Page:A handbook of the Cornish language; Chiefly in its latest stages with some account of its history and literature.djvu/103

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84
GRAMMAR

new words. It answers to the Welsh au or iau, and the Breton ou or iou.

  • alwedh, a key, alwedhow.
  • dorn, a hand, dornow.
  • arv, a weapon, arvow.
  • bedh, a grave, bedhow.
  • ro, a gift, roow.
  • scovorn, an ear, scovornow.
  • dêdh, a day, dêdkyow.
  • Dew, God, dewow.
  • enev, soul, enevow.
  • cledh, ditch, dedkyow,
  • gwredh, root, gwredhyow.
  • menedh, mountain, menedhyow.
  • trev, tre, town, trevow.
  • tîr, land, tiryow.

Some which follow this form have peculiarities of their own.

a. Some double the last consonant, which has the effect of shortening the sound of the preceding vowel, and if the last consonant is an's, giving it the sound of s instead of z. Thus:—

  • Tâs, father, tassow.
  • fôs, wall, fossow.
  • lêr, floor, lerryow.
  • gêr, word, gerryow.
  • garget, garter, gargettow.

b. Some, which end in er or ar, drop the last vowel. Thus:—

  • levar, book, levrow.
  • dagar, tear, dagrow.
  • kenter, nail, kentrow.

c. Some insert g or k after a final l.

cŏsŏl, counsel, cosolgow.