Why do we say 'Cymru'? Where do words come from? Is the Welsh language completely unique? Understanding the etymology and origins of a language is an important part of linguistics and language learning. Here, we look at the etymology of the Welsh language, showing that its roots spread far and wide across the world.

By: Madison Keeping

Mae Madison Keeping yn fyfyrwraig PhD ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe sy'n ymchwilio defnydd salwch meddwl mewn llenyddiaeth Gymraeg ddiweddar. Ers 2018, mae hi wedi bod yn gweithio yn Adran y Gymraeg ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe fel tiwtor.

Madison Keeping is a PhD student in Swansea University researching the use of mental illness in recent Welsh literature. Since 2018, she has been working in the Welsh Department in Swansea University as a tutor.

Awdur ac ymgyrchydd Heini Gruffudd: “Mae’r dudalen yma’n rhoi cyfle i ddysgwyr a siaradwyr Cymraeg roi eu traed i mewn i ddyfroedd diddorol etymoleg. Mae tarddiad geiriau Cymraeg yn amrywiol- nid mor amrywiol â’r Saesneg wrth gwrs- ac mae deall o ble y daeth geiriau’r iaith yn gymorth mawr i ni i ddeall sut mae’r iaith yn gweithio. Dyma’r ymdrech ddwyieithog ar-lein gyntaf i nodi tarddiad geiriau, ac rwy’n edrych ymlaen at weld y rhestr yn cynyddu.”

Author and campaigner Heini Gruffudd: "This page gives learners and Welsh speakers the chance to put their feet into interesting etymology waters. The origins of Welsh words are varied- not as diverse as English, of course- and understanding where the words of the language came to us is a great help to us to understand how the language works. This is the first online bilingual effort to identify the origin of words, and I'm looking forward to seeing the list increasing."

Yr Athro Steve Morris: “Dyma adnodd hynod werthfawr i bawb sy’n ymddiddori yn yr iaith Gymraeg. Mae gwybod o ble mae geiriau wedi dod yn ein helpu, nid yn unig i ddeall mwy am hanes ein gwlad a sut mae’r iaith yn adlewyrchu’r hanes yna, ond hefyd cyfoeth a chryfder y Gymraeg fel iaith sydd wedi benthyca, ymgyfoethogi ac addasu o ieithoedd eraill ar hyd ei hoes.”

Associate Professor Steve Morris: "This is an invaluable resource for all those interested in the Welsh language. Knowing where words have come from help us to not only understand more about the history of our country and how the language reflects that history, but also the wealth and strength of Welsh as a language that has lent, enriched and adapted from other languages throughout its life."

Bwrdd cynnwys / Table of Contents

• Gwreiddiau’r Iaith Gymraeg / Origin of the Welsh Language
• Yr Elfen Lladin yn yr Iaith Gymraeg / The Latin Element in Welsh
• Ffrangeg / French
• Geiriau Cyfansawdd / Compound Words
• Dylanwad y Saesneg / The English Influence
• Dylanwad Cymraeg ar Saesneg / The influence of Welsh on English

Gwreiddiau’r Iaith Gymraeg

Mae gan yr iaith Gymraeg hanes cyfoethog iawn sy'n rhychwantu'r canrifoedd. Cyn y Gymraeg, Brythoneg oedd prif iaith Cymru, Lloegr a de’r Alban, pan ddaeth y Rhufeiniaid yn 43 AD. Daeth y Gymraeg o’r Frythoneg, rywbryd rhwng 400 a 700 AD. Mae barddoniaeth Gymraeg gynnar yn dod o’r cyfnod hwn.

Am fwy o wybodaeth, gweler dysgucymraeg.cymru/amdanom-ni/hanes-y-gymraeg ac erthygl parallel.cymru parallel.cymru/hanes-a-datblygiad-yr-iaith

Origin of the Welsh Language

Welsh has an extremely rich history which spans centuries. It evolved from Brythonic, the main language spoken in Wales, England and Southern Scotland when the Romans invaded in 43AD. Welsh began to emerge as a distinctive language sometime between 400 and 700 AD – early Welsh poetry survives from this period.

For more information, see learnwelsh.cymru/about-us/welsh-language-fast-facts and parallel.cymru’s article parallel.cymru/hanes-a-datblygiad-yr-iaith/?lang=en

Yr Elfen Ladin yn yr Iaith Gymraeg

Fel rydyn ni’n gwybod, mae’r Gymraeg wedi benthyg nifer o eiriau o’r Lladin dros y canrifoedd.

Y dosbarth gyntaf o eiriau benthyg oedd geiriau a berthynai i fywyd / arferion milwrol megis: castell, ffos, llafn, mur, pebyll, saeth.

Yn sgil y rheiny, daeth geiriau a oedd yn ymwneud â masnach a llafur megis : aur, hestawr, mesur, plwm, pwys.

Ond wrth i’r Ymerodraeth Rhufeinig ddod yn fwy cryf, manteisiwyd hefyd ar eu dull o fyw a gwelwyd, cegin, ystafell a ffenestr, gwisgwyd maneg a torch, bwytodd y bobl torth ac yfon nhw, gwin.

Diolch i'r llyfrau Henry Lewis, Yr Elfen Ladin yn yr Iaith Gymraeg, (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1943) a Geiriadur Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru  am yr wybodaeth hon.

The Latin Element in Welsh

As we know, Welsh has borrowed many words from Latin over the centuries.

The first group of words were those which belonged to military life and customs such as: castell (castle), ffos (ditch/trench/moat), llafn (blade), mur (wall), pebyll (tents), saeth (arrow).

In the wake of those came words that were related to trade and labour such as: aur (gold), hestawr (=hestor a measure of quantity, two bushels), mesur (measure/quantify), plwm (lead), pwys (pound).

But as the Roman Empire grew in strength, their lifestyle was adopted and things such as cegin (kitchen), ystafell (room) and ffenestr (window) were seen, things such as maneg (glove) and torch (chain/collar) were worn, people ate torth (loaf) and drunk gwin (wine).

Many thanks to Henry Lewis, Yr Elfen Ladin yn yr Iaith Gymraeg, (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1943) a Geiriadur Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru  for this information.

Lladin / Latin

Ffrangeg / French

Beth yw ‘gair cyfansawdd’?

Gair sydd yn cynnwys o leiaf dwy forffem yw gair cyfansawdd e.e. ‘prifathro’, lle mae’r morffemau unigol, ‘prif’ ac ‘athro’ yn gallu sefyll fel geiriau unigol ar eu pennau eu hunain.

Gweler wici.porth.ac.uk/index.php/Gair_cyfansawdd am fwy o wybodaeth.

What is a compound word?

A compound word is a word which contains at least two morphemes ( a unit of a language that cannot be further divided). For example, ‘prifathro’ (headteacher) where the morphemes ‘prif’ (main) ac ‘athro’ (teacher) can stand on their own as individual words.

See wici.porth.ac.uk/index.php/Gair_cyfansawdd for more information.

Geiriau Cyfansawdd / Compound Words

Dylanwad y Saesneg

Wrth ystyried hanes cythryblus yr iaith Gymraeg, hawdd yw gweld dylanwad y Saesneg a'r Normaniaid arni. O ganlyniad i statws israddol y Gymraeg yn y gorffennol a grym eithriadol Saesneg dros y blynyddoedd, nid yw’n syndod bod bach o debygrwydd rhwng rhai elfennau o’r Gymraeg a’r Saesneg. Ond ers twf dwyieithrwydd yng Nghymru a datblygiad y byd modern, technolegol, mae dylanwad y Saesneg wedi dwysáu. Oherwydd hyn, erbyn heddiw, mae llu o eiriau a phriod-ddulliau Saesneg wedi ymddangos yn y Gymraeg 

Am fwy o wybodaeth, gweler:

• Morris, Steve a Rottet, Kevin, Comparative Stylistics of Welsh and English, Arddulleg y Gymraeg, (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2018)
• Parry-Williams, T.H. The English Element in Welsh – A Study of English Loan Words in Welsh, (Llundain: Hon Society of Cymmrodorion, 1923)

The English Influence

As we consider the turbulent history of the Welsh Language, it is easy to see the influence of English and the Normans on Welsh. Due to the inferior status of Welsh in the past and the exceptional strength of English over the years, it is not surprising that there is an element of similarity between certain elements in Welsh and English. However, since the growth of bilingualism in Wales and the development of the modern, technological word, the influence of English has only intensified. Today, as a result, we see a whole variety of English words and idioms which have an influence on the way we speak Welsh.

For more information, see:

• Morris, Steve a Rottet, Kevin, Comparative Stylistics of Welsh and English, Arddulleg y Gymraeg, (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2018)
• Parry-Williams, T.H. The English Element in Welsh – A Study of English Loan Words in Welsh, (London: Hon Society of Cymmrodorion, 1923)

Dylanwad Cymraeg ar Saesneg / The influence of Welsh on English

Diolchiadau

Hoffwn ddiolch yn fawr iawn i Geraint Lewis, Heini Gruffudd, David Sutton, Rhian Jones a Phrifysgol Abertawe am eu hawgrymiadau a'u cymorth.

Thanks

I would like to deeply thank Geraint Lewis, Heini Gruffudd, David Sutton, Rhian Jones and Swansea University for their suggestions and advice.

Mae'r eitem hon ar gael i'w lawrlwytho: / This item is available to download: