List of Cornish dialect words

This is a select list of Cornish dialect words in English—while some of these terms are obsolete others remain in use.Phillipps, K. C. (1993) A Glossary of the Cornish Dialect Many Cornish dialect words have their origins in the Cornish language and others belong to the West Saxon group of dialects which includes West Country English: consequently words listed may not be exclusive to Cornwall.Little attempt has been made to record the districts where most of these words have been used except in a few cases of East, Mid, or West Cornwall, e.g. crib; crowst. __NOTOC__ Table of contents: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A – *Abroad – 1. open: 2. in pieces: – 1. spoilt, rotten 2. empty, cracked or broken; e.g. – ugly (Zennor, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language ) Agerever – pollack (Marazion, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language hager euver, meaning 'ugly useless') Aglets – hawthorn berries Agone – ago; as in 'a week agone' (mid and east Cornwall) Airymouse - a bat Ake – a groove made on the stone of a killick (Mousehole, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language ak, meaning 'a slit', or 'a cleft') All-overish – slightly out of sorts, nervousCrystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 8 Allycumpooster - all right (Camborne, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language oll yn komposter, meaning 'all in order') Ancient - to describe someone who is a real character, "he's an ancient man". Anker - a small barrel (mining term, ultimately from Medieval Latin anceria ["a small vat"] perhaps influenced by Cornish language keryn, meaning 'open barrel' or 'tub'. Compare Danish anker ["beer barrel, wine cask, anker"]) Ansome - lovely (from "handsome"); Me ansome ("my handsome") (familiar way to address a man) Anvon - a hard stone on which large stones are broken (mining term, from Cornish language anwen, meaning 'anvil')) Areah, Arear, Aree faa - an exclamation of surprise (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language revedh, meaning 'strange', 'astounding', or 'a wonder') Arish (also written [and alternatively pronounced] arrish, ersh, aish, airish, errish, hayrish and herrish) - arable field (from Middle English *ersch, from Old English ersc [“a park, preserve; stubble-field”], perhaps influenced by Cornish language arys) Arish mow – a stack of sheaves (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language arys) Are 'em – aren't they Awn – a cove / haven Aye? – I beg your pardon?; Yes? What was that? Ayes (pronounced, 'ace') – yes (see also: "Ess", below). Perhaps from Old Norse ei ("forever") + Old English sī(e) ("may it be"), like "yes" (which is from Middle English yes, yis, which is from Old English ġēse, ġīse, ġȳse, *ġīese [“yes, of course, so be it”], equivalent to ġēa [“yes", "so”] + sī[e] [“may it be”]). Alternatively, a modification of "aye" based on "yes". Further, possibly a conflation of any (or all) of the previous, and "ess", which may represent a dialectal form of "yes".

B

Backalong – in former times Backsyfore – the wrong side first (also found in Devon)Crystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 15 Bal – a mine (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language, related to palas, meaning 'to dig') Bal maiden – a woman working at a mine, at smashing ore &c. Ball – a pest, used figuratively (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language ball meaning 'a pest', or 'the plague') Bamfer – to worry, harass, or torment Bamfoozle – deceive, confuse, especially by trickeryCrystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 18 Bannal – the broom plant (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language banal, short for banadhel, meaning 'broom') Barker – a whetstone Begrumpled – displeased, affrontedCrystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 20 Belong – 1. live or work – "where do 'ee belong to" 2. denotes habit or custom – "she belong to go shopping Fridays" Belving – load roaring/bellowing especially by a cow (similar to Bolving of stags on Exmoor) Berrin – funeral (burying) Better fit/better way – it would be better if...

Bettle – mallet Betwattled – confused, bewilderedCrystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 22 Big-pattern – a show-off, "big-pattern he is" Big-sea – rough sea / swell Bilders – cow parsley Bimper – a peeping tom Biskan – a finger-stall (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language byskon, meaning 'thimble', or 'finger sheath') Bits – spinach-beet, green beet-leaves, Chard (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language betys, meaning 'edible plants of the genus Beta') Black-Annie – a black backed gull Bladder – blister (part of mid Cornwall and north east Cornwall) Bleddy – local pronunciation of 'bloody' as an emphasising adjective (e.g. "dang the bleddy goat") Blowed – surprised "well I'm blowed" Bobber lip – bruised and swollen lip Brake – thicket / rough woodland Borbas – a rockling (Newlyn, Mousehole, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language barvus, meaning 'bearded') Bothel – a blister (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bothel) Bothack – the bib, or pouting (Mousehole, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bothek, meaning 'bossed', or 'hunchback') Bothack – a hunchback (Mullion, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bothek) Boughten – bought (i.e. food from a shop rather than home-made) Bowjy – a cattle-house (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bowji) Brae / brer – quite a lot Brandis – trivetHamilton Jenkin, A. K. (1934) Cornish Homes and Customs. London: J. M. Dent; p. 16 Brave – much/many (often pronounced with v not sounded or almost as m. see Brae above.) Breal – a mackerel (Newlyn, Mousehole, Porthleven, St Ives, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language brithel) Brink – the gills of a fish (Mount's Bay, St Ives, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language brynk) Brock – a badger, from (Cornish language brogh) Browjans – small fragments (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language brewsyon, or brewjyon, meaning 'crumbs', 'fragments') Browse – undergrowth Browse – pulped bait (Mount's Bay, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language brows, meaning 'crumbled material', or bros, 'thick broth') Broze – a blaze, a great heat (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bros, meaning 'extremely hot') Brummal Mow – an arish mow of domed form (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bern mool, meaning 'bald stack') Bruyans, Brewions – crumbs, fragments (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language brewyon) Bucca – an imp, hobgoblin, scarecrowWakelin, Martyn F. (1977) English Dialects: an introduction; rev. ed. London: Athlone Press; p. 128 (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bocka) Buddy – a cluster, a clump (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bodas, meaning 'bunched', or boden, meaning 'a bunch', or 'a grouping', related to the Breton bodad and boden) Buffon – a bruise (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bothen, meaning 'a swelling') Buldering – threatening, thundery, sultry (of weather or the sky)Crystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 33 Bulgranack – the smooth blenny (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language poll gronek, meaning 'pool toad') Bulorn – a snail (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language bulhorn, meaning 'snail'), related to Breton bigorn, a sea snail, or to Irish ballan, a shell) Bully – large pebble (from Cornish language bili, meaning 'pebbles') Bulugen – an earthworm (Mousehole, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language buthugen) Bun-fight – the wake after a funeral Bunny (also written as "bunney" and "bonie") - a bunch of ore, an unusual concentration of ore (From Middle English bony, boni [“swelling, tumor”], from Old French bugne, buigne [“swelling, lump”], from Old Frankish *bungjo [“swelling, bump”], from Proto-Germanic *bungô, *bunkô [“lump, clump, heap, crowd”]. Usage perhaps influenced by Cornish language benygys, meaning 'blessed') Burd – (second person singular) bud as in "buddy" Burgam – a jocular term of reproach (Gwinear, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language berrgamm, meaning 'crookshank') Burn – a load, as much turf, furze, etc., as one can carry; of hake or pollack, twenty-one fish. (in use after the year 1800, either from Cornish language bern, meaning 'a stack', 'a heap', or a variation of bourn ("limit")) Burrow – heap of (usually) mining related waste, but sometimes used simply to mean "pile" Buster – someone full of fun and mischief. (Originally a variant of "burster", but later influenced (and reanalysed) separately by/as "bust" + -er. The combining form of the term has appeared from the early 20th century but been especially prolific since the 1940s, owing to its appearance as military slang). Buzgut – a great eater or drinker ("buz" being derived from the Cornish language boos, meaning 'food')Crystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 34 Buzza, Bussa – large salting pot or bread-bin,Wakelin, Martyn F. (1977) English Dialects: an introduction; rev. ed. London: Athlone Press; p. 129 (still in use, from Cornish language boos seth, meaning 'food jar', or related to Breton boñs, a hogshead barrel) also found in phrase "dafter than a buzza" very daft B'y – boy, (second person singular) like sir

C Cabby – sticky, dirty, muddyCrystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 35 Cabester, Cobesta – the part of a fishing tackle connecting the hook with the lead (Mousehole, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kabester, meaning 'a halter', 'noose' or 'loop') Cabobble – to mystify, puzzle or confuseCrystal, David (2015). The Disappearing Dictionary. London: Macmillan; p. 35 Caboolen, Cabooly-stone – a holed stone, tied to a rope, and used to drive pilchards or mackerel back from the opening of a seine (Mount's Bay, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kabolen, meaning 'a stirrer', 'a mixer') Cack – filth (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kawgh, meaning 'excrement') Caggle, Gaggle – to cover in filth (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kagla, meaning 'void excrement', 'spatter with filth) Cakey – soft, feeble minded (from 'put in with the cakes and taken out with the buns' - half baked) Cal – tungstate of iron (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kall) Calamajeena, Calavajina – a thornback (St Ives, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language karleyth vejiner, meaning 'buckle/hinge ray') Calcar – the lesser weever (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kalker) Calken, Calican – the father-lasher (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kalken) Callan – a hard layer on the face of a rock (St Just, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kales, meaning 'hard', or kall, 'tungstate of iron') Cand, Cam – fluorspar (St Just, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kann, meaning 'brightness') Canker – a harbour crab (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kanker, meaning 'a crab') Cannikeeper – a spider crab (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kanker) Canter – a frame for a fishing-line, originally a peg was used (Newlyn, Mousehole, Sennen, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kenter, meaning 'a nail') Captain – the manager of a mine or similar enterprise Care – the mountain ash, or rowan (in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language kerdhin) Carn – a pile of rocks (used as a word and also as a place-name element, in use after the year 1800, from Cornish language karn)