Dedh Dew Cans Dogens ha Pajwardhek

De Merher, üdnegves mis Gwedngala

Wednesday, 11^th September

Da ew genam cawas lies lever. Ma dhebm levrow coth ha levrow nowydh. Ma dhebm levrow scrifys gans o howetha ha gen tüs anketh. Nebes levrow ew scrifys gen henwyn an authors ha authoresow. Ma dhe radn an levrow forrellow (cüdhlednow) nowydh spladn saw levrow erel ew balshak. Ma ymach goleyty war lever nowydh. (Gwres a ven sarffen calish dhort an Lisard ew an goleyty.) Gen devîs dastewydnya an golow my ell gwil dhodho anowy. My a bernas nebes levrow nowydh ha nebes erel ûsyes solabres. An lever kerra o An Beybel Sans en Kernowek. An lever cottha, gen Kernow dhort Pow Prei, a veu gwerthys en Pensans en 1905. Royow dhort cothmans meurgerys ew nebes levrow. Lebmyn tresurs ens – covadhow a gothmans varow. Kevin a veu descador da (ethegow ha laha) ha den a Dhuw wheg. Ev a scrifas adro dhe sans gans an keth hanow. Ivor a veu biokemygedh codnyk hag ev a scrifas prydydhieth hegar hag ironek.

I like having lots of books. I have old books and new books. I have books written by my friends and by strangers. Some books are signed by the authors. Some of the books have shiny new covers but other books are frayed. There is a lighthouse image on a new book. (The lighthouse is made of hard serpentine stone from the Lizard.) By a trick of light reflection I can make it light up. I bought some books new and some others second-hand. The dearest book was the Holy Bible in Cornish. The oldest book, by a Cornishman from the Clay Country, was sold in Penzance in 1905. Some books are presents from beloved friends. Now they are treasures – memories of dead friends. Kevin was a good teacher (ethics and law) and a kind man of God. He wrote about the saint with the same name. Ivor was a clever biochemist and he wrote sensitive and ironic poetry.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

balshak frayed, threadbare, worn, scruffy

cüdhlednow (pl) book covers < cüdhlen (f) (from the verb cüdha to hide)

ethegow (pl) ethics (obviously a loan word)

forrellow (pl) book covers, folders < forrel

len (col) linen (cüdhlen very appropriate for a book with cloth binding - also occurs in glawlen umbrella)

lever cüdhlen galish/lever forrel galish hardback book

prydydhieth poetry (some people use bardhonieth)

sarffen serpentine < sarf serpent/snake (also prev and serpent)

sarf neyja is used by some people for a children's kite