Dictionary of Cornish Words and Phrases

ANGON FURWE	Please wait for us
AREE GAWN?	Are you going?
AVEE?	Have you?
AVEEDUNUN?	Have you taken the necessary steps to complete your course of action?
AVEEGOTUN?	Have you found what you were seeking?
AVEESEENUN?	Have you seen that for which you seek?
AWRIGHT 'N AREE?	All right then are you?
BETTERGOGITUN	I had better depart and fetch the article for which I was sent
BINUNDUNUN	I have been and carried out my allotted task
BOROWUN KANEE?	Can he borrow him/her/it?
CAIN TELLY	I cannot, or will not, give you the information you seek
COSTY MUCH DIDA?	Are you prepared to tell me how much it cost you?
CUMUZ ON NOW	Let's go!
DEAROVIM or DEAROBM	How nice of him
DIDDY ABM?	Did you have it?/ Did he/she have it?/Did anyone have it?
DIDDY NAWN?	Did you know the person of whom we speak?
EAVYIZZA	Heavy is it?
EDGE	Hedge or wall
ELLYDOINOV	What are you doing/trying to do?
EZ	Yes
EZYAU	I am in agreement with you on this matter
EZYAW	(see EZYAU)
FAITHURGOTUN	My father has that which you seek
FARIZA?	How far away is it?
FERCRISAEIK	For goodness sake!
GAWN AREE	(see AREE GAWN)
GIBMEREMIT	Give the item to me for a short while
GIBMTHABOY	Give it to the boy/Delegate the job to the boy
GOTUNAVEE	(see AVEEGOTUN)
GOYNARY?	Are you going?
G'SONUPANGIDDEN	Please go up and get it for me
GUSSON	I don't see your point, get on (your way)
HOFFIZER	(Police) Officer, no other Cornish dialect word start with an 'aitch'
IDN	Is not / hidden e.g. IDNIZZA = hidden is it or
IDNIDNIIZZA?	It isn't hidden is it?
ILLY	Extremely steep or mountainous
IZZA	Is it / are you
IZZE	(see IZZA)
IZZUN	(see IZZA)
KILLUN DIDDY?	Did you terminate his/her/its existence? also used for all animals
LEEBM DIDDY?	Did you leave him/her/it?
LEEBM ERE?	Do you want to leave it with me?
LEEBM LAWN	Leave him/her/it alone
LIKUN DIDDY?	Did you like him/her/it, see previous
LIKUN DOEE?	Do you like him/her/it?
MADDERDOIT	Does it matter?
MAITHER	Mother
MEENUN DOEE?	Do you mean it?
MENTUT DIDDY?	Did you mean it?
MUMSMAIDDUN	It was made by my mother.
MYGAR	Good heavens above! / Good gracious me!
NAWN DIDDY?	(see DIDDY NAWN)
NAWTHUN WIDDEN	Nothing with him/her/it e.g. Whisky, NAWTHUN WIDDEN
OLLER TUEN DIDDY?	Did you try to attract their attention by calling?
OWAREE?	How are you?
OWAREE PARD?	How are you, friend?
PALLY WIDDEN IZZY?	Is he a friend of yours?
PALLY WIDDEN WAZZA?	Were you a friend of his?
PARD	Close friend/acquaintance/stranger of either sex.
PASTY DIDDY?	Were you overtaken?
PICHER	Picture
PIDDLETOWN DIDDA?	Heavy rain, is it?
PIZEN DAWN	Very heavy rain
PURDY IZZA?	Is he/she/it beautiful?
PURDY SAPICHER	Pretty as a picture
PURDY WANNA?	Wasn’t that beautiful?
RONG WAZZA?	Were you incorrect?
RUFAZRATS	Feeling poorly, also used to describe anything not working correctly
SEENUN AVEE?	Have you seen him/her/it?
STAYLUN	Borrowing something, with no intention of returning it!
TEEON IZZA?	Is the tea on? (could also be TEEON IZZE or TEEON IZZUN)
TELLUN DIDDY?	Did you tell him/her/it?
TIZZARDLEE ON!	You can't be serious!
TOSSNEER	Will you thrown it to me?
ULLON YAW	Hold on you! e.g. "ULLON YAW" ZED HOFFIZER PENBURTHY
ULLONAMINIT	Please wait a short time
VELLENS	Those which HOFFIZERS seek
WERZETOO EN?	Where is he/she/it?
WEARMTOO	See WERZETOO EN
WOZELIKE?	How are you, How is it, also used when someone has done something silly
WOZMAR WIDDEN?	What’s wrong with him/her/it?
WOTEEGOYNDOWIDDEN	What are you going to do with it?
WURZTOOEN (WURZNTOO)	Where is it, then?
YAW	You
ZED	Said e.g. EZEDUN - He said it