Cornish Artist Seeks Help Translating Poetry Into Kernowek

Hello my friends,

I hope this finds you well and happy. I’m a Cornish chap who is currently working on a site specific performance with some Maori in Auckland, New Zealand. The performance includes poetry and songs I have written in English, but I would like to introduce some Kernowek.

I have tried translating, but it’s been years since I spoke any Cornish, so it’s a little rusty. Also, the Cornish language on this site sounds a little different to the language we spoke at home and in primary school (way back in the 70’s). And, of course, translating poetry is really, REALLY difficult, there’s so much going on, it would be great to do the language and the poems justice.

If anyone knows a poet/ bardh who might be interested to assist please point them my way.

You can contact me through my website: www.myathkar.org

Many thanks and kindest regards,

Tryg

Dydh da, Tryg!

I’m probably not fluent enough to help you myself just yet, but a great place to ask would be this Facebook group for Cornish poetry: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lienkernow/

Hope that helps, chons da!

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Meurastewhi Lianne!

Thank you so much that’s really helpful. I shall have to resurrect my facebook account and check it out…

yn lel!

:slight_smile:

Dydh da Tryg, there’s a really good cornish language poet called Mick Paynter, who is on FB - if you could connect with him he might be a good choice to help you. I’ve sat in one of his classes and he’s very good at translating songs and poems into kernewek, and getting them to scan. OaG

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Dydh da Ella,

Meurastewhi! Thank you so much for the tip, this sounds great. I think I might just have to bite the bullett and revisit facebook, it’s where everyone seems to be.

I’ve been purposefully avoiding it for a longtime as it is ‘the dark place’ - I guess even us poets have to suck it up and concede to being one of Zuckerburg’s drones :laughing:

In search of Mick Paynter then.

Oll an gwella

T :slight_smile:

You could always activate it long enough to track him down, exchange emails and deactivate it again?! I feel your pain…

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