The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies

The Dialect of Cornwall

In Conjunction with Brian Stevens

Recorder of Dialect

AAPATH

Halfpence, daft person

20

mental or physical

2009

AANT or UN

Aunt

59

Personal

1882 [59]

Aar

Are

54

All

1996 (54)

AAWE

Verb: to hoe

57

Gardening

N C,

1950's [57]

ABBEN ,ABN

to throw

42

General

WP

1914 (42)

Abear

Endure. "I can't abear un" . Dislike

54, 55, 60

Personal

WP

1880[60]

ABRAW

"My mother had to go out to work to keep the house abraw.

42

Household

WP 

1980 (42)

Abew. Abue

Above. Up above

55

General

WP

ABIDE

to accept, agree

38

General

Mid c.

1940

ABIDE

'I can't abide un' - used negativly

43, 61

General

W P,

1940 (43)

ABROAD , to take

to dismantle 

67, 

General

MC

1917

ABROAD

in pieces, scat abroad, blowed abroad, gone all abroad, put on a lot of weight.

20, 25,  33, 43, 56, 59 62

General

WP, W C, E.C

8th Dec 1881 [62]

ABROAD

"gone abroad or spread out,  as a gate left open or broken"

66,71, 86

General

Mid C. WC, 

1933

ABROAD

 Scat or Broken. GPO. Old lady posting a parcel to Nigeria. "Clerk, Is that parcel going abroad, missas? Old Lady, "Not unless they scat it in the post, it ednt.

4. 33

General

Mid C.

1950's (33)

`a corn `arrish,

or the stubble left after cutting the corn. It was known as `pilth' when torn up

71,

Farming

WC

1940's

ACKER

Digging tool

34

Tools

MC

2009

ACKY

Daft

Gulval

General

WC

1930

ACKYMILE

the blue tit

52

N C,

1930's

AKEMOULE

Tomtit

15

Nature

EC

1976

ACRES

in his acres, i.e. in his glory

60

Personal

WP

1880

Actions

Affectation. Pretending. "Lots of actions with un."

55

ACCROSHAY

A call in the game of leapfrog

60

Game

W.P

1880

ADAM & EVE

Early purple Orchids (Orcid mascula)

70

Flora

WC

ADIT

horizontal way in amine

38

Mining

MC

1940

ADDER

in the neighbourhood of St Mellon this refers to a Newt

86

Nature

EC

1880

ADDER'S  COTTON

lesser Dodder (cuscuta epithyrums)

70

Flora

WC

ADDERS MAIT

Wild Arum

70, Gulval

Flora

WP

1909 (70)

ADDERS MEAT

Arum Linn 

70, 

Flora 

All

1909

ADDERS MEAT / SPIT

Greater Stichwort (Stellaria Holestea)

70, 10

Flora 

All

1909 (70)

ADDICK

Haddock

72

Fishing

WC

1879

ADDICK

a post (deef as a addick)

57

Farming 

N C,

1950's [57]

Addle

cracked / loose or made ground

38

Mining

MC

1940

ADDLE POOL

stinking farmyard effluent.

57, 60

Farming

N C, WP

1880 (60)

AADLE ADE

person with little brain power

57

Farming

N C,

1950's [57]

AADLE EGG

non-fertile egg under a hen

57, 71

Farming

N C, WC,

1940's [71]

ADDER-WEEDS

wild orchids, adders often found where these plants grew. A warning to keep away.

71

Flora

WC

1940's

ADDLED

Unable to father a child

71, 73

Health

MC

1940's [71]

AD REBBET

bother / trouble

60

General

WP

1880

ADE

Head

57

General

N C,

1950's

ADE-TAW

adjustable hitch onc horse-gear

57

Farming

N C,

1950's

ADGE/ADGY

verb: to make or repair a hedge

57

Farming

N C,

1950's

ADGE-STRAW

ground or gutter at bottom of hedge

57

Farming

N C,

1950's[57]

ADGY

A gap or opening

53

General

WP

1920

ADVENTURER

one who takes shares in a mine

60

Mining

WP

1880

'AFF-RAD

linear measurement of 8ft 3ins

57

General

N C, 

1950's

AFE WAY OUSE

Half Way House, many public houses between two towns are so called

87

General

All

1866

AFEARD

afraid

86, 87

General

EC

1880

AFTER CROP

Second growth of hay in a field

34

Farming

M C

1906

AFTER GRASS

second growth of hay

74

Farming

All

1884

AFTER THAT

"Notwithstanding.". "I'm no fool after that".

72

General

WC

1879

AFTER WINDING

waste corn

58

Farming

WP

1870

AFTERS

Pluck of a slaughtered animal

25

Butcher

NC 

1915

AGATE

"all agate." descriptive of earnest attention.

86, 88

Appearance

WC, EC

1880 [88]

AGEN

against

86

General

EC

1880

AGAN or AGLET or HOGLEN

Whitethorn Berries (Hawthon)

43, 52, 88

Flora

WP, NC, WC

1850 (52)

AGLET TREE

Hawthorn, whitethorn, May (crataegus monogyna) first recorded Borlase 1769

70

Flora

All

1909

AGG

to incite; set on; provoke

86, 88

Behaviour

WC, EC

1880 [86]

Agglegutter

also addle-pool. - A cesspool or evil-smelling pool

5

AGIN/GIN

until

57

General

N C,

1950's

A ess

A edn -  It is. It isn't

71

WC

1940's

Afeard

Afraid. In fear of

60

WP

1880

AFTER

Arthur

60

Personal

WP

1880

AFTER-CLAPSES

something happens after the cause is supposed to have been removed.

60

General

WP,

1880

Afterwinding

Light corn left between heavy grain and chaff

60

Farming

WP

1880

Afore

Before

59, 60

General

WP

1880

Agape

Astonished

AGAR

ugly

60

General

WC

1880

Agate

'All agate'. Expectant

60

Personal

WC,

1880

Agen

Again. Once more

Agg (Egg) Algs

To "egg on". Incite. Urge on.

Agist

Aginst. Agin - Against

Aglan, Alget

Berries of the hawthorn

60

Botanical

WC

1880

AGLETWITCH

The earthworm; a restless child

52

N C,

1930's

Agnail

A whitlow. Pain-nail

A'goen

going

AHA

goodbye, especiaaly to a child

35

General

MC

1974

AH FAX

Truly

58

General

WC

1870

A'-HOODING

to go wood cutting

15

General

NE

1900

AIGLETS

Fruits of the hawthorn

33

Flora

MC

1940

AIK

Hake (Nickname for St Ives people

20

Fishing

WC

1975

AILER

Receiver of stolen goods

60

General

WC

1880

'AILER

tarpaulin

57

Farming

N C,

1950's

AILMEGGANTLY

Notice in West Britain Newspaper 10/10/1817.

"Take note that thear is a mantrap and spikes ...in those turnips. If any person is caught stealing or pulling up turnips from this ground they shall ailmeggantly be taken up and sent to goaill and take the punishment of the law.

64

Farming

WC

1817

AILS

The bristles or awns of barley

NC

AILY

"bindweed"

25

Flora

NC

1915

AIPERNT

an apron

60

General

WC,

1880

ALL

used frequently as an argumentative, as "all abroad."

86

Behaviour

EC

1880

ALLEY

the Allis Shad, (Alosa vulgaris) from its bony nature sometimes called chuck-children.

86

Flora

EC

1880

ALSANDERS

the herb, (Smyrnium olusatrum)

86

Flora

EC

1880

ARISH RAKE

 used to rake arishes after mowing

15

Farming

EC

1931

Airy-mouse

 (Rare mouse) The bat

15, 57, 56, 60, 88

Nature

EC, N C, WC

1865

AITCH-PIECE

The catch or tongue of a buckle

60

General

WC

1880

Aisy. Aise 

Easy. Unsuspecting

59

General

1882

AKAAMANNA

An exclamation of disgust

53

General

WC

1920

AKE

a groove in a stone used as an anchor to take a rope. Paculiar to Cornwall 

60

Fishing

WC

1880

AKER

56,

Tools

N.C.,

Aker. Alker

Delight. In a happy or congenial occupation

88

Behaviour

WC

1895

Aketha

Quotha

60, 87

General

WC

1880

AKKO

verb: to function properly

57

General

N C,

1950's

'ALE

verb: to bank up potatoes or heal wound

57

Farming

N C,

1950's

ALE HOOF

Ground Ivy 

43

Flora

WC

ALAIRE

a short time ago.

60

General

WC

1880

AlaRs

Alas

Alan 

A hard bare patch of land

88

General

WC

1895

ALANAPPLE

apple given to a young girl (to put under her pillow) on the night of Hallowe'en, usually by an older female relative in the house. Newlyn Tradition.

75

Tradition

WC

1943

Alantide

All Saints Day

88

Tradition

WC

1895

ALI-BALI-BO

Itinerant Italian Musician 

28

General

MC

1901

ALLER

alder tree

15, 57

Flora

EC N C,

1900

Alley & ALLEYS

A large marble. A taw

Marbles

57., 20, 43

73, 88

General

N C,

W C,

1895 (88)

ALLEE-COUCHEE

"When one child becoming bored and tired was told by another: 'you allez coucher'. An old man when enquiring was told this meant "go to bed". 

60,  73 

General

WC

1880

Allis

Always

ALLIERS

 A fool

42

General

WC

1914

Allish 

Pale, sickly in appearance

33, 10, 88

Appearance

MC, WC

1895 (88)

ALL-ABROAD

with ones trouser fly open

22

Appearance

WC

1950

All-on-an-Nupshot

ln a great hurry. A commotion Unnexpectedly

88

Behaviour

WC

1895 (88)

ALLSANDERS

Alexanders (smyrnium olusatrum)

70

Flora

All

1909

ALL SEED

Radiola Hill (Linacae linoides)

70

Flora

All

1909

ALMAN

Calender

38

General

MC

1940

ALTER 

of farm animals: to castrate

76

Farming

WC

1877

ALYER

pathway

2, 

Church Accounts

NC

1512

Amenuts

Almonds

60

Botanical

WC

1880

AME UP

verb: to shut off stock from field for mowing later.

57

Farming

N C,

1950's

Ampassy

the Etcetera always chanted at the end of the alphabel.

57, 86, 88

General

N C, EC

1880 (86)

Am

Hom. Fog-horn

Fishing

Amed

Earned

AMENUTS

Almonds

87

Food

All

1866

Amm

The wrist

AMMEL

freezing rain

57

General

N C,

1950's

AMMERTINKER

to fiddle about, achieving very little.

57

General

N C,

1950's

AMMUTS

Ants

47

Nature

MC

1973

AMZIZ

hames fitted over horses neck-collar

57

Farming

N C,

1950's

A-NEAR

in "whats a-near?" ie. "What is the use."

77, 10

General

MC

1820

Anan! NAN

What do ee say?

60, 86, 88

General

WC, EC

1880 (86)

Anatomy

Skeleton. A person very slight and wasted

59, 60

Personal

1880

ANCIENT

unusual, incongrous

52, 71

N C,

1930's

AN END

to drive an end

60

Mining

WC

1880

Anend 

On end

58, 86

General

WC, EC

1880

ANES

nigh, a nigh -from old word Anewst.

86

General

1866

ANGALISH

Gallows

60

General

WC

1880

ANGBEW

'tail' of farm gate for fixing hinges.

57

Farming

N C,

1950's

ANGELMAINE

the Monk fish (Squatina angelus) Mavagissey

86

Fishing

EC

1880

ANGINS

hinges of a gate or door

57

General

N C,

1950's

Angle-ditch

Earthworm

38

Nature

MC

1940

ANGLE DUTCH

Large Earthworm

43, 88

Nature

WC

1895 (88)

ANGLETITCH

fidgety or flighty person

57

General

N C,

1950's

ANGLE-TWITCH

wiglling like an earthworm

60, 86

Personal

WC, EC

1880

ANGLE-TOUCH

Earthworm

43

Nature

WC

1905

Anist. Anyst

Close to. Nearby. "Don't come anist me"

60, 88

Personal

WC

1880 (60)

Anker

A small cask or keg, about four gallons.

86

Smuggling

EC

1880

ANNEEST

Near, "don't go anest him".

43

General

WC

1850

Anointed 

Mischievous. Fun-loving

60, 88

Personal

WC

1880 (86)

Ansum 

Excellent. good. Beautiful

ANTI

plr. Not I.. Always used with a negative.

60

Perconal

WC

1880

Antick

A buffoon. A fool

59, 60

Personal

WC

1880

AN-PASSY

et cetera

60

General

WC

1880

APPARATUS

The Slab or kitchen range

52

Home

N C,

1930's

Aperne / APERNT / aPSEN

An apron

57., 20, 53, 59, 88

.N C,

W C

1882 (59)

APPERD

A fool

42

personal

WC

1914

APPERED

a demoralised, inconsequential person.

52

N C,

1940's

APPLE

 part of the eye

78

appearence

WC

1800

Apple Bird

The chaffinch

60, 88

Nature / Garden

WC

1880 (60)

Apple bee. Apple drane, Apple drone (52)

The wasp

11, 35,36, 52, 60, 88 , 34, 71

Nature / Garden

All

1880 (60)

Apple-Creamy- Pastie

Apple pasty with a dollop of cream

64

Food

3.9.59

APPLE-DRANE

wasp

2, 15, 86

Nature

NC, EC

1880

APPLEDRONE

wasp

3, 4, 

Nature

EC, MC

1791

APPLE-MOCK

crushed apple pulp or mash. in a cider mill.

29

Farming

WC

1922

APPLE-POTATO

a red potato for keeping

29

Farming

WC

1811

APPORTH

"apporth of sence ." apporth = half-pence of little worth

71

Personal

WC

1940'S

APRON

extra piece of wood attached to the stem of a boat, which allows for extra fastening for the hull planking.

53

Shipbuilding

WC

1971

Aps. Apsen

The aspen tree. To fasten

15,18, 88, 

Garden / Mis

EC

1895 (88)

APSE

hasp of door or gate

15, 34, 35, 57

General

N C, MC

1950's

APSEN TREE

Apsen (Populas tremula linn)

70, 86

Flora

NC, EC

1880

ARA-A

exclamation of surprise

1, 10, 77, 

Behavior

WC,MC,EC 

1930

ARANDIGAL

Rigmarole

34

MC

1946

AREAR

O strange, wonderful,

87

General

Red

1866

ARBY

"we've got a bottle of Arby.

79,

Food

MC

1951

Arclar 

A Plough

Farming

ARD

proud [over vertical] side of rick or wall.

57

Farming

N C

1950's

ARDAR

a type of plough

60

Farming

WC

1880

ARD 'OOD

hard wood or cordwood

57

General

N C

1950's

ARD TACK

good, but uninteresting food.

57

General

N C

1950's

'ARD AT

bowler hat

57

General

N C

1950's

ARDEN

naughty - that cheeld is some arden. or "As arden as sin."

33, 66,

Behaviour

MC

1979

1933

ARG

to argue

86, 88

Behaviour

EC

1880 (86)

ArgEE. Argy. Argyfy

He's always ready to argue

58, 60

General

WC

1880

AREIREE!

Exclamation

80,

Behavior

WC

1868

ARISH

stubble. 

15, 34, 37, 43, 56, 60, 88

Farming

All

1880 (60)

ARISH FIELDS

Stubble fields after the corn has been cut

60,

Farming

WC

1880

ARISH-GEESE

Arish fed Geese

60

Farming

WC

1880

ARISH-MOW

the sheaves were built up in a regular solid cone about 12' high, the "beards" all turned innards and the "butt end of the sheaf only exposed to the weather. The whole cone is finished by a sheaf or two and tied to the upper rows.

Also "An enlarged shock - as high as a man can reach from the ground.

Mylor

15, 60, 58, 81,82,

Farming

EC, WC, MC

1880 (60)

ARISH RAKE

 used to rake arishes after mowing

15

Farming

EC

1931

ARK

hen-house

37,

Farming / household

MC

1930

Arking

Harking List

ARM-WRIST

the wrist

60, 88

Personal

WC

1880

ART'EN

art not

87

General

1866

ARR

Arrow -stright as an arrow

15,

General

MC

1931

Arra Wan

'eer a one"

ARRAN TREE

the Myrtle tree or shrub

4,

Gardening

MC

1920's

Arrant

Errand. Message, Shopping parcels

86, 88

General

EC

1880 (86)

ARRASH

corn stubble

43

Farming

WC

1960

ARAS, Areeah

An exclamation of surprize

58, 60

General

WC

1880

Arre. Arree

Are you', (Are'ee?)

Arrere. Arear

Wonderful, Strange

88,

General

WC

1895 (88)_

ARRIS MARKS

tool marks on cut stone

15

Masonry

EC

1900

ARRISH

or errish...stubble left after cutting cereal crop.

3, 34, 57, 71, 77, 86

Farming

EC, WC N C

1880

ARRISH-MOO

small round temporary rick for drying sheaves.

57

Farming

N C

1906

ARRISH MOW

corn stack built in the harvest field

83, 84, 46,34,

Farming

MC, EC

1915

ARRISH RAKE

wooden hand rake for raking arrishes.

36, 57

Farming

N C

1930

ARRITCH

household

35

Household

MC

1900

ARRIZ

Harrows - spring-h, ting-h, chain-h, disk-h.

57

Farming

N C

1950's

ARRON'S ROD

Golden Rod [solidago virgawea]

Davey Flora p.237

Flora

ARROW

used in making a mowstead

15

Farming

MC

1931

Arr'y

are you

87

General

1860 (87)

ARRY

any

88

General

WC

1995 (88)

ARRY

verb: to harrow

57

Farming

N C

1950's

ARSE SMART

bindweed

1, 

Gardening

MC

Arsted. Arst

asked

Artercorn 

after

59, 60

Personal

WC

1880

Art-a

Are you?

ARVES

harrows

57

Farming

N C

1950's

ARY MOUSE

hairy mouse ;the bat

86

Fauna

EC

1880

A-sam

Partly open door (The door's a-sam)

AS-LEV

 adv. as lief.  I'd as led do it as not."

87

General

1866

Ascrode

Astride

60, 86, 88

General

WC, EC

1880 (60)

Asew. Sew

Dry."The cow is asew."

88

Farming

WC

1895 (88)

ASH LEAF FERN

Royal Fern (Osmunda Regalis)

70,

Flora

All

1900

ASHMERT

fat hen plant

35

Flora

MC

1974

ASHEN TREE

Ash tree

4, 

Flora

WC

1920's

ASLEEP

Mildewed plant

35

Gardening / Flora

MC

1890

ASPEN TREE

shivering like an aspen tree

60

Personal

WC

1880

ASS-A-FORTH

the wrong way round. Carrying out a chore in the wrong way.

71

General

WC

1940

As silly as a waggon 'oss-

Stupid. Foolish. No sense at all. Why horses? I found them quite intelligent . As silly as a wagon load of monkeys, another quoted expression, but I've never seen one

71

Behaviour

WC

1940's

As full as a drum

as full with food as one could be. Bloated." Could eat the horse, and chase the driver " said by someone who is starving hungry, or " Eat the horse and chase the jockey "

71

Behaviour

WC

1940's

ASSENGER / ASSENEGO, ASSNEGER

an ass - meaning a silly person

87, 88

Behaviour

WC

1866

ASSOB'N

"Thats of it." or "Thats it." When you agree with someone exactly.

71

General

WC

1940's

Apty cock

 a clever little fellow. "Well done my little apty-cock" West Briton April 3rd 1879.

60

Personal

WC

1880

ATAll & ATTLE

Mining Waste

Mylor, 86

Mining

WC, EC

1880

ATCH

stable-type door or trapdoor.

57

Farming

N C

1950's

`ate of sense'

hardly any intelligence or minimum of recognition. "If thee had a `apporth of sense, thee wouldn't have done that" Also pronounced, Apperth of sense an inconsequential person. I remember the phrase, "You silly appeth" which I understood to be a `halfpenny worth ' of little value and the remark derogatory.

71

General

WC

1940's

ATHIRT or ATHERT

Across

20, 43

General

W C

1940

Athurt

Not Stright. He squints

20, 59, 60

General

W C

1880

ATHWART

cross-eyed

77,

Appearance

WC

1820's

ATHWART

from side to side

85,

General

WC

1901

ATTAL

refuse from winnowing, weed seeds, defective grain.

43, 58, 88

Farming

WC

1870 (58)

ATTIC

Adit

9,

Mining

MC

1978

Attle

Rubbish. Useless. Refuse

11, 47,60

General

WC

1880

Atween

sidewalks

59

General

1882

ATWIXT

Betwix and between.

59, 60

General

WC

1880

Awking

spitting

Awn. Awnlv

own. only

AUDIT

as Adit. Horizontal passage into mineworkings

76, 9,

AUKSHEBAW

Waxy compound used by cobblers for waterproofing thread.

34

Cobblers

MC

1920

Aunt, AN, AINT

A title of respect. Dame, lady

60, 87

Personal

WC

1866

AUNT MARY'S TREE

Holly, (Aquifolium)

70

Flora

All

1909

Aupens

opens.

Auver

over

Auvis. Auvica

Eaves of a house

20, 43, 88

General

W C,

1895 (88)

Avage

Stock or Breed i.e. cattle

88

Farming

WC

1895 (88)

AUVEST

eaves of a rick or house

43

Farming

WP

1924

Avise. Advise

Good

Avore

Before

59, 86, 88

General

EC

1880 (86)

Averlooked

Overlooked. Ill-wished

Aw

He. It

88

General

WC

1895 (88)

Away to go

Went. A lively exit by a person

71

Behaviour

WC,

1940's

AWBUCK

clumsy person. "Tha' geat awbuck."

43

General

W C

.1971

AWE

Hoe for turnups

34,

Farming

MC

1895

AWGAN

Whitethorn Berry

29

Flora

WP

1943

AWL

verb: to healesp. to cover up potatoes with earth.

57

Farming

N C

AWL VORE

open plough furrow left on finishing casting cut.

57

Farming

N C

1950's

AWNER'S  - COUNT

Owners account

60

Mining

WC

1880

AWNLY

Only

59

General

1882

Awvergone

Unable to contain oneself- "overgone"

AWVIS

eaves

57

General

N C

1950's

AX

to ask

86, 88

General

EC, WC

1880 (86)

AXEBRIDGE KIDNEY

Variety of Potato

80

Farming/Gardening

WP

1868

Axed out

Asked out

60, 87

Personal

WC

1866

Ayger

Eager

AYRY-MOUZE

hairy mouse or bat

57

Nature

N C 

1950's

AY-UTH

earth

57

Farming

N C

1950's

AYVE

verb: to heave, or lift or throw.

57

Farming

N C

1950's

AZEW

a cow is said to be azew when drained of milk before calving. In some parts, when milking is discontinued, the cow is "gone to zew."

86

Farming

EC

1880

AZRY 

local farm where everyone talked at once

57

Farming

N C

1950's

A'zackley

Not exactly. Not quite in the head