KESCOWS NEBES MOY
CORNISH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Second Edition
Ian Jackson
Supplementary to Gerlyver Kescows
and continuously reviewed and expanded
SECTION 3
LIFE, DEATH
Last updated: 27 February 2025 (10:00)
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.
3-A CONCEPTION, BIRTH
camberthy v miscarry
decessya v pass away, die
dhyrag termyn phr premature
dyghtyans froothus'he ‖ in gweder phr in vitro fertilization (IVF)
embriô m embriôs embryo
endenythyans m inbreeding
fâls-torras m phantom pregnancy
genesygeth cledh f breech birth
genesygla m genesygleow place of birth
genys yn farow phr stillborn
gevellas kehaval pl identical twins
glovedhes f benenes glovedhes midwife
golovas m childbirth
gorel f gorellow incubator
gory v hatch
kenflogh m kenflehes foetus
mabm benfyk f mabmow surrogate mother
mamoleth f maternity
shora golovas m shorys contraction
torras m torasow pregnancy
torras ectopyk m torasow ectopic pregnancy
3-B LIFETIME
a jaunjyas y vêwnans phr life-changing
adolescens m adolescence
floholeth f childhood
gwaityans bêwa m life expectancy
henys m old age Note phrase henys teg = ripe old age
hiroos ‖ m longevity
rag bêwnans phr for life
3-C DEATH
ancow m death (especially high register or personified)
clogh an marow m death knell
corf marow m corfow corpse
dyvew adj lifeless (incl figuratively)
dyvynyans corf m autopsy, post mortem examination
dywethynder mernans m rigor mortis
embaumya v embalm
galarak adj/m galarogyon bereaved
lien bedh m lienyow shroud
logel f logellow sepulchre; sarcophagus
marowjy ‖ m marowjiow ‖ mortuary, morgue
marwoleth f mortality
megva f suffocation
merwel yn wheresys phr assisted dying
mortalyta m mortality
omladhans m suicide
ronk mernans m death rattle
scattra lusow phr scatter ashes
tebel-dewedha ‖ v come to a sticky end
3-D SENTENCED TO DEATH
an daras leur m the drop
cader tredanladha f caderyow electric chair
cregor m cregoryon hangman, executioner
cregy, dygowla, qwartrona phr hang, draw and quarter
crogpren ‖ m crogprednyer ‖ gallows
dybedna v behead
execûtya v execute
gortos wàr strêt an mernans phr to be [waiting] on death row
gylotîn m gylotîns guillotine
let cowlwrians ‖ m stay of execution
lovan an cregor phr hangman's noose
omdhygowla v commit hara-kiri
omoffrydna v sacrifice oneself
omoffrydnans m self-sacrifice (often figuratively)
sentens a vernans phr death sentence, death penalty
skîtyans mortal m lethal injection
storvya v kill with cold; die of cold
tredanladha ‖ v electrocute
3-E HONOURING THE DEAD
bedhscrif ‖ m bedhscrîvoyow ‖ epitaph
crug lesky m funeral pyre
[eus] tremenys phr the late + name
gormola m gormolys eulogy
growethva f growethvaow [final] resting-place
kyny v mourn Note construction kyny warlergh nebonen = mourn sb
marowscrif ‖ m marowscrîvyow ‖ obituary
martyrdom m martyrdom
ros mogh col rosen poppies
scrîven bedh f scrîvednow bedh epitaph
servys covath m servysyow memorial service
3-F MISCELLANEOUS VOCABULARY
anvarwoleth m immortality
anvarwyl adj immortal
bythvew ‖ adj unquenchable
dyvarow (dyvarwyl) adj immortal
dyvarwoleth m immortality
imortal adj immortal
imortalyta m immortality
ladhva mergh f knacker's yard
latty m slaughterhouse, abattoir