KESCOWS NEBES MOY
CORNISH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Second Edition
Ian Jackson
Supplementary to Gerlyver Kescows
and continuously reviewed and expanded
SECTION 17
QUANTITY, CALCULATION
Last updated: 1 March 2025 (14:00)
You can download this section in pdf format here
or scroll the whole wordlist as webpage text
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.
17-A DEGREE, QUANTITY, SIZE
abâtya v abate, diminish
abùnda v abound
abùndans m abundance
addyansus adj incremental
an brâssa (moyha) radn a2 phr most of, the majority of
astronomek (galathek) y vyns phr astronomical
bian aga nùmber phr few
brâs (meur) aga nùmber phr many
cans an cans phr one hundred percent, completely
dres nyver phr otiose, redundant
dylowr adj insufficient, inadequate
dylowrder m insufficiency, inadequacy
dysencressya v decrease, reduce
eqwal (egwal) adj/m eqwals equal
eqwalyta m equality
gorfalster (falster) a2 phr any amount of, no shortage of
gorladhva f overkill (incl figuratively)
gorlanwesek adj surplus
gorvrusy v overestimate
heb musur (dyvusur) phr immeasurable, inestimable
isaboynt ‖ m isaboyntys all time low, nadir
in kemusur gorthtro phr in inverse proportion, inversely proportional
ispoyntegy ‖ v minimize
jiantus adj gigantic, gargantuan
keheseth (keheja) m extent; quantity (of syllable etc)
lowr ha plenta phr more than enough
lowr qwit phr quite enough
lyhariv ‖ m lyharîvyow ‖ minority
merksavon ‖ m merksavonow ‖ benchmark
merksavonegy v benchmark
moyhariv ‖ m moyharîvyow ‖ majority
musuradow adj measurable, quantifiable
myjyn m myjydnow smidgen
naneyl brâs na bian phr medium-sized
nùmber a2 phr a number of, several
parcel brâs (a2) phr quite a crowd (of)
poynt torrva m poyntys breaking point
re aga nùmber phr too many
scant aga nùmber phr few [and far between]
scantlowr ‖ adv hardly at all Syntax as for scant
tanow aga nùmber phr few; scarce, rare
tanowder m scarceness, scarcity, rareness, rarity
tew aga nùmber phr abundant, plentiful
ughboyntegy ‖ v maximize
uthyk brâs phr huge, massive, tremendous
uthyk dâ phr marvellous, spectacular
uthyk pell phr ever so far
uthyk tra phr a huge amount
warbydn musur phr disproportionate
17-B UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
ampêr m ampêrow amp[ère]
angstrom m angstromow angstrom
arkmynysen ‖ f arkmynysow ‖ arcminute
arksecùnd ‖ m arksecùnds ‖ arcsecond
ato-1 pref atto-
bar m barow bar
bekerel m bekerelow becquerel
bledhen golow f bledhydnyow light year
bùshel m bùshlys bushel
calory m caloriow calorie
candela m candelaow candela
canspoos ‖ m cansposow hundredweight
capelhës ‖ m cable Syntax as for troos'hës
carat m caratow carat
catal m catalow katal
chainhës ‖ m chain Syntax as for troos'hës
coulomb m coulombow
deca-1 pref deca-
decy-1 pref deci-
decybel m decybelow decibel
degrê Celsyùs (cangradh ‖) degrês degree Celsius
electronvolt ‖ m electronvoltow ‖ electronvolt
erow’hës ‖ m furlong Syntax as for troos'hës
exa-1 pref exa-
farad m faradow farad
femto-1 pref femto-
gyll m gyllys gill
gourhës ‖ m fathom Syntax as for troos'hës
gray m grayow gray
hectar m hectarow hectare
hecto-1 pref hecto-
henry m henriow henry
herts m hertsow hertz
kelvyn m kelvynow kelvin
joul m joulow joule
kîlowat-our ‖ m kîlowat-ourys kilowatt hour
leuvhës ‖ m hand Syntax as for troos'hës
lig m ligyow league
lûmen m lûmenow lumen
lùx m lùxow lux
metryk adj metric
mildir mor (morvildir ‖) f mildiryow nautical mile
mol m môlow mole
myly-1 pref milli-
nano-1 pref nano-
newton m newtonow newton
ôm m ômow ohm
parsek m parsecow parsec
pascal m pascalow pascal
peta-1 pref peta-
pîco-1 pref pico-
qwart m qwartys quart Note phrase eth qwart = a peck
qwecto-1 pref qwecto-
qweta-1 pref quetta-
radyan m radyanow radian
rona-1 pref ronna-
ronto-1 pref ronto-
sîvert m sîvertow sievert
sîmens m sîmensow siemens
steradyan m steradyanow steradian
ston (menboos ‖) m stônys stone
tera-1 pref tera-
tesla m teslaow tesla
therm m thermow therm
tona metryk m tonys metric ton, tonne
ùns m ùnsyow ounce
ùns glëb m ùnsyow fluid ounce
ùns troy m ùnsyow troy ounce
unsys astronomek m unsysow astronomical unit
unsys imperyal m unsysow imperial unit
unsys kesclenus m unsysow coherent unit
unsys selvenek m unsysow base unit
unsys terdhys m unsysow derived unit
unsys thermek Bretednek m unsysow British thermal unit (BTU)
volt m voltow volt
wat m wattow watt
weber m weberow weber
yocto-1 pref yocto-
yota-1 pref yotta-
zepto-1 pref zepto-
zeta-1 pref zetta-
17-C MATHEMATICS
addyans m addition
aljebra m algebra
aljebraek adj algebraic
an isella henwador kemmyn m the lowest common denominator
an tâbel degweyth m the ten times table
an tâbel dêwdhek gweyth m the twelve times table
an tâbel dywweyth m the two times table
an tâbel êthgweyth m the eight times table
an tâbel nawgweyth m the nine times table
an tâbel pedergweyth m the four times table
an tâbel pympgweyth m the five times table
an tâbel seythgweyth m the seven times table
an tâbel tergweyth m the three times table
an tâbel udnek gweyth m the eleven times table
an tâbel whe gweyth m the six times table
ark m arkys arc Note phrase mentêna ark = subtend an arc
arsmetrygor m arsmetrygoryon arithmetician
arsmetrygyl adj arithmetic[al]
ben m benow base
calcor m calcoryon mathematician
calcorek adj mathematical
calcùlùs m calculus
calcùlùs cowalhe m integral calculus
calcùlùs dyffransek m differential calculus
compas adro m circumference
cord m cordys chord
côsîn m cosine
côtangyans m cotangent
cot’he v truncate
côtreghyas m cosecant
cowlnyyver ‖ m cowlnyverow ‖ integer
cresriv ‖ m cresrîvyow ‖ median
crêsys [arsmetrygyl] m crêsysow [arithmetic] mean
crêsysek adj mean
crêsyseth m crêsysedhow average
crêsyseth poos'hës m crêsysedhow weighted average
cromlînen f cromlînednow curve
cowlderdhysyn ‖ m total derivative
cûbegys adj cubed
damcanep f damcanebow theorem
daswharvedhus adj recurring
degyl adj decimal
dewek adj/m binary
dewnômek adj/m dewnômygyon binomial
dhe'n power peswar phr to the power four, to the fourth power
dydhyweth adj infinite
dydhywethter (infynyta) m infinity
dyffransegy v differentiate
dyffransegadow adj differentiable
dyffransegyans m differentiation
dyffransyn m differential
dylînek adj non-linear
dyvysyon m division
êhel vian f minor axis
êhel vrâs f major axis
elyn adhelergh m elydnow reflex angle
elyn lybm (lybmelyn ‖) m elydnow acute angle
elyn sogh (soghelyn ‖) m elydnow obtuse angle
enworr m enworrow input
escorr m escorrow output
êthek adj/m octal
expônencyal adj exponential
expônent m expônens exponent
factor m factorow factor
fùncsyon m fùncsyons function
geometrek adj geometric[al]
geometry m geometry
gwradh f radius
gwredhen bedrak m gwredhyow pedrak square root
hanter-êhel ‖ vian f semi-minor axis
hanter-êhel ‖ vrâs f semi-major axis
henwador m henwadoryon denominator
holyans arsmetrygyl m arithmetic progression
holyans mynsonek m geometric progression
hypotenûs m hypotenûsow hypotenuse
integrâtya v integrate
integrâtyans m integration
integryn m integral
interpolya v interpolate
interpolyans m interpolation
kebmyns m kemynsow ratio
kehavalyans m kehavalyansow equation
kehavalyans dyffransek m kehavalyansow differential equation
kehavalyans lînek m kehavalyansow linear equation
kehavalyans pedrak (qwadratek) m kehavalyansow quadratic equation
kehavalyansow kettermynek pl simultaneous equations
kesparth f kesparthow codomain
kestôwys m kestôwysyow combination
kevernos m kevernosow coefficient
kilyth m kilydhyon reciprocal
leder f slope, gradient (of line)
lies'heans ‖ m multiplication
lies'heor ‖ m lies'heoryon ‖ multiplier
liesyn m product
lînek adj linear
logrym m logrymow logarithm
logrymek adj logarithmic
modùs m modùsow modus, mode
munys dhe'n dydhywethves phr infinitesimal
mynsonek (geometrek) adj geometric[al]
mynsonieth f geometry
nesrîva v approximate
nesrîvans m approximation
nowejans m nowejansow permutation
nowejyn m nowejydnow variable, indeterminate
nyver dyran m nyverow prime [number]
nyver dyrêson m nyverow irrational number
nyver stag m nyverow constant
nyver treuskynek m nyverow transcendental number
nyverek adj numerical
parth f parthow domain
pedrakhe ‖ an kelgh phr square the circle (geometically impossible, so usually figurative)
pedregys adj squared
plain leurweth m plainys horizontal plane
plottya v plot
polynômek adj/m polynômygyon polynomial
power m power
qwartel m qwartelow quartile
randerdhysyn m partial derivative
ranfùncsyon m ranfùncsyons partial function
rankehavalyans dyffransek m rankehavalysansow partial differential equation
renyas m renysy divisor
rîven f rîvednow digit
rîvenegy v digitalize
rîvenegyans m digitalization
rîvyador m rîvyadoryon numerator
set m settys set
sin m sine
statystek adj/m statystygyon statistical; statistic
statystyk m & f statistics
sùbtracsyon m subtraction
sùmyans m summation
tâlgreny v round
tangyans (tavlînen ‖) m tangent (geometry)
tangyans m tangent (trigonometry)
tedna dhyworth phr subtract from
terdhysyn m derivative (calculus)
treghyas m secant
treuslînen ‖ f diameter
trygonometrek adj trigonometric[al]
trygonometry m trigonometry
trynômek adj/m trynômygyon trinomial
vector m vectoryow vector
whym wham phr [at] random
zêrô m zêrôs zero
17-D MISCELLANEOUS VOCABULARY
ankewar adj inaccurate, imprecise
ankewerder m inaccuracy, imprecision
argilys adj regressive; retrograde
bònùs rag termyn glân phr no claims bonus
daffar mynsonieth m geometry set
elydnel f elynellow protractor
kevrath cansran vledhednek f annualized percentage rate (APR)
mynsa v calibrate
paramêter m paramêtrow parameter
parya v pair, match
qwôta m qwôtas quota
radnel f ranellow dividers
scantlyn slynkya m slide rule
sqwir m sqwîrys set square
ughamowntyor ‖ m ughamowntyoryon ‖ supercomputer