Croeso I Gymru, Mutations...and grammar!

[Siarls]

Of course, most prepositions are followed by Soft Mutations, therefore dweud wrth rywun!!!!!

[Antwn]

Yes, chwilio am....see what I mean!!?? Even with all my books its hard to keep them straight!

I have a question about your sentence "Dywedodd wrthyf y bydd yn hwyr". How do you know this refers to a he, since dywedodd can be dywedodd e or hi and so can bydd? Is this something one takes out of the context of the sentences before it, if it occurred in a book for example? Or is there some way I'm not seeing that would clue me into it being "HE said to me that HE'll be late"? You probably just chose he to explain the sentence, so if that's the case then don't mind my nitpicking, I just wanted to be sure I'm not missing something.

[Siarls]

It's a good question. Literary Welsh is like Italian and Spanish. Pronouns are not generally used, therefore you will know whether it is a HE or a SHE by context. If there is no context, just as you would in Spanish and Italian, you presume the subject to be HE. However, this is quite a high literary format and you do not have to deal with it in speech and lighter forms of literature. I used this sentence because although it is the highest register of formality, it is the most simple in words.

[Antwn]

Thanks Siarls, I had seen conjugated verbs w/o pronouns before translated as "he", now I understand. Thanks for the explanation.

[gwenynen]

The following is from Cymru Byd:

"Un o newyddiadurwyr BBC Cymru ddaeth o hyd i'r ffilmiau prin wrth ymchwilio i raglen ddogfen."

Isn't this sentence supposed to start with "Daeth un o ...."? Or is this another sentence structure? Or is it an Anglicized Welsh? Am I missing something? ???

[Siarls]

This is an emphatic sentence. Brawddeg Bwyslais yn Gymraeg. It's quite difficult to explain. Do you remember when I told you "Cymro yw e" is better than "Mae e'n Gymro"? It's this sort of pattern. Have you come across it yet?

[gwenynen]

OK, now I see. It's hard to undersatnd at first glance since the subject is so long. I just need to read Welsh more. Diolch, Siarls.

[gwenynen]

Siarls, as I was reading a Welsh blog today, I came across the expression you taught me a long time ago, "diwrnod i'r brenin." I was so happy that I yelled in my brain, "I know it!" It was a pun too since the bloger was talking about his day in London.

[Siarls]

Well done! That's quite funny too. I have just stuck "Ble mae'r Gymraeg?" sticker on a road sign near my house which had no English on it! Someone placed a temporary Welsh sign underneath the English, the council removed it, so I decided to take action!

[gwenynen]

Did the council remove that one too?

[Siarls]

I haven't driven past it yet, but it's stuck onto the sign, so I think now I've actually ruined the sign. They'll have to replace it now if they're going to replace it. I'm also writing to Tesco head office about the lack of Welsh in my workplace.

[Siarls]

My stickers have been sabotaged and one of the Welsh signs was put back... upside down. I am enraged and do not know what to do. I have half a mind to take down some black paint and just completely destroy the English.

[gwenynen]

What about reporting it to whoever handles these cases before you decide to spray paint the sign? Cymuned? Cymdeithas yr Iaith?

[Siarls]

I think I shall speak to Cymdeithas. I am a member! Can you believe it, though? I'm in shock, honestly. I don't understand it - WE ARE IN WALES! If you don't like it, move to a completely Anglophone country. I thought I'd have support not opposition!

[gwenynen]

Indeed, Welsh speakers are minorities in their own country. But I'm encouraged the number is growing, far from becoming extinct as some people feared or hoped!