Cornish Sayings

Steve Heller talks about some popular Cornish sayings and dialect featuring followers comments from the Cornish News Facebook page.

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[wildthornrose]

I don't know what possessed me to look up "Cornish phrases" on Youtube, since I'm in New Zealand, and have no connection to Cornwall whatsoever... but OH MY GOR...ANG! I am not disappointed with the result. Thanks for the laugh!

[joshualukespeers]

me ‘ansome is my favourite, my family say it all the time ❤

[bethcarey]

My family and I say ‘blinking ‘ang’ or just ‘Ang!’ When we’re surprised, upset, whatever, lol!

[CandyBunnyAngel]

Cornish slang is always hilarious 😝 proud to be part of a bley ansum community

[Markotron]

This is brilliant. I'm off to Cornwall soon. I'm gonna use some of these expressions

[joalexsg]

This may seem just humor but the fact is such things also happen to keep the language alive and we know how humor helps improve your liver´s health! Meur ras for the 'splitting sides' video! Greeting from Brazil!

[canUsaythis]

I'm from Cubert and I aprove of this video *thumbs Up*

[Haylo]

I realized how much Cornish slang has much influenced Australian slang. Many Cornish miners migrated here in the 1800’s

[declancroft]

This is HILARIOUS! I love this video and I love Kernow!!

[makunda]

I’m Cornish and moved to America at 19 I COULDNT TALK TO ANYONE.

[aleighadanielle]

Gus on up and geddon I'm from Cornwall and I've heard this one time

[jedtrewin]

That was hansom brings me back to Cornwall as I knew it before the invasion when we thrived on humour

[wanitabrown]

I've heard the word "dreckly" (that's the best I can do for spelling how it sounds) my entire life in place of the word "directly" with the meaning you give it. I heard it said mostly from my Dad, who was born and raised in Tennessee. So that particular word is used in Cornwall and Appalacia.

[donnawelham]

Lol yes mum and dad used to come out with some of these sayings back in the day

[getrog]

'I could eat a scabby horse between two mattresses'.
'I'm dry as a nuns c--t'.

[andrewclimo]

'Ansome Steve as usual !! Request - Please do something on Network Rail announcements. That woman mispronounces almost all our place names! REDruth, LISKeard, PENzance. Gar, woss she on? I feel a parody of English place names coming on birMINGham, lonDON, ExETer, and the never to be forgotton bright-ON (pard). :-) Have a good one!

[BigGunBigMag]

right on! blimmin beauties that me 'ansome

[emilycaro]

I'm from Dorset and my parents and grandparents say 8+ of these! - maybe because my dad's side are from Cornwall originally.

[huporhaha]

My other half always calls his sister "Maid" and she always calls him "Buoy" - When we were going out together, over 35 years ago my intended took my parents and I out on a Sunday afternoon near St. Austell. I sat in the front with him and my mum who was from Norfolk and my Dad who was part Cornish but had spent half his life "up country" sat in the back. My dad was a retired vicar. Some idiot came round a corner on the wrong side of the road and my future husband let out the expletive, "Pillock!" - My mother, from East Anglia had never heard the word before and after our pleasant drive, she quizzed me on the meaning of the word, "Pillock! " As I was very much in love and wanted her and my dad to see my future husband in the best light, I explained that "Pillock" was the Cornish word for "Idiot" - The trouble was it has stuck - even to this day! However the "Sticks like sh*t to a wet blanket" statement you made is very local. I think "Proper Janner" meaning a farmer without brains maybe originated in the Plymouth area but it has certainly spread to Callington, Launceston and Camelford.

[jamieknight]

so hungry, I could eat the crutch out of a low flying duck !!