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A printed edition of the recently discovered mediaeval Cornish manuscript
Bywnans Ke (The Life of St. Ke or Kea) has now been published by
Kesva an Taves Kernewek
(The Cornish
Language Board). The book was officially launched on Monday 15th May, 2006,
at the Gwynn ha Du Bookshop and Cornish Language, History & Culture Centre, 4 The Arcade, Fore St.,
Liskeard. The work has been edited by
Dr. Ken George (left of picture), in collaboration
with a number of other Cornish speakers, among them Julyan Holmes, Jori
Ansell, Pawl Dunbar (right), Wella Brown, Pol Hodge and Graham Sandercock.
The work is a substantial verse play, which would most probably have been
performed over two consecutive days. The manuscript came to light in 1999
among papers bequeathed to The National Library of Wales by the late Prof.
J.E. Caerwyn Williams. Although 14 of the original 34 manuscript pages are
missing, the twenty that remain contain around 3,300 lines of verse, a
significant addition to the existing body of Middle Cornish literature. The
manuscript also has great linguistic value, providing as it does additional
data on the grammar and pronunciation of Middle Cornish, along with some 200
or more previously unrecorded vocabulary items.
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| The 2nd half of the drama is taken up with Arthurian material. Here Guinevere initially refuses Modred's advances, saying she would rather be beheaded or dragged over cliffs behind horses. She soon changes her mind however … |
Since Bywnans Ke is not an easy manuscript to read or interpret (see above),
this provisional edition is being made available to stimulate the widest
possible collaboration. Academics and all others with relevant knowledge or
insight, from whatever background, are invited to offer their ideas and
improvements, particularly with regard to the various words and lines whose
interpretation remains obscure or doubtful. These corrections will then be incorporated with due acknowledgement
in later editions.
The present edition (250 pps A4, soft covers) includes a transcription of
the manuscript text, a transliteration into the Kernewek Kemmyn standard
orthography used today, and a fairly literal English translation. There
are notes on all points of interest or debate, a short Introduction, and
Appendices dealing with new vocabulary and other matters.
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SALES
Copies of Bywnans Ke may be obtained
from :
Price £11 plus p & p*
*Single copies, Inland £2-50; Europe £4-25; USA, Canada, Australia, NZ £8-25 airmail, £4-25 surface.
Two copies, £5-25 inland. For larger orders, please enquire.
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Ken George (center) with (left to right) Pawl Dunbar, Keith Bailey, Julyan Holmes, Jori Ansell & Malou George, some of the people who assisted in producing this edition. (From an original photo by
Chris Bowden)
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