I came across an interesting word in my Welsh dictionary – maeldy [ˈmaːɨldɨ̬ / ˈmaildɪ] – which is an old word for shop. The normal Welsh word for shop is siop, which sounds like shop. I had wondered if there was a another word for shop other than the one borrowed from English, now I know.
Maeldy comes from mael (gain, profit) and tŷ (house). Other old words for shop are maelfa, which combines mael and ma (place, spot, plain), and masnachdy – masnach = trade, commerce.
Related words include:
– maeler = trader [masnachwr]
– maelera; maeliera; maelio = to trade; to profit [masnachu]
– maeleriaeth = trade; commerce [masnach]
– maelged = tribute; tax [rhodd; treth]
– maeliant = gain [lles; elw]
– maelier = merchant [marsiandïwr]
– maelwr = shop-keeper; trader [siopwr; masnachwr]
These are all archaic and I don’t think they’re used any more. The words currently used in their places are shown in [brackets].
Well, thanks a lot Simon! You’ve taught me something new about my own language!
When I was a young child we lived in a part of Cardiff called Llanedeyrn. It’s an old settlement but in the 1970s became a huge housing estate. The local shopping centre was a typical 1970s shopping mall style centre called the ‘Maelfa’.
I was totally unaware that this was a Welsh word even though I’m a native speaker. Of course as a young child I was only aware of it as a spoken word and never recall seeing it written down. When I did see it written I guessed it was a Welsh word but reconed it was either an old name on that particular patch of land on which the shopping centre was built or was some name the developers had given on it.
It’s only tonight that I see, much to my surprise (and shame) that ‘maelfa’ is a Welsh word for shop and that the developers or council thought it a good name for a shopping centre. It’d be interesting to know who was the erudite individual who encouraged the council or developers to give the shopping mall such a succinct Welsh name?
I have to admit to never having heard or seen the word in any context outside the shopping centre in Llanedeyrn.
However, now that I know of it I’m going to suggest we Welsh use it specifically as a word for a shopping mall!
Diolch
PS
The Maelfa it seems has gone the way of many of these 1970s shopping centres in the UK from the look of these photos: http://www.doctorwholocations.net/locations/maelfashoppingcentre
… and is now due for something of facelift: http://www.cardiffcouncilproperty.com/#/maelfa-redevelopment/4558112232
I see from the University of Wales Dictionary that ‘mael’ came originally from the English word ‘vail’ (advantage, benefit, profit) as in ‘to avail oneself’ I’m guessing.
http://www.geiriadur.ac.uk/gpc/gpc.html?sbengan
‘maels’ was a word in north Wales for ‘tips’ which one would give a waiter etc. Though I’ve never heard the word.