KESCOWS NEBES MOY

CORNISH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

Second Edition

Ian Jackson

Supplementary to Gerlyver Kescows

and continuously reviewed and expanded

SECTION 10

COUNTRYSIDE

Last updated: 27 February 2025 (19:00)

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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.

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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.

10-A  GENERAL

fâss an pow phr lie of the land

keyndir ‖ m keyndiryow ‖ hinterland Also background (figuratively)

randir a les sciensek arbednyk phr area of special scientific interest

randir a veurdecter naturek phr area of outstanding natural beauty

tirwedh f tirwedhow ‖ landscape

10-B  HILL, VALLEY

adyt m adyts adit

bròn (born) m bronyow (bronyon) hill

bryn m brynyow hill

cadon range (mountains)

clegerek adj craggy

clog f clogow crag

crackya codna phr sheer, precipitous

crugel f crugellow little mound

drum (trum) m drumyow ridge, hogsback

esker f eskeryow spur

glyn m glydnow glen

gobans (golans) m gobansow dingle

godolgh m godolhow tump

golowva f golowvaow beacon

keynans m keynansow ravine, gorge

lamleder ‖ f lamledrow ‖ lover's leap, precipice

menedhek adj hilly; mountainous

menettir wold(s)

mùjoven f mùjovednow ridge, hilltop

nans m nansow valley

nans ha bryn phr undulating country

pans m pansow hollow, dingle

qwarry quarry

rajel scree

run m runyow hillside, slope

runen f runednow hillock

sëghnans ‖ m sëghnansow ‖ dry gully

teno(tnow) m tenwyn vale, dale

tirnans ‖ land in a valley

tolgh m tolhow hillock

10-C  MOOR, MEADOW

buthyn m buthynow meadow

dol f dolow water meadow The sense is any valley land that is susceptible to flooding

glasen f glasednow green space

glaswels col growing grass, pasture

gûnran f gûnradnow ‖ moorland part of a parish

hal f hallow moor[land]

ros f rosyow heath, moor[land]

rosvro ‖ heathland

stras m strâsow low-lying ground, level

tireth parcow parkland

todn m & f todnyow grassland

10-D  WOODS

argos m argosow wooded area

cardhen (brâk) f cardhednow brake, thicket

caswyth (cajwyth) thicket

cooswyk f cooswygow wood[land], forest

cosek adj wooded

dasforestyans reafforestation

dreyngoos ‖ thorny woodland

dreysek f dreysegow bramble brake

dyforestyans deforestation

forest m forestys forest

forstor m forstoryon forester

glasans foliage

glasneth (glasny) greenery

glasyjyon m grass

glawgoos ‖ (forest glaw) m glawgosow ‖ rainforest

henargos ‖ m henargosow ‖ primaeval forest

in dadn wëdh phr wooded, forested

kelly (kelhy) f keliow (kelhiow) holt, copse, coppice; grove

kelywyk f kelywygow grove

lanergh m lanerhy glade, clearing; grove

lon m lonow bushes; grove

lonak adj bushy

pow coos woodland(s)

prysk col prysken shrubs

pryskel prysclow undergrowth

prysklowek ‖ f prysklowegow ‖ scrubland

tewgoos ‖ dense woodland

10-E  WATER

cores f coresow weir

creun m creunyow reservoir

creun melyn m creunyow mill pond

daras dowr m darajow sluice

dowr marow stagnant water

dowrek f dowregow wetland

enesyk f enesygow islet

gover melyn m goverow mill stream

goveryk m goverygow rill

gûn glas the sea

gwely an dowr phr riverbed

hens hâlya m hensy towpath

isawan ‖ f isawenow ‖ tributary

kendevryon (aber) pl confluence

keynres ‖ brook, torrent (on hillside)

labmfros ‖ m lamfrosow cascade

lock m lockys lock (canal)

merdhowr ‖ backwater (incl figuratively)

penstrem mainstream (incl figuratively)

reverthy flood tide; torrent

sarn f sarnow stepping-stones

10-F  COAST

arvorek adj coastal

back m backys breakwater

bùliek f bùliegow shingle [beach]

corn dowr m kernow creek

delta m deltas delta

dor sëgh dry land

fyord m fyordow fjord

groyn m groynys groyne

morbleg ‖ m morblegow ‖ gulf

morek adj marine, maritime

morfos ‖ f morfosow ‖ sea wall

morlînen ‖ coastline

morrep coastland, seaboard

morva shore (especially salt marsh); seaside

morwedh ‖ f morwedhow ‖ seascape

penarth m penarthow headland

penryn m penrynyow cape, ness, naze

pentir m pentiryow promontory

pleg mor m plegow bay, bight

serthâls  f serthâlsyow ‖ sheer cliff

10-G  STRUCTURES

arsellva f arsellvaow belvedere, gazebo

banken f bankednow bank, dyke

cromlegh ‖ f cromlehow ‖ dolmen

dauns meyn m dauncyow megalithic stone circle

din m dînyon hill-fort

dorgê m dorgeow earthwork

foly folly

ke meyn m keow [dry] stone wall

magor f magoryow old wall; pl ruins

manorjy ‖ m manorjiow ‖ manor house

men hir m meyn menhir

pîlon m pîlons pylon

tobmen f tomednow embankment, dyke, dam

tollven m tollveyn ‖ holed stone

trap m trappys stile

trap a veyn phr stone stile

tùrbîn gwyns m tùrbînyow wind turbine

vylla m vyllaow villa (Roman)

10-H  MISCELLANEOUS VOCABULARY

argel f argelow secluded spot

bûsel cattle dung

bûsel vergh horse dung

bûselen f bûselednow cowpat

croustva f croustvaow picnic area

glasweltir ‖ veld

gwastattir ‖ plateau; steppe(s)

gwasttatir  rew tundra

gwyver dreynek barbed wire

lader gam m ladron poacher

meurbras ‖ m meurbrasow ‖ prairie

omwelva f omwelvaow visitor centre

pell dhyworth tus phr off the beaten track

pendra f pendrevow hamlet

post pellscrefa ‖ m postow telegraph pole

prylyon deves pl sheep droppings

tirlanow ‖ landfill

tobmen (banken) ergh f tomednow snow drift