Modality

bos - past habitual

another: outlaws to the priest, robbing him

• A vethe preys (?peys?) bys deth brus | ny thue henna in trogel | ty a gel moy an pyth us | adro dyso dyogel
  A vedha prys bys dydh breus, | ny dheu henna yn trogel. | Ty a gell moy, an pyth eus | a-dro dhiso diogel.
  | Should there be time until doomsday, | That will not come in the body. | Thou shalt lose more, the wealth that is | Around thee surely. (BM1925-8)

may fedh e'?

A vedh ow prays(ya)?

• omma eve ytho poyntyes | cheif warden war paradice | ha der pegh a coveytes | oll y joye ythew kellys | may fetha paynes ragtha
  Omma ev yth o 'poyntys | chyf warden war baradhis, | ha der begh ha kovaytys | oll y joy yth yw kellys, | may fedha paynys ragdho.
  Here he was appointed | Chief-warden over Paradise, | And through (the) sin of covetousness | All his joy is lost, | So that there should be pains for it. (CW998-1002)

bydh?

• ny won awose merwel | a vetha peyn thum ena
  Ny wonn, awosa merwel, | a vedha payn dhe'm ena.
  I know not, after dying, Whether there will be pain to my soul. (BM1635-7) constantine, heavy soul to kill the children

Modal use - may be, might be, might have been?

when we were out robbing. Mistake for conditional?

• warnen y tuth bum a tan | ha luehes in pur certan | in hevelep leskis glan | ny a vethe pur dyson
  warnan y teuth boemm a dan | ha lughes yn pur sertan. | Yn hevelep leskys glan | ni a vedha pur dhison.
  On us came a blow of fire | And lightning in very certain. | Apparently clean burnt | We were right surely (BM2148-51) would have been?

Modal use - might have been?

future if we will be? or modal if we should be?

• ran in kerth re ruk feya | ran ny won pythens gyllys | maythovy ameys oma | ellas mar pethen dampnys
  Rann yn kerdh re wrug fia, | rann ny wonn pyth ens gyllys, | mayth ov vy amayys omma. | Ellas, mar pedhyn dampnys!
  Some away did flee, | Some I know not where they are gone. | So that I am without here. | Alas, if we will be damned! (BM2156-60)

bos - conditional

• Yma dhymmo hireth bras rag godhvos pandr'a via! I have a great longing to know what it might be! CW591 [subjunctive replaced by conditional?]

gul - imperfect

From SGMC p56

• Mar qurean tastya an frut na, avell Dew ny a vea (CW781) = If we tasted (or, were to taste) that fruit, we would be like God

Is this a contraction of kwrellen? Or is it using the imperfect in a modal way - were we to taste, should we taste, etc

• ..mor crown gy pedery pan dall gu gwary ha madra ta pandrigg seera ha damah, na rehans moaz dan cooz do cuntle gu booz (J) = if they consider what their games are worth and mark well what father and mother have done, they would not have gone to the wood to gather their food

Is this a contraction of wrellens? Or is it using the imperfect in a modal way - they might not have, may not have, etc

• ..an gwethan a reega vee laule theeze a na wresta debre (R) = the tree that I told thee that thou shouldst not eat

imperfect wres? present wres? contracted conditional wresses?

gul - conditional

From SGMC p55

• Mar kressa an dean deskez fear na gwellaz hemma (NB) = If that wise, learned man saw this (or were to see this or should see this)

Modal use - 'if he should see this' rather than just 'if he saw this'

• ..descunta leh dressa lever an Have an Arlothes Kernow bose kevez en dula a flehaz (NB) = to mind less that the book of The Duchess of Cornwall's Summer Holiday should be found in my children's hands

Modal use - 'that it should be' rather than 'that it be'

• Angye ve gwarnez ne resa angye doaz ogaz tha Herod (R) = They were warned that they should not come nigh unto Herod

Modal use - 'that they should not' rather than 'that they not'

• ..a ressa an dzhyi sypposia.. (L/NB) = and that they would act falsely

Regular verbs

• Ny gaffen, war ow lowta,　kompessa prenn yn neb le OM2577 <-Mistake for conditional gafsen? Or modal 'we should not get?'