Met Gans An Studhoryon - Meet The Students
Govynn yw klywys lieskweth pan gowsir dhe dus yn kever Yeth Kernewek yw; ''pyth yw an poynt?''. Gwir yw hi dhe vos devnydhys gans kannsrann pur vyghan an boblans dhe'n eur ma, (kynth yw brassa rann a dus anarwodh a'n toeth may tevi hi), ha pubonan a gows Sowsnek yn neb kas! Wel, an gwella tus dhe worthyp orth an govynn na yw an re a'y dyski yn eur ma. - One of the most frequent questions which crops-up when talking to people about Cornish Language is; ''why bother?''. It's true that it's used by a very small percentage of the population at the moment, (although most people are unaware of how fast it's growing), and everybody speaks English anyway! Well, the best people to answer that question are those who are learning to speak it at the moment.
Meur-ras bras dhe'n studhoryon yw hardh lowr dhe worra aga fas ha'ga gwelva dhe'n gesroesweyth rag an pobel a vir orto; henn yw an folenn may hyllir gweles nebes an re a dhysk Kernewek, gweles tamm a'ga ober, ha kavoes an skila i dh'y wul. - Many thanks to the students who have been brave enough to put their faces and views on-air to the internet-viewing public; this is the page where you can get to see a few of those who are learning Cornish, a bit of what they're doing, and find out about why they're doing it.
Klas - Class: Bosvenegh - Bodmin
Ow tyski a-dhia - Learning since: 2006
Gorthyp Wendy dhe''n Govynn Bras o - Wendy''s answer to the Big Question was:
Pan ethen vy dhe Gernow, yth erviris vy bos puptra yn Kernow da genev, ha pan wrug vy gweles an henwyn-le, y fynnis vy dyski an yeth. Dre blydhynyow ammetha hedhis orthiv y wul ha nyns esa klas nes dhymm, mes lemmyn yma klas teythyek ha ny ammethav namoy, rakhenna yma moy a dermyn dhymm hag y hallav vy y wul. Res yw dhymm chalenj, ha heb ammetha, Yeth Kernewek yw an chanlenj na. An bywnans-kowethasek yw da genev, owth omjunya gans kanow, ha bos rann an Gemminieth a gows Kernewek.
When I first came to Cornwall, I decided I liked everything about it, and seeing the place-names I decided I wanted to learn the language. For years farming got in the way and there were no classes, but now there''s a local class, I''m no longer farming and I have more time and I can do it. I need a challenge and without the farming Cornish Language is it. I enjoy the social aspect, joining-in with singing e.t.c., and being part of the Cornish-speaking Community.
Klas - Class: Bosvenegh - Bodmin
Ow tyski a-dhia - Learning since: 2006
Pan esen vy owth oberi yn Nijeria, y hallen vy metya hag omlowenhe gans soedhogyon Nijerek adhyskys ha'ga theylu. Meur a'ga fleghes a allas keskewsel yn Sowsnek, mes dell hevel, poes o gansa devnydhya aga thaves loethel aga honan. Martesen, i re beu digolennys erbynn devnydhya aga thaves aga honan. My a dybis henna dhe vos nebes trist, ha dredho, aga gonisogeth yethoniethek aga honan a veu peryllys. Henn a wrug kovhe orthiv a Gernewek re dheuth ha bos namnag difeudhys dhe'n 19ves kannsblydhen. Truedh ha hevelepter an studh a vovyas orthiv dhe dhalleth studhya ow henyeth ow honan.
Whilst working in Nigeria, I was in a position to meet and socialise with educated Nigerian officials and their families. Many of their children were able to converse in English, but seemed reluctant or unable to use their own tribal language. It may have been that they had been discouraged from using their own language. This seemed rather sad and put their own linguistic culture at risk. It seemed reminiscient of Cornish, which had all but become extinct by the 19th century. The pathos and similarity of the situation motivated me to take up learning my own ancient language.
Klas - Class: Bosvenegh - Bodmin
Ow studhya a-dhia - Learning since: 2007
Pan en vy yonker, ow tevi y’n Pow-Pri, ny wodhyen vy travyth yn kever bosva an Yeth Kernewek. Lemmyn, dre wologva tevesik, ha magav vy ow fleghes ow honan, klywes a honanieth re dheuth ha bos poesekka dhymmo, ha henn a’m kennerthas hwilas mar pe klassow kavadow yn teythyek. Pan wrug vy govynna yndella, nyns esa dismyk vyth dhymm yn kever an myns a avonsyans re beu dhe’n Yeth dres an deg warn ugens blydhen yw passys, ha kavadowder a glassow, dyskadoryon ha lyenn. My a dhallathas studhya yn 2007 hag y hwrug vy gradhow 1, 2 ha 3. Yth esov vy ow studhya orth gradh 4 lemmyn, ha ganso studhyans an henskrifow, ynwedh, res yw diskwedhes godhvos istori Kernow a dybyn vy my dh’y wodhvos re dha, mes lemmyn, my a aswonn bos ev komplettha ha moy dhe-les es dell dybyn vy. [Skrifys Mis Est 2010].
I started studying in 2007 and have taken grades 1, 2 and 3. I am currently studying for grade 4 which involves not only study of the ancient texts, but also requires a demonstration of a knowledge of the history of Cornwall, which I thought I knew pretty well, but I now realise is much more complicated and interesting than I used to think. [Written August 2010].
Klas - Class: Pons War Gwlan - Wadebridge
Ow studhya a-dhia - Studying since: 2009
My a wayas dhe Gernow nans yw deg blydhen, ha pur dhidheurys en vy pan wrug vy klywes bos yeth Kernewek. Kales o dhe gavoes klas, mes wostiwedh y hwrug vy y wul ha pes da ov vy yn hwir yn y gever. Kernewek yw yeth teg (hag anniek lieskweyth), hag y dal dhyn hy gwitha yn-fyw. Yth yw rann ertach an pow teg ma.
I moved to Cornwall ten years ago and was fascinated to learn that there was a Cornish language. It was difficult to find a class, but eventually I managed it and I'm so pleased I did. Cornish is a beautiful (and sometimes frustrating) language and should be kept alive. It's part of the heritage of this most beautiful country.
Nebes an studhoryon peswara gradh re assayas aga skentoleth-treylyans gans nebes an lyenn yw gwell genen. Henn yw tamm a vardhonieth trelys diworth 'Betjeman Country' gans onan anedha. Ev a dhiskwedh yn ta an argerdh may Sowsnek yw treylys yn Kernewek. An kynsa rann yw an vardhonieth dell wrug Betjeman hy skrifa, an nessa yw 'chanjys' nebes rag may fo gwiw an geryow yn Kernewek, an tresa rann yw an vardhonieth yn Kernewek.
A few of the 4th grade students have been trying out their translation skills with some of their favourite literature. This is a piece translated from 'Betjeman Country' by one of them. It shows nicely the process of getting English to make sense in Cornish. The fist part is the poem as Betjeman wrote it, the second part is the poem 'adjusted ' slightly so that the result makes sense in Cornish, the third is the poem in Cornish.
1.
The wideness which the lark-song gives the sky, shrinks at the clang of sea-birds sailing by, whose notes are tuned to days when seas are high.
From today's calm, the lane's enclosing green, leads inland to a usual Cornish scene, slate cottages with sycamore between.
Small fields and tellymasts and wires and poles, with, as the evrlasting ocean rolls, two chapels built for half a hundred souls.
2.
The range of the sky is measured by lark-song, it shrinks when the sound of sea-birds passes by, their notes are tuned to days of rough sea.
From today's calm, the lane's enclosing green, goes from here to a usual Cornish scene, slate cottages with a sycamore tree between them.
Small fields, aerials, wires and poles, with, as the everlasting ocean rolls, two chapels built for half a hundred souls.
3.
Kompas an ebrenn yw musurys gans kan-ahwesydh, y grygha pan dremena dres tros an ydhyn-mor, nosyans anedha yw tonys orth dydhyow mor tonnek.
A kosel hedhyw, glas keasek an vownder, a alemma dhe wel Gernewek usys, dyjiow kyllas gans skawenn-wragh yntredha.
Parkynnow, ayrlorghow, gwiver ha gwel, ha bydh pan rollyo an keynvor, rag hanterkans enev, dew japel drehevys.
