D’you know? You’r probably right…
3 Likes
The very next conversation I have, I swear…
3 Likes
AND you live in Llandysul (a place I know well) - case closed!
2 Likes
Fe’m hambôneiddiasaist… 
4 Likes
My point exactly
1 Like
In what Challenge do we cover “hambôneiddiasaisu”? Will I often need it in Ystrad Meurig? 
Yet again, Google translate has proved useless. 
3 Likes
It’ll be in level 3 somewhere, Huw, I’m sure. Third most widely used verb in the Teifi Valley according to a man on the internet.
6 Likes
I have recently reminded myself that what we are talking about here is talking, i.e. the spoken language, and that when it comes to the written language - even at the popular, not calling itself literary end, then verbs are conjugated/inflected with what seems to be merry abandon. e.g. in one of a series of books aimed at learners (possibly teenagers) - “Prism” by Manon Steffan Ros in the “Cyfres yr Onnen” series. They do tend to fit in to a certain pattern which you get used to, but could be something which might put off a learner who is in most respects ready to read.
Learners from conventional classes, who can’t say a word, may well know all the conjugated/inflected usage quite well. Yes? No?
Dysgasent, ond anghofiasant - or was it dysgasant, ond anghofiasent? Help!
2 Likes
Interestingly (to me), a scholarly friend who studies medieval Welsh literature told me that the periphrasistic forms (wnes i…) are actually older than the now-more-standard-&-literary short forms. I think I’ve got that right…she gave me a full explanation, which I’ve now promptly forgotten, in all languages. Will have to ask her again!
3 Likes
Fascinating! If you find out, please post under something like “Development of Welsh over time”!!!
Well, if she meant that some of the literary short-forms are to a certain extent fabricated, I think she may very well have a point.
1 Like
About the only phrase from the first two branches of the Mabinogi that’s stuck in my head - apart from Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed yd oedd yn arglwydd ar saith cantref Dyfed, which is the opening line - is sef a wnaethynt, cysgu. Literally, something like “this is what they did - sleep,” but actually really used pretty much just as a periphrasis for “they slept” i.e. wnaethon nhw gysgu.
1 Like