KESCOWS NEBES MOY
CORNISH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Second Edition
Ian Jackson
Supplementary to Gerlyver Kescows
and continuously reviewed and expanded
SECTION 15
MATERIAL
Last updated: 1 March 2025 (11:00)
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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.
Any term that is essentially a noun may also be used adjectivally.
15-A ELEMENT
argon m argon
arhans bew m mercury
cadmyùm m cadmium
calcyùm m calcium
carbon m carbon
cêsyùm m caesium
clorîn m chlorine
cobalt m cobalt
helyùm m helium
hydrogen m hydrogen
indyùm m indium
iodîn m iodine
loskven ‖ m sulfur, sulphur
lythyùm m lithium
magnêsyùm m magnesium
manganês m manganese
neon m neon
nîtrogen m nitrogen
nyckel m nickel
orpyment m arsenic
oxygen m oxygen
platynùm m platinum
plûtônyùm m plutonium
polônyùm m polonium
potassyùm (calyùm) m potassium
râdon m radon
sôdyùm (natryùm) m sodium
sylycon m silicon
tùngsten (wolfram) m tungsten
tîtânyùm m titanium
ûrânyùm m uranium
zynk m zinc
zyrcônyùm m zirconium
15-B ALLOTROPE, ISOTOPE, ALLOY ETC
arhanplâta m silver-plate
cober-nyckel m cupronickel
crom m chrome
dewteryùm m deuterium
etewyk m etewygow ingot
grafît m graphite
halogen m halogenow halogen
horn todnek m corrugated iron
kesolcan m kesolcanow alloy
lîvyon horn pl iron filings
metol m metal (often alloy or worked)
metol dynam m stainless steel
metol plat m sheet metal
olcanek (metolek) adj metallic
ôzôn m ozone
pewter (plobmsten ‖) m pewter
plâtya v plate
plâtyans m plating
sqwîthans olcan m metal fatigue
stenblâtya v tinplate
sterlyn adj sterling
trytyùm m tritium
ûrânyùm gwadnhës ‖ m depleted uranium
ûrânyùm purhës ‖ m enriched uranium
15-C COMPOUND
acetôn m acetone
acetylên m acetylene
bûtân m butane
bycarbonât sôda m bicarbonate of soda
cellûlôs m cellulose
cianîd m cyanide
cloroform (gass cùsca) m chloroform
cod aswon an resyn phr resin identification code (RIC)
dewoxîd carbon m carbon dioxide
êthanol m ethanol
flùorîd m fluoride
fosfât m fosfâtow phosphate
glûcôs m glucose
gwyras predn f methylated spirit
hydrocarbon m hydrocarbonow hydrocarbon
hydroxîd m hydroxîdow hydroxide
kerosên m kerosene
methân (loskgass ‖) m methane
monoxîd carbon m carbon monoxide
nîtrât m nîtrâtow nitrate
oxîd nîtrus m nitrous oxide, laughing gas
parafyn m paraffin
peroxîd m peroxide
petrokemek ‖ m petrokemegyon ‖ petrochemical
poliêthylên (polythên) m polyethylene (polythene)
poliêthylên is-tewder m low-density polyethylene, PE-LD (RIC 4)
poliêthylên terefthalât m polyethylene terephthalate, PET (RIC 1)
poliêthylên ugh-tewder m high-density polyethylene, PE-HD (RIC 2)
polyprôpylên m polypropylene, PP (RIC 5)
polystîrên m polystyrene, PS (RIC 6)
polyvînyl clorîd m polyvinyl chloride, PVC (RIC 3)
potash m potash
prôpân m propane
sylycôn m silicone
teflon m teflon
trenken acêtek (trenken aysel) f acetic acid
trenken cytrek (trenken lymon) f citric acid
trenken hydroclorek f hydrochloric acid
trenken lethek f lactic acid
trenken nîtrek f nitric acid
trenken sùlfùrek f sulfuric (sulphuric) acid
vînyl m vinyl
15-D MINERAL
albestôn m asbestos
aspalt m asphalt
basalt m basalt
calgh m lime[stone]
calgh bew m quicklime
calgh bodhar m slaked lime
calgh gwydn m chalk
candir ‖ m quartz
côk m coke
concrît airellys m aerated concrete
concrît horn m reinforced concrete
corùndùm m corundum
creosôt m creosote
emery m emery
felspar m feldspar
gass kyllas m shale gas
gass naturek lydn m liquefied natural gas (LNG)
growek adj gravelly
grud m gritstone
grud men melyn m millstone grit
kyllas m shale
marbel m marble
[men] flynt (calester) m meyn flint[stone]
men growyn m meyn granite
men tewas m meyn sandstone
menoyl ‖ m petroleum
mûnek adj mineral
oden galgh f lime kiln
owrven ‖ m owrveyn ‖ philosopher's stone
oyl criv m crude oil
pêk m pitch
scov m rich tin ore (nowadays mostly figurative)
scoven f ground rich in tin (nowadays mostly figurative)
tarmak m tarmac
tarr m tar
tarr dor m bitumen
tarr du m coal tar
15-E BIOLOGICAL
See also 5-F FABRICS ETC
ambergrîs m ambergris
askel f mother of pearl
calesvord ‖ m hardboard
côyr m coir
dans olyfans m ivory
eben m ebony
jûta m jute
mahogany m mahogany
manbluv ‖ col [eider]down
predn cales m hardwood
predn collwëdh ‖ Frynk m walnut
predn gwëdh pin m pine
predn helyk m willow
predn launow m plywood
predn medhel m softwood
predn tîk m teak
resyn (sùgan glus) m resin
towargh col towarhen peat
15-F MISCELLANEOUS VOCABULARY
brewyon col brewyonen fragments, debris, bits (broken)
bros paper m papier maché
dowr strong m slurry
govelus adj malleable
gwrës dhyrag dorn phr prefabricated
gwrys m crystal
gwrysus adj crystalline
lûb m sludge
paper crêp m crêpe paper
perspex® m perspex
pyrex® m pyrex
tednus adj ductile
vùlcanîsa v vulcanize