Have you ever wondered what a word is in Cornish? Well there’s some good news! The Akademi Kernewek has recently published a new online Cornish dictionary where you can find over 10,000 words in Cornish.
The dictionary uses Standard Written Form (SWF), the spelling system agreed for public use and use in schools. It replaces the MAGA online dictionary, which was in place for 10 years, and has a number of new features. The new dictionary is formatted to work on all devices, and it only has one search box to make it easier for use. It is also fully bilingual now, so you can use the dictionary in English, or entirely in Cornish.
The Akademi Kernewek is a team of Cornish language experts, who are working to include in the online dictionary as many Cornish words from existing sources as they can find. But the biggest step forward is the ‘new terms’ function, which comes from a mixture of sources – translation work, experts working in specialist fields such as nature conservation or architecture, and of course everyday conversation.
The Akademi has a process for research and review of these new terms, similar to other languages, so that the terms can be added to the dictionary and made available to everyone. For instance, the team is currently working on rugby terms that are already in use by speakers so that these can be made available in the dictionary to translators, students, etc.
Mark Trevethan, the Cornish Language Lead at Cornwall Council, says: “The new online dictionary is thanks to the work of many people over the last few years. The volunteer members of the Akademi Kernewek have worked to research and proofread the entries, which is not an easy task. A partnership agreement with Bangor University’s Language Technology Unit helped us build a new dictionary database which will make editing easier in the future. Nick Harpley and Davydh Trethewey in Cornwall both worked hard to make the new database function and get the dictionary published online.”
Another new feature of the dictionary is the use of illustrations. At the moment, this is limited to plant species. This was made possible by Bangor University’s existing work linking the Welsh dictionary to free resources on Wikipedia. The Akademi intends to develop this feature and explore with Bangor University other ways to make our language more accessible using digital apps.
A wruss’ta omwovyn bythkweth pandr’a yw ger yn Kernewek? Well yma nebes nowodhow da! An Akademi Kernewek re dhellos a-gynsow gerlyver Kernewek warlinen nowydh le may hyllir kavos moy ages 10,000 ger yn Kernewek.
An gerlyver a wra devnydh an Furv Skrifys Savonek (FSS), an system lytherennans unverhe rag devnydh poblek ha devnydh yn skolyow. Hemm a wra arlehe an gerlyver warlinen MAGA esa 10 bledhen yn le hag yma niver a dremynnow nowydh. An gerlyver nowydh yw furvys rag oberi dre bub devis, hag yma unn gist hwithra hepken rag y wul esya dhe dhevnydhya. Diwyethek yn tien yw lemmyn ynwedh may hyllir gul devnydh an gerlyver yn Sowsnek po oll yn Kernewek.
An Akademi Kernewek yw para arbenigoryon an yeth Kernewek usi owth oberi dhe synsi y’n gerlyver warlinen kemmysk a eryow Gernewek a bennfentynnyow a-lemmyn dell allons kavos. Mes an brassa kamm a-rag yw an gweythres ‘termow nowydh’ hag a dheu dhyworth mysk a bennfentynnyow – ober treylyans, arbenigoryon owth oberi yn prasow arbennek kepar ha gwithans natur po pennserneth, ha keskows pub-dydhyek heb mar.
Yma argerdh rag hwithrans ha daswel an termow nowydh ma dhe’n Akademi, haval orth yethow erell, may hyll an termow bos keworrys dhe’n gerlyver ha gwrys kavadow dhe bubonan. Rag ensampel, yma an para owth oberi a-lemmyn war dermow rugbi yw devnydhys seulabrys gans kowsoryon may hyllons an re ma bos gwrys kavadow dhe dreylyoryon, studhyoryon, hag erell.
Mark Trevethan, Hembrenkyas an Yeth Kernewek yn Konsel Kernow, a lever: “An gerlyver warlinen nowydh yw gras dhe ober meur a dus dres nebes bledhynnyow passyes. Eseli vodhek an Akademi Kernewek re oberas dhe hwithra ha provredya an geryow ha nag yw oberen es. Unverheans keskowethyans gans Unses Teknologieth Yethow Pennskol Bangor a’gan gweresas dhe dhrehevel sel dherivadow gerlyver nowydh hag a wra esya dhe bennskrifa yn termyn a dheu. Yn Kernow Nick Harpley ha Davydh Trethewey a oberas yn feur dhe weythresa an database nowydh ha dyllo an gerlyver warlinen.”
Tra aral nowydh dhe’n gerlyver yw devnydh a dhelinyansow. Y’n eur ma, hemm yw strothys dhe eghennow a losow. Hemm re beu gwrys possybyl gans ober Pennskol Bangor a-lemmyn ow keskelmi an gerlyver Kembrek dhe asnodhow heb kost yn Wikipedia. An Akademi a vynn displegya an gweythres ma ha hwithra gans Pennskol Bangor fordhow erell dhe wul agan yeth moy kavadow ow kul devnydh a appow besyel.
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