9. How Kernewek Survived

Danni Diston learns to order drinks and discovers how the Cornish language survived with poet, teacher and storyteller Pol Hodge.

Pol shares stories about Cornwall’s linguistic heritage, the fight to keep the language alive and a remarkable myth of the parrot who may have helped preserve Kernewek.

Revision

Can I help you? — A allav vy dha weres?
What do you want? — Pyth a vynn’ta?
I want to get / I would like — My a vynn kavos / My a vynnsa kavos
Coffee — Koffi
Beer — Korev
Pint of beer — Pinta korev
Wine — Gwin
Red Wine – Gwin rudh
Please — Mar pleg
Here you are — Ottahwi (Polite form – or to more than one person)
How much is it? — Py kost yw?
Pounds — Peuns
Ten pounds — Deg peuns
Cheers — Yeghes da!
I want a pint of beer — My a vynn kavos pinta korev
I want a white wine, please — My a vynn kavos gwin gwynn, mar pleg
I want (ordering multiple things) — My a vynn kavos … ha …, mar pleg

New to Learn Cornish? Start at Episode One and build your vocab as you go.