Page:A handbook of the Cornish language; Chiefly in its latest stages with some account of its history and literature.djvu/180

 THE CONSTRUCTION OF SENTENCES 161 Interrogative sentences are formed with the inter- rogative particle a, or by the use of some interrogative pronoun or adverb. In all cases the inflected form of the main verb or auxiliary (usually the latter) follows the particle, pronoun, or adverb, and usually with its initial in the second state. Thus : A wrtgough why besca gwelas ? Did you ever see ? A wreugh why agan gwelas ? Do you see us ? Fatla wreugh why crya hedna? How do you call that? Fraga wreugft why gwil hebma? Why do you do this? A vednough why mds genev vi? Will you go with me ? The particle a is often omitted colloquially, but its effect is perceptible in the change of the initial of the verb. If the verb begins with a vowel, a is always omitted. With interrogative sentences should come the an- swers to them. It must be understood that by nature no Celt can ever say a plain " yes " or " no." There are "dictionary words" for "yes" and "no" in Welsh and Cornish, and they are used a very little in translations from other languages ; but they do not " belong " to be used in speaking or writing Welsh or Cornish. In Gaelic there are not even " dictionary words " for them. In Breton ia and nan are used freely for " yes " and " no," as in French, but that is probably quite modern French influence. The Celtic practice is to repeat the inflected verb of the question, affirmatively or nega- tively, in the necessary person. Thus : ' E Hough why cowsa Kernuak? Can you speak Cornish ? Gellam or mi ellam. I can (yes). Ni ellam, or (less correctly) nag ellam, I cannot (no).