Learn Late Cornish Bit by Bit 34 (more about )

More about Ma

The simplest use of Ma is with a noun (no definite article), e.g.:

Ma keus.                               There is (some[1]) cheese.

Ma flehes ena.                      There are (some) children there.

Using Ma with a noun and another verb gives a choice of translations, depending on circumstances, e.g.:

Ma den o toas.                     There is a man coming.

                                              A man is coming.

Ma benyn o tebry keus.      There is a woman eating cheese.

                                              A woman is eating cheese.

Using Ma with the definite article and a noun and another verb cuts down that choice, e.g.:

Ma’n den o toas.                  The man is coming.

Ma’n venyn o tebry keus.    The woman is eating cheese.

Similarly, using Ma with a pronoun gives no choice of meaning, e.g.:

Ma va o toas.                        He is coming.

Ma hei o tebry keus.            She is eating cheese.

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[1]  we do not need to use a separate word for <some>