Compendium of the World's Languages

Consonants

stops: p, b, t, d, k, g

affricates: tj, d3

fricatives: f, v, 6, 0, s, z, J, 3, x. Y. h

nasals: m, n

lateral and flap: 1, r

semi- vowels: j, w

Labialized /k/ and /g/ occur: [k\ g°]; also a hamza-like interruption where
elision of a velar fricative has taken place: mo'a ('very').
For mutations see below.

Vowels

i, e, a, o, u

HI and hi are represented by j;.

The letter e covers /ei, 8, o/; covers /oi, o, 01/; w covers /ui, y, a/.
There are several diphthongs.

Mutation

There are four types of juncture mutation in Cornish, with traces of a fifth:

(a) Soft mutation (lenition): /b/-^/v/, /d/->/d/, /m/->/v/, /k/->/g/, /gV/
— > /V/, etc. As in other Celtic languages, this mutation takes place after
the definite article an in feminine singular nouns, in masculine plural
nouns denoting persons, and elsewhere: e.g.

mam 'mother': an vam 'the mother'; dha vam 'thy mother'
dyw 'two', bre 'hill': an dhyw vre 'the two hills'
bugeleth 'shepherds': an vugeleth 'the shepherds'

(b) Aspiration: /k/->/h/, /p/-^/f/, /t/->/0/, etc.: e.g. pen 'head': owfen 'my
head'; tyr 'country': ow thyr 'my country'.

(c) Nasalization: e.g. /d/->/n/: dor 'earth': an nor 'the earth'.

A hard mutation: /b/~>/p/, /d/->/t/, /g/->/k/ (i.e. the converse of lenition)
also occurs, and certain particles and adverbs generate a mixed mutation,
e.g. /b/ ->/f/, Idl-^ltL This mutation is known as provection.

rn M PF M n 1 1 1 ^/l XA/HR l n'<; Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada

COMPENDIUM WORLDS george l Campbell © 199 1, 2000 George L. Campbell

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