lowr yw dhe brevy perthyans Job
it’s enough to try the patience of a saint!
mollath Duw pronounced mollatuw ‖
damn! blast!
re Dhuw a’m ros
honestly!
re’m fay
gosh! wow!
re Synt Defry
I’m not joking!
re Varia (ria [sos])
gosh! wow!
re Vyhal
gosh! wow!
re’n ebron dhâ
good heavens! heavens above!
wàr ow enef
dear[y] me!