[Spellyans] Eddie Climo

[Eddie Climo]

We've each been asked to give a brief bio of ourself, and our  
interest in Cornish orthography.

I'm a Science graduate, but have many years of involvement in  
languages and linguistics. Started learning Welsh and Scots Gaelic  
back in the early '80s. Although I've been peripherally involved in  
the Cornish revival for a long time, it was only a couple of years  
ago that I began to actively study it, in the form of UC and UCR.

My intention with Cornish is to achieve the highest level of fluency  
I can manage, and to create original and translated books in the  
language. In addition to many years' experience as a hands-on  
linguist, I can bring to bear some 20 years semi-pro background in  
typography, graphics and desk-top publishing.

My main focus in languages is the way each one offers a different  
window on the world, through the range of words and idioms it  
provides, and the unique 'taste' of each on the tongue and in the  
ears. For instance, I find it exciting that the Cornish word tremena  
covers both (literal) physical movement as well as the (metaphorical)  
movement from life into death . . .

.. . . or, that Cornish offers more than English does in the ways of  
expressing emphasis or certainty/uncertainty . . .

.. . . or that the Celtic words for 'wine' (C. gwyn, W. gwin, G.  
fìon . . .), along with their many european cognates, can be traced  
back to Latin 'vinum' and Greek 'oinos', and are (apparently) related  
to Sanskrit 'veni-', a braid of hair (for the twining habit of the  
vine plant!).

So, it's semantics, stylistics, syntax and etymology that really turn  
me on, and, to a lesser extent, grammar. Orthography and phonology I  
recognise as being vital matters to have sorted out in a language,  
although they don't interest me nearly as much.

Eddie Foirbeis Climo
eddie_climo at yahoo.co.uk

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Is sìos a' bhothar fada gun eòlas 's a thèid sinn.
Ahes an forth hyr hep wothvos y tremenynyn.
It's the long and unknown road we pass along.

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