KESCOWS NEBES MOY
CORNISH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Second Edition
Ian Jackson
Supplementary to Gerlyver Kescows
and continuously reviewed and expanded
SECTION 1
BODY
Last updated: 27 February 2025 (10:00)
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The purpose of Kescows Nebes Moy is to enable Cornish conversation about most non-specialist subjects without the need to switch into English. A first edition appeared in 2018. Cornish vocabulary items not found in Gerlyver Kescows were presented for the first time in classified lists that take the learner beyond elementary vocabulary, enabling conversation about more technical topics that nonetheless form part of everyday life.
The first edition was necessarily quite experimental, and was confined to just five thousand entries. Much has been learned since the first edition appeared. This second edition is being developed in more comprehensive form on-line. In particular we are considering families wishing to speak Cornish in the home, as well as the challenge of establishing potential for teaching through the medium of Cornish in primary and secondary schools.
You can search for what you want in this section, by Cornish or English word, using find on page or ctrl f.
You can browse the list of sections currently available here
Click or tap here for the Appendix ‘Word Building‘ which explains the principles of compounding, prefixation and suffixation.
We are very grateful to Professor Nicholas Williams and Michael Everson for the opportunity to coordinate these lists with drafts of their Gerlyver Brâs.
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.
A word has a single stress accent on the penultimate syllable in the absence of any specific indication. When this accent falls elsewhere, the underlined vowel marks the syllable which is stressed. The symbol ‖ after a word indicates that, instead of a single stress accent, two syllables of the word are given prominence. In the case of a disyllabic word the prominence is usually slightly stronger on the adjectival element.
1-A FIGURE, FITNESS
delweth corf m delwedhow body image
dywvron du bust (typically female in modern context)
greuv m front (specifically of body, including face)
grugysla m midriff; waistline
in poynt corforek dâ phr physically fit
keher brodn m keherow pectoral muscle
keher dewben m keherow biceps
keyngrom ‖ adj hunch-backed
kilgorf ‖ m back (specifically of body)
lonow pl loins
omassaya v exercise (fitness)
omdhalgh m omdhalhow posture
scoodhgam ‖ adj hunch-backed
stamyna m stamina
troboynt ‖ cres oos m troboyntys ‖ mid-life crisis
1-B HEAD
aval lagas m avallow eyeball
bervys adj bearded
bew an lagas phr the iris and pupil
camlagaja v squint
dywen du jaws
er m eryow temple
fysment m fysmens feature
gen f chin
gols m head of hair
kilben ‖ m back of the head, occiput
lappa scovarn m lappys ear lobe
melegan m meleganas blond
meleganes f meleganesow blonde
melenyk adj sallow
mol m sleep (in eye)
môlys y lagasow phr bleary-eyed
nas Afrô f Afro texture(d)
pedn dhe woles phr head over heels
pednvagas ‖ adj shock-haired
plattya v smooth down (hair)
plethedna v plait, braid
poll bogh m pollow dimple
reun elgeth col stubble
rôsyn lagas m rôsydnow retina
teknologieth aswon fâss f facial recognition technology
1-C MOUTH, NOSE, THROAT, NECK
anal boos f bad breath
aval briansen (aval an rîtan) m larynx, Adam's apple
baya v kiss
cafos dens phr be teething
cartha y vriansen phr clear one's throat
catâr m catarrh
cowdoll ‖ m cowdell ‖ sinus
crawkya v croak
crawkyans m croak(ing)
cussyn m kiss
delevy v yawn
delevyans m delevyansow yawn(ing)
dens clâv pl toothache
deskerny v bare one's teeth
dewfrik tegys du bunged-up nose
dianowyans m yawn(ing)
diena v gasp; pant
fâls-minwharth ‖ m fâls-minwharthow ‖ smirk
fâls-minwherthyn ‖ v smirk
folwharth ‖ m giggle
folwherthyn ‖ v giggle
frig m frigow nostril
gargasen f gargasednow gullet, oesophagus
glavorya v drool, slobber
golhy lonk phr gargle
gorheras ganow m palate
gregga v cackle
grudh f grudhyow cheek, jaw (high register)
gùdhùk m throat (exterior)
gwagren adenoydek f adenoid(s)
gwagren thyroydek f gwagrednow thyroid gland
gwasca dens phr clench one's teeth
gwil mowys phr pout
gwythien an codna phr jugular vein
hos adj hoarse
hôsya v speak hoarsely
hôsyas m hoarseness
in dadn y dhens phr through clenched teeth
kilwagren ‖ f kilwagrednow ‖ tonsil
kilwen ‖ f kilwenow ‖ smirk
kilwena ‖ v smirk
kilwharth ‖ m snigger(ing)
kilwherthyn ‖ v snigger
merogeth m runny nose
mery v snivel
mînya v nuzzle
mol dewfrik m bogey(s)
mowa m mowys pout
orth y anow phr face to face
pig i'n codna phr crick in the neck
pûr m snot
pyff m pyffow puff; splutter
pyffya v puff; splutter
pib gwyns (rîtan) m pîbow trachea, windpipe
rîtan m trachea, windpipe
ronk i'n vriansen phr frog in the throat
scryncus adj grimacing; leering
scrynk m grimace; leer
scrynkya v grimace; leer
serth y godna phr stiff-necked (figuratively)
smoth y davas phr smooth-talking
smùt adj snub-nosed
stevnyk m & f stevnygow palate
tellek adj pockmarked
terlenky v gulp
thyroyd m thyroid
wàr boll y gil phr on the back of one's neck
whedh lonk m goitre
wheja gwyns phr belch
wherthyn i'n vriansen phr chuckle
wherthynva f laughter
1-D BONES, LIMBS
ascorn pedn elyn m eskern funny bone
berr f berrow shank, lower leg
bës arâg m besias forefinger, index finger
bës bysow m besias ring finger
bës brâs m besias thumb
bës cres m besias middle finger
bësya v finger
boxas m boxesow punch
casel f caselyow armpit
clos dywvron f clojow rib-cage
codna troos m conaow instep
colm keherow m [muscle] cramp
craban m crabanow hand, paw, mitt
crowsegys y verrow phr cross-legged
el esker f elyow shin[bone], tibia
esker f eskeryow shank, lower leg
fer f ferow shank, lower leg
fernoth ‖ adj bare-legged
garrek adj long-legged, leggy
garrgam ‖ adj bandy-legged, bow-legged
garrhir ‖ adj long-legged, gangling
glingam ‖ adj knock-kneed
gothen f gothnow sole
ha'y dhywvregh alês phr with outstretched arms
keheryn fer m keherydnow calf [muscle]
kenen bës f kenednow cuticle
logosen fer f calf [muscle]
marou m bone marrow
marou an keyn phr spinal cord
mell dorn m mellow knuckle
mell keyn m mellow vertebra
mer m bone marrow
mygorn m cartilage
ol bës m olow fingermark
padellow an scoodh phr shoulder-blades
padel pedn glin f padellow knee-cap
pedn glin ‖ m knee
pock elyn m pockyow nudge
ragvregh f ragvrehow forearm
trehysak m trehysogyon amputee
troos cabm m treys club foot
1-E REPRODUCTION, SEX
an brÿgh m placenta
anterth m anterthow climax, orgasm
anvabeth m infertility
astel misliv ‖ m menopause
brâs y lygyon phr well-hung
càl serth m erection
carnalyta m sex (sexual acts)
carnalyta a'n ganow phr oral sex
carnalyta a'n gons phr vaginal sex
carnalyta a'n gwèn phr anal sex
carnalyta consentus m consensual sex
carnalyta dywith m unprotected sex
cervycal adj cervical
chastyta m chastity
codna brÿs m conaow cervix
coplans goderrys m coitus interruptus
dywgell du testicles
dos [dhe anterth] phr orgasm, climax, come
dylla has phr ejaculate
dylla oy phr ovulate
fyckya v fuck
fyckyans m fuck(ing)
gawl leun a'n jeves phr he is well-hung
goonliv ‖ m vaginal discharge
goos mîsek m menses
gourvenow ‖ adj hermaphrodite
kell f kellyow testicle
kenen werghsys f kenednow gwerghsys hymen
ketherieth f puberty
kethor col pubic hair
kethorva f pube; groin
kil m kîlyow testicle
lybîdô m libido
lygyon pl genitals
mesen f mesednow glans
omrùttya v masturbate
oyva f oyvaow ovary
pîbow Fallôpyô pl Fallopian tubes
rendra dyfrooth phr sterilize (sb)
ry leth phr lactate
scrôtùm m scrôta scrotum
shora lavur m shorys contraction (in labour)
skîtyans has m ejaculation
skîtyans ragathves m premature ejaculation
spadha v castrate
spadhysak m spadhysogyon eunuch
sperm m sperm, semen
spermyn m spermydnow sperm (individual)
todnek hy horf phr curvaceous
tygen an dhywgell f scrotum
tygen an kîlyow f scrotum
1-F EXTERNAL, INTERNAL
adrênalîn m adrenalin[e]
albînô m albînôs albino
an vabm [i'n dorr] phr spleen
artery cùrunek m arterys coronary artery
bara melys m pancreas
blewak adj hairy
bleyngrohen ‖ f bleyngrehyn ‖ foreskin
bystel m bile
bystelyor m bystelyoryon gall-bladder
caca m poo (nursery word)
clapes m clapesow valve
côlon m côlons colon
colonyow pl guts, entrails, intestines, innards
crohen goodh f goose-pimples
cyrcùmcîsyans m circumcision
diafram m diaframys diaphragm
dûodênùm m duodenum
factor rêsùs m rhesus factor
fals y din phr bum crack
gastryk adj gastric
gawl f gawlow crotch
genôm m genômow genome
godrak m colostrum
group goos m groupys blood group
gwagren f gwagrednow gland
gwèn m gwenhow anus
gwessyow cons pl labia
gweyth dowr phr waterworks (polite avoidance expression)
gwil caca phr poo verb (nursery phrase)
gwil pypy phr wee verb (nursery phrase)
gwyns torr m flatulence, wind
in kig ha knes phr in the flesh
i'n knes (i'n trogel) phr as large as life
insùlyn m insulin
kelhednyk m kelhenygow areola
kenen bûrek f kenednow pûrek mucous membrane
kenen gig f kenednow kig diaphragm
kenen goon f kenednow hymen
knes col knesen skin
leth melen m colostrum
liv goos m bloodstream
lydn poder m pus
metaboleth m metaboledhow metabolis
môly v clot
nervek (newral) adj neural
newron m newronow neuron
omhowla v sunbathe
omleba v wet oneself
omsewajya v relieve oneself (polite avoidance expression)
pancreas m pancreas
pedren f pedrednow hindquarter, buttock
pendro f dizziness; giddiness, vertigo
plustren f plustrednow mole
pottys pl guts, entrails, intestines, innards
preves bian pl pins-and-needles
prostât m prostate [gland]
pypy m wee (nursery word)
rectùm m recta rectum
rêsùs negedhek phr rhesus negative
rêsùs posytyf phr rhesus positive
sfyncter m sfyncters sphincter
synaps m synapsow synapse
tellyk [whës] m telygow pore
vytamyn m vytamynow vitamin
wheja gwyns phr belch, burp
whenen f nipple