![]() |
The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies The Dialect of Cornwall In Conjunction with Brian Stevens Recorder of Dialect |
![]() |
| Dialect words and their meanings. | ||||||||||||
| A WORDS | B WORDS | C WORDS | D WORDS | E WORDS | F WORDS | G WORDS | H WORDS | I WORDS | J WORDS | K WORDS | L WORDS | M WORDS |
| N WORDS | O WORDS | P WORDS | Q WORDS | R WORDS | S WORDS | T WORDS | U WORDS | V WORDS | W WORDS | X WORDS | Y WORDS | Z WORDS |
E
Click above to compare number with a source.
| Dialect | Meaning | Source | Term | Cornish | Comment | Date when collected |
|
EAR BUSSAS |
ear bussums: tonsils. |
|
See
C.S.W. p.73. |
|||
|
EAR |
of wheelbarrow: the luggs in which the axle turns; also of a pump |
|
C.S.W. 75. |
|||
|
EAT THE SUN: |
to bask in sunshine: a miners' expression. |
|
|
|||
|
EAVE: |
to thaw. See HEAVE. |
|
|
|||
|
EAVER, AYVER, HEEVERS: |
darnel (grass) Fr.ivraie. |
Cor.
yvre, yvra. |
O.C. V p.476, IX p.49. |
|||
|
EVIL: |
a sore or boil. |
|
|
|||
|
EVIL, YEEVIL: |
a farm fork, two pronged hayfork, also three or five pronged
yard fork. O.E. |
|
|
|||
|
ECCA, EKKA: |
see
HECCA. |
|
|
|||
|
ECKSHEEN: |
husks of corn; huskings |
|
|
|||
|
EEDGE, EEJ, AEEJ: |
scream or screech. Cr.
uj, uja. |
|
|
|||
|
EDJACK: |
idiot, foolish fellow. |
|
|
|||
|
EGGLETS, AGGLETS: |
haws. |
|
|
|||
|
EENA, MEENA, MORA, MY, |
pisca,
lara, bora, by. Counting out rhymes before a
game. Variants: pasca, lara, bona, by, elke, belke... |
|
|
|||
|
EGGS AND BACON: |
a daffodil cultivar 1889. |
|
|
|||
|
EKEMAULE, EKKYMOWL, EKKYJOEY:
|
the tomtit. See
HACKMAL. |
|
|
|||
|
ELVAN: |
blue porphyry rock. |
Cor. elven, men elven. |
|
|||
|
ELIECOMPANIE: |
the blue tit. 'Bird by day, toad by night' (Polwhele) distorted form of half-remembered Cornish pen paly, pedn paly. Actually name of the plant Inula campama; a sweet was made of its candied root. Also extended to hard-bake, almond toffee. |
|
O.C. Ill p.30. |
|||
|
ELIZABETH: |
the Martagon lily. |
|
|
|||
|
ELMING RAKE: |
|
|
O.C. II, 3, p.5 |
|||
|
ELLECK: |
the red gurnard. |
Cor. elek |
C.S.W. p.75 |
|||
|
ELLENS |
A very thin person |
20 |
Personal |
|
WC, |
|
|
ELLENS |
Slates clapped together |
20 |
Common |
|
WC, |
|
|
EMMET: |
the ant. Archaic English. |
|
|
|||
|
EMMUT: |
the eye of the wind. |
|
C.S.W. |
|||
|
ENT: |
to empty, rain heavily. |
|
|
|||
|
EUMERS, EMMERS: |
dried cow dung used as fuel. Also embers. 'Rake the eumers over the fire and make a crow in the ashes. |
|
|
|||
|
' EN:
|
older English suffix:
housen, primrosen. |
|
|
|||
|
EPIPHANY: |
dodder plant on furze, the 'devil's saffern'. |
|
|
|||
|
EPPS |
Stable door |
20 |
Farming |
|
WC |
|
|
ERVINS, HERVINS: |
narcissi; probably for
IRVINE's, an old variety. |
|
|
|||
|
ESTINNEY MARMET, |
(tinny marmot: oddly dressed itinerant musician. See
MOMMET. |
|
|
|||
|
ERRISH: |
See Arrish. |
|
|
|||
|
ETTAW, ETTER: |
(fetter) A shackle to join two chains. |
|
See also
C.S.W. |
|||
|
EVERY ONE WEEK: |
every other week. |
|
|
|||
|
EYEABLE: |
presentable, pleasant to see. |
|
|