Cornish Sayings

Cornish	Rough English meaning
*'teazy asn adder'*	a little bit moody!
*'rough as rats'* or *'rough as a bag of nails'*	of poor or uncouth upbringing
*'drekly'*	later - but the sort of later that will probably never come!
*'gibmere aminut'*	give it here a minute
*'costymuch didda?'*	did it cost you much?
*'gait gust'*	great gust (of wind)
*'two skats behind'*	following up at the rear
*'go like the mail'*	goes quickly - like the mail coach in the good old days
*'matter do a?'* (said quickly and with 'a' pronounced phonetically)	does it matter?
*'nawn diddy?'*	did you know him? (literally: know him did you?)
*'tellundiddy?'*	did you tell him? (literally: tell him did you?)
*'got feet like half-crown shovels'*	got big feet!
*'face like a white-washed wall'*	pale
*'so near as the grave'*	tight with money!
*'woteedoinov?'*	what are you doing? (literally: what you doing of)
*'aaveeseenun?'*	have you seen him?
*'so daft as a carrot half-scraped'*	not very bright!
*'gussenup angitten'*	go and get it (literally: get on up and get it)
*'costy muchdidda?'*	did it cost you much? (literally: cost you much did it?)
*'oweenawtha?'*	how do you know that?
*'teeonisuh?'*	is the kettle on? (literally: tea on is it?)
*'perdee inna?'*	pretty isn't it?

Cornish	How its used now
*Stankya* - meaning to trample	*Stank* - used meaning a hike or long walk
*Skat* - meaning blow, or *skwat* - crushing blow, or skwatya - crush, hit or squash	Scat - meaning to knock down ("I'll scat 'ee down" often heard in Cornish pubs after a few beers! - "I'll knock you down/ hit you down")
*Heller* - a wild natured person	this is the original word with the original meaning - a real nuisance, eg. that little Harry is a real heller
*Teazy* - derived from *Tesek* meaning hot tempered or irritable	still commonly used with the same meaning, eg. she's teazy asn adder
*Geek* - derived from *Gyki* meaning to take a quick glance at	still commonly used with the same meaning, eg. take a quick geek o' that

Designed and developed by Clare