[G] The Relative Pronoun
'who', 'which', 'that', 'where', when introducing a Relative Clause, may all be expressed by neb/leb. There is a tendency to prefer leb towards the end of the 17th century. There are several types of Relative Clauses & Phrases to consider:
(1) The Common Relative Clause, acting adjectivally: In this the use of neb/leb is optional, and indeed would sound clumsy, its place being better taken by the Relative Particle a, or in the case of a vowel-tense of boaz:to be, understood in the verb itself. Thus:
- Ma nebonnen en nessa tshẏi a el gụelaz agen hageroberoụ(L/NB): There is somebody in the next house who can see our crimes
- Drez ul an rerol a ve deractenge(NB): above all the others who were before them
- Eve a dael bose Ankou e hunnen a vedden pedeere..(NB): it must be Death himself who will think...
Whether a introduces a Relative Clause or not depends on the context, particularly any preliminary words that lead up to the statement. In theory a in the above examples could be replaced by neb/leb, but as the sense is clear already, a is preferred. Wherever the use of a would cause ambiguity, it is preferable to use neb/leb. In the next examples the sense would be ambiguous if neb/leb were not used:
- Abel, neb o dean gwyrryan..(1717): Abel , who was a true man [The omission of neb here would alter the sense to 'Abel was a true man']
- Deu an Taz Ulnerth neb a wraz an Nefe(TB): God the Father almighty who made the Heaven [The omission of neb here would alter the sense to 'God the Father almighty made the Heaven' ]
In the next examples, the sense would be identical with or without the use of neb/leb:
- Gen Taz leb es en Nev(Gw): Our Father which art in Heaven
- Gen Taz es en Nefe(TB): Our Father which art in Heaven
- ha dean uncouth leb es gyi de yettes(Gw): and the stranger that is within thy gates
- Chee den krêv leb es war tŷr(Gw): Thou strong man who art on land..
(2) neb/leb must be used where the Relative Clause is pointedly qualificative, particularly where it can translate 'he who', 'they who', 'those who' etc. Thus:
- Pykar der govva ny neb es kama erbyn ny(JB): as we forgive them who trespass against us
- Neb na gare y gy ...(WS): He who loves not his dog...
- Neb na gare e gwayn...(WS): She who loves not profit...
- Yny y fythe gorrys neb am gorthe(261): In it will be put those that worship Me
- Owe latha neb a wra(1534): He who shall kill me..
However, neb/leb may yet be dispensed with if the meaning remains clear:
- Nena a ve composez a ve cowsez gen Jerman an prophet(R): Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet
Note: 'he who', 'such as' etc. can also be translated by the pronouns seyl:such, and pew: who
- Frutes thom both rag maga seyl a theyg bewnans hogan(98): Fruit according to my will to nourish such as shall have life hereafter
- Puha vedn kavas an gwel skians ol(JB): He who will have the best knowledge
(3) neb/leb must be used following a Preposition:
- An noare thor neb veva comeres(R): The earth from which he was taken
- An trugga han pagwera henath a neb ma na ell o perthe ve(TB): The third and fourth generations of those that hate me
(4) neb/leb translates the relative 'where'. It may be reinforced by particle a:
- en chei lebma vo dean koath demithez da bennen younk(NB): in a house where there is (be) an old man married to a young woman [lebma vo can be broken down into lebm a vo]
- Yma mansions neb yma an thewollow..(2022): There are mansions where the devils are..
- Tregans an chorle neb yma(2067): Let the blighter stay where he is
- an stearan geeth deractanze ne reeg hi doaze ha savaz leb a era a Flô younk(R):the star went before them till it came and stopped where the young Child was
(5) Particle a used to reinforce the relative sense already present in the verb:
- oll an flehaz a era en Bethalem(R): all the children that were in Bethlehem
- Capurnahum, leb ah yw a'trea vor(R): Capunaum which is by the sea-shore
- Panderew hemma a eze gwreze geneze?(R): What is this that thou hast done?
- ha shoyah bednath war villiaw a eze ort a kara(R): and show mercy on thousands of them that love me
(6) Under normal circumstances neither the Relative Pronoun neb/leb nor the Relative Particle a are to be used before the Auxiliary verbs when these are finite because they already contain the relative sense; but where special clarity or emphasis is needed, then they may be used. The following examples show Relative Phrases and Clauses where the relative sense is already evident in the verb:
- Eve a dale bose gen kine eu ginnez ubba(NB): It must be by others than are born here
- mesk an gy wonen eu gwenhez(NB): among them one who is gifted
- Eve ve kevez a dewethaz gen wonen reeg gweel ke(NB): It was recently found by somebody who was building a hedge
- kensa skon an choy na igge trigaz nez tho an Karrack Glooz en Cooze(NB): the first scion of that family which is living near St Michael's Mount
- Peleah ma e yw gennez Matern an Ethewan?(R): Where is He that is born King of the Jews?
- rimah o comerez gen pup sort clevyas(R): those that were afflicted by all manner of diseases
- an gwaz reeg e perna(NB): the fellow who bought it
(7) The Negative Relative Particle
This is in all cases expressed by na, or before a vowel nag (except soft mutation):
- Radden el bose keevez na el skant clappia na guthvaz Curnooack(NB): some can be found who can hardly speak nor understand Cornish
- An hagar musi na ens*vaze(JB): the wicked girls who are no good[*strictly nag ens]
- rima nag eeze ort a hara(R): those who do not love Me
Note: Where neb/leb, seyl etc. are used for clarity, na will follow these:
- nebma na ell a perthe ve(TB): those that cannot abide me [nebma:this includes the normally obsolete particle ma;see under Subjunctive, Section 30 J ]
- neb na gare e gy..(WS): he who loves not his dog...
- neb na gare y gwayn..(WS): She who loves not her profit..
- lîaz gêr sẏl nag idzhanz iụzyz lebmyn en poụ Kernoụ(L): many words such as are not used now in Cornwall
(8) To translate 'which'."what thing','the thing that' etc
Such expressions when used relatively are translated by peath/peth/an peath/an peth:
- an peath ez gwreze(TT): what has been done
- kemerre an peath eze leben(TB): take what there is now
- eath tha wheelas an peath o gwel(TT): he went to seek what was better
- an peth eu gwellez gena vee(NB): what I notice..
- an peth ez gweel them creege(NB): which makes me think..
- Thera moy Gembrack peath rig ea gweele(OP): what he did was more Welsh
- ha'n Dew ewhella vedn ry peth yu gwella ol rag why(Gw): and God on high will grant what is best of all for you
