– asticoter = to wind up (annoy, provoke) = pryfocio, cythruddo
– fermer = to wind up (a company) = dirwyn i ben
– faire marcher qn = to pull sb’s leg (tease) = tynnu coes rhywun
– la (future/jeune) mariée = bride = priodferch
– le marié = (bride)groom = priodfab
– se casser le col du fémur = to break one’s hip = torri clun
– directeur (-trice) = warden (institution) = warden
– contractuel (le) = traffic warden = warden traffig
– barboter / faire trempette = to paddle (in water) = padlo / rhodli
– pagayer = to paddle (boat/canoe) = padlo
– (faire la) nage du chien = (to do the) doggy paddle = padlo ci
Category: Welsh (Cymraeg)
Scottish adventures
I’ve been in Scotland since last Saturday, mainly at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye. I’m doing a course in Gaelic mouth music (puirt à beul) and waulking songs (òrain luaidh) with Christine Primrose, and am having a wonderful time.
There are eight of us in the singing class – some from Scotland, some from England, one from Japan and one from Sardinia. The ones from Japan and Sardinia are both professional singers, and earlier today we were treated to some lovely songs from Okinawa, which sound quite similar to Irish traditional songs.
I’ve been speaking quite a bit of Scottish Gaelic, and find that I can now understand most of what I hear in Gaelic and have relatively complex conversations – so my Gaelic has improved a lot since I was last here four years ago. When I don’t know how to say something in Scottish Gaelic I try saying it in Irish and it’s usually understood, though not always.
I’ve also spoken some French, German, Czech and Welsh here, and quite a bit of Japanese. My Japanese is very rusty, but it’s starting to come back. It’s great to have opportunities to speak so many languages 🙂
Menhirs, dolmens and cromlechs
The word menhir come up in discussion yesterday and I posted it on Facebook today along with the the Welsh translation maen hir, which is what I found in this dictionary. This provoked further discussion about whether the two terms mean the same thing. So I thought I’d find out.
A menhir is a standing stone of the kind that Obelix delivers in the Asterix books. According to the Dictionary of Word Origins and the OED, menhir comes from Breton mean-hir (long stone), which is what the Welsh term maen hir means, so it seems that they are the same. The usual Breton word for such standing stones is peulvan, however.
The word dolmen (a prehistoric structure of two or more upright stones surmounted by a horizontal one), comes via French from Breton: the men part means stone, and the dol part either comes from the Breton word tōl (table), a borrowing from the Latin tabula (board, plank), or from the Cornish tol (hole). So dolmen either means ‘stone table’ or ‘stone hole’.
The word dolmen also exists in Welsh, and another word for such structures is cromlech, which exists in Welsh and English and comes from the Welsh words crwm (bent, stooped) and llech (stone), and is related to the Irish word cromleac (‘bent stone’).
Les mots de la semaine
– mégalithe (m) = megalith = megalith / maen mawr
– menhir (m) = standing stone = maen hir
– dolmen (m) = dolmen = dolmen / cromlech
– tombe (f) tombeau (m) = tomb = bedd
– faire dévier de son sujet / distraire / dérouter = to sidetrack = gwrthdynnu / troi o’r neilltu
– s’écarter de son sujet = to get sidetracked
– en liquide = in cash = ym mhres / yn arian parod
– payer comptant = to pay cash = talu drwy/ag arian parod
– petite caisse = petty cash = arian pitw/mân
– argent liquide = ready cash = arian/pres parod
– monnaie (f) = change = newid (?)
– guérir = to cure (illness, problem, habit) = iacháu / gwella
– remède (m) = a cure = iachâd / gwellhad
– agent secret = secret agent = asiant cudd
– sous contrôle = under control = dan rheolaeth
– c’est une honte! = it’s a disgrace! = mae’n waradwydd!
– grange (f) = barn = ysgubor
– injection (f) piqûre (f) = injection = pigiad
Gleann Cholm Cille
I returned to Bangor from the Isle of Man yesterday after a very enjoyable week at Yn Chruinnaght. I spoke and sang lots of Manx, and heard all the other Celtic languages, except Breton, being spoken and/or sung. I also spoke a bit of French and German, and even some English.
I was even inspired to write a new song while I was there, which is even sillier than my previous efforts.
Today I arrived in Gleann Cholm Cille for the Summer School in Irish language and Culture at Oideas Gael, so am now switching to Irish mode. During the week I’m here blog posts, up-dates on Omniglot and replies to emails might become somewhat sporadic.
Sonic the happy Manx hedgehog
Arkan sonney is a Manx expression I came across today that means hedgehog, or literally “happy sucking pig”. Arkan is a diminutive form of ark (piglet), and sonney means ‘affluent, lucky, fortunate, happy’, and sounds a bit like sonic, hence the little of this post.
Another Manx word for hedgehog is graynoge, which is related to the Irish and Scottish Gaelic words for hedgehog: gráinneog and gràineag. The root of these words is gráin (abhorrence, disgust), so they mean ‘the abhorrent/disgusting one’. The Welsh word for hedgehog, draenog, possibly comes from the same root.
According to Wikipedia, arkan sonney, means literally ‘lucky urchin’ or ‘plentiful pig’, and in Manx folklore it refers to a type of supernatural creature that looks like a long-haired pig. It was said that if you caught an arkan sonney or ‘lucky piggie’, which tend to run away from people, you’ll be lucky and will find a silver piece in your pocket.
Sources: On-line Manx Dictionary, Irish Dictionary Online and MacBain Dictionary
Yn Chruinnaght
Tomorrow I’m off to the Isle of Man for Yn Chruinnaght (‘the gathering’) – a celebration of Manx and Celtic music and culture featuring performers and participants from the Isle of Man, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. I’m really looking forward to it as it’s a great opportunity to see old friends and make new ones, and to hear, speak and/or sing in quite a few different languages – last year at Yn Chruinnaght I heard all six modern Celtic languages being spoken and sung, and spoke in four of them, and also in French and English.
I’ll be in the Isle of Man for a week, then I’m off to Gleann Cholm Cille in Donegal in Ireland for a summer school in Irish language and culture.
Les mots de la semaine
– faire une entrée (remarquée) = to make a (big) entrance = gwneud mynedfa (fawr)
– à feuilles persistantes = evergreen = bythwyrdd
– le moineau = sparrow = aderyn y to
– la mouette = seagull = gwylan
– la mésange bleue = blue tit = titw tomas las
– avoir un mouvement de recul / reculer = to cringe = ymgreinio
– ça me donne envie de rentrer sous terre = it makes me cringe (with embarrassment)
– ça me hérisse = it makes me cringe (with disgust)
– les cacahuètes = peanuts = cnau daear
– les petits oignons au vinaigre = pickled onions = nionod/winwns wedi’u piclo
– les oeufs marinés = pickled eggs = wyau wedi’u piclo
Les mots de la semaine
– la scène = stage (in theatre) = llwyfan
– le trac = stage fright = ofn llwyfan
– l’indication scénique = stage direction = cyfarwyddyd llwyfan
– l’entrée des artistes = stage door = drws actorion
– régisseur (-euse) = stage manager = goruchwyliwr llwyfan
– le nom de scène = stage name = enw llwyfan
– patient(e) / malade = patient = claf
– patient hospitalisé = in-patient = claf mewnol/preswyl
– malade en consultation externe = out-patient = claf allanol
– le fichier joint = attachment (email) = ymgysylltiad
– l’aveugle = blind (person) = (person) dall
– les aveugles = the blind = y deillion
– le drainage, l’assèchement (m) = drainage = draeniad
– le piéton = pedestrian = cerddwr, pedestriad
– le passage pour piétons = pedestrian crossing = croesfan gerddwyr
Les mots de la semaine
Chaque semaine je publie les mots que nous avons discutés dans le Groupe de Conversation Français sur Facebook. J’ai décidé de les publier ici aussi, et donc voilà les mots de cette semaine, et aussi les mots des semaines précédentes.
Every week I publish words that we have discussed in the French Conversation Group on Facebook. I’ve decided to publish here as well, so here are this week’s words, and words from previous weeks.
Pob wythnos dw i’n cyhoeddi geiriau’r wythnos ydan ni ‘di sôn amdanyt yn y Grŵp Sgwrsio ar Facebook. Dw i ‘di penderfynu cyhoeddi nhw yma hefyd, ac felly dyma geiriau’r wythnos hon, a hefyd geiriau’r wythnosau flaenorol.
22/06/12
Les mots de la semaine
– le ragoût = hotpot / casserole = hotbot / caserol
– la cocotte / le poêlon = casserole (dish) = caserol
– le bouton = (light / appliance) switch = switsh / botwm
– l’interrupteur / le marche-arrêt = cut-off switch / light switch / on-off switch
– allumer = to switch on (light, TV, kettle) = cynnau
– mettre en marche = to switch on (engine, machine) = cychwyn
– éteindre = to switch off (light, TV, radio) = diffodd
– arrêter = to switch off (engine) = diffodd
– monsieur / gentleman = gentleman = bonheddwr / gŵr bonheddig
– gentilhomme campagnard = country gentleman
– homme cultivé et raffiné = fine gentleman
– dame de bonne famille = gentlewoman = boneddiges
– le stylo (à) plume = fountain pen = ysgrifbin
– peu commun / rare / inhabituel = unusual = anarferol / anghyffredin
05/06/12
Les mots de la semaine
– la procession de carnaval = (carnival) parade/procession = gorymdaith / parêd
– le défilé = (military) parade = parêd (milwrol)
– sans logis / sans abri = homeless = digartref
– un sans-abri = a homeless person = person digartref
– un haut-parleur = loud speaker = uchelseinydd / darseinydd
– le tambour = drum = tabwrdd
– la batterie = drum kit / drums = offer drymiau
– tambouriner = to drum = drymio / tabyrddu
– le tambourin = tambourine = tambwrîn
– le (joueur de) tambour = drummer = drymiwr / drwmwr
– batteur (-euse) = drummer (in rock/jazz band)
– la baguette de tambour = drum stick = ffon drymio
– la contrebasse = double bass = bas dwbl
– la citerne = water butt = casgen dŵr
– faire un saut (au magasin) = to nip to (the shop)
08/06/12
Les mots de la semaine
– la boue = mud = llaca / llaid / mwd
– le garde-boue = mud guard = gard olwyn
– la station-service = petrol station = gorsaf betrol
– l’aire de services (f) = service area = ardal gwasanaeth
– le char (d’assaut) / le tank = tank (military) = tanc
– avec maestria = with great panache = efo/gyda steil mawr
– le bleu / la ecchymose / la contusion = bruise = clais
– faire un bleu à / contusionner = to bruise = cleisio
– la meurtrissure / la talure = bruise (on fruit)
– se taler / se meurtrir = to bruise (fruit)
– le pois = spot (on fabric) = sbotyn / smotyn
– la tache = spot (mark) =marc / sbotyn / smotyn
– le droit de passage = right of way = hawl tramwy
– le blaireau = badger = mochyn daear / broch / daearfochyn
– le geai = jay = (y)sgrech y coed
– la pie = magpie = pioden
– la sirène = mermaid = môr-forwyn
01/06/12
Les mots de la semaine
– l’allègement fiscal / les dégrèvements d’impôts = tax relief = cymorth trethi
– le vol = robbery / theft = lladrad / ysbeiliad
– le vol à main armée = armed robbery = lladrad arfog
– le braquage de banque = bank robbery = lladrad banc
– (C’est de) l’arnaque! = (It’s) daylight robbery = (mae hi’n) lladrad golau dydd
– le cambriolage = burglary = byrgleriaeth
– la pieuvre = octopus (when alive)
– le poulpe = octopus (on plate) = octopws / wythdroed
– les fonds marins / fond de la mer = seabed = gwely’r môr
– le drapeau = flag = baner
18/05/12
Les mots de la semaine
– la grande roue = big wheel = olwyn fawr
– la petite maison / le cottage = cottage = bwthyn
– la chaumière / chaumine = thatched cottage = bwthyn tô gwellt
– le gîte / la maison de vacances = holiday cottage = bwthyn gwyliau
– la maison de campagne = weekend cottage = bwythyn y penwythnos
– le gîte et le couvert = board and lodging = bwyd a llety
– le baby-sitter / la garde d’enfants =babysitter = gwarchodwr
– faire du baby-sitting / garder (les enfants) = to babysit = gwarchod
– avoir l’air plutôt ridicule = to have egg on one’s face
– têtu / obstiné = stubborn (person) = cyndyn / ystyfnig
12/05/12
Les mots de la semaine
– être à l’entière disposition de qn / être à la botte de qn = to be at sb’s beck and call = bod ar alwad rhywun,
bod yn was bach i rywun
– tirer à la courte paille = to draw straws = tynnu blewyn cwta
– tirer au sort = to draw lots = tynnu dob/tocyn/cwtws/blewyn cwta
– le sang neuf = new blood (in team, organization) = gwaed newydd
– le nouveau visage = new face = gwyneb newydd
– fauché (comme les blés) = (stony-)broke (penniless) = heb yr un geiniog,
heb yr un ddimai goch y delyn, heb gragen i ymgrafu
– être fauché = to be broke = bod heb yr un geiniog
– faire faillite = to go broke/bankrupt = methdalu
– jouer le grand jeu / jouer le tout pour le tout = to go for broke = mentro’r cyfan/cwbl/pob dimai
– à la lettre = to the letter = i’r llythyren
27/04/12
Les mots de la semaine
– sonner = to ring (bell/phone) = canu (cloch)
– rappeler quelque chose = to ring a bell (fig.) = canu cloch / taro deuddeg
– un animal de compagnie = pet = anifail anwes
– porter un toast = (to raise a) toast = cynnig llwncdestun
– le rôle principal = leading role (in play, film, etc) = prif rôl
– tendre = to stretch, tighten, tense = ymestyn, tynhau
– bémol / trop grave = flat (note) = meddalnod
– dièse / trop haut= sharp (note) = llonnod
– la veillée morturaire = wake = gwlynos
20/04/12
Les mots de la semaine
– un rhume = a cold = annwyd
– une rhinite = rhinitis (blocked/stuffy/runny nose) = trwyn wedi ei flocio / syn rhedeg
– attraper un rhume = to catch a cold = cael annwyd
– le rhume des foins = hayfever = clefyd y gwair
– la faune et flore (sauvages) = wildlife = bwyd gwyllt
– la réserve naturelle = wildlife park = parc bwyd gwyllt
– photographe animalier = wildlife photographer = ffotograffydd bwyd gwyllt
– écrire / orthographier = to spell = sillafu
– épeler = to spell (aloud) = sillafu yn uchel
– l’éclair (f) = flash = fflach
– clignoter = to flash (light) = fflachio
– feu/éclairage (de vélo) avant = front (bicycle) light = golau (beic) blaen
– feu/éclairage (de vélo) arrière = back (bicycle) light = golau (beic) ôl
13/04/12
Les mots de la semaine
– la cachette = hide (for watching animals) = cuddfan
– le balbuzard (pêcheur) = osprey = eryr y môr / gwalch y pysgod
– la buse / le urubu = buzzard = boda
– le faucon = falcon = gwalch
– la colombe = dove = colomen
– le perce-neige = snowdrop = eirlys / cloch maban
– la rumeur = rumour = achlust / si / swae / sôn
– l’arnaque (f) / la escroquerie = scam / swindle = hoced / twyll
– la fraude = fraud = hoced / twyll
– escroquer / arnaquer = to swindle = hocedu / twyllo
– la neige fondue = sludge / slush = llaca / llaid / slwtsh
– la bourrasque = squall = hyrddwynt
– la giboulée = shower = cawod
– les Giboulées de Mars = April Showers = Cawodydd Ebrill
30/03/12
Les mots de la semaine
– la roue de charrette = cartwheel = olwyndroi
– faire la roue = to turn a cartwheel = gwneud olwyn dro
– la scie [si] = saw = llif
– scier [sje] = to saw = llifio
– la sciure [sjyʀ] = sawdust = blawd llif
– la scierie [siʀi] = sawmill =
– la tronçonneuse = chain saw = llif gadwyn
– stocker / accumuler = to stockpile = archebu
– avoir l’effet inverse que prévu = to backfire (plans)
– pétararder = to backfire (car) = tanio’n ôl
– le bidon / le jerrycan = jerrycan
– se dilater = to expand (metal, gas) = ymledu / ehangu
– pétard = firecracker / banger / detonator = banger / taniadur
– pris à son propre piège = hoist with one’s own petard
– s’entendre bien avec qqn = to get on well with sb = cyd-dynnu â/efo/gyda rhywun
23/03/12
Les mots de la semaine
– livreur (m) = delivery man = trosglwyddwr
– respirer / aspirer = to breathe (in), inhale = anadlu
– expirer = to breathe out = anadlu allan
– s’échauffer = to warm up = ymgynhesu
– deltaplane (m) / aile volante (f) = hang-glider = barcut (m)
– en pleine cambrousse = out in the sticks
– bâton (m), bout de bois (m) = stick = ffon (f) pric (m)
– petit bois (m) = kindling
– l’autobus à impériale = double-decker bus
16/03/12
Les mots de la semaine
– l’enregistrement (m) = check-in (desk)
– faire enregistrer les bagages = to check-in luggage =
– tapis (m) roulant à bagages / carrousel (m) à bagages = luggage/baggage carousel
– bagagiste = baggage handler = trafodwr bagiau
– faire une/de la randonnée = to ramble / go rambling = mynd am dro
– badge (m) = badge = bathodyn (m)
– crampe (f) = cramp = cramp (m), cwlwm gwythi (m), gwrwst (f)
– priver qn de ses moyens = to cramp sb’s style
17/02/12
Les mots de la semaine
– vingoble (m) – vineyard – gwinllan (f)
– vendage (f) – grape harvest/crop, grapes = cynhaeaf grawnin
– grenier (m) – attic, barn = llofft (m), ysgubor (f)
– maréchal-ferrant (m) = farrier = ffarier (m)
– forgeron (m) = blacksmith = gof (m)
– repasser = to iron = smwddio
– fer (m) à repasser = iron = haearn smwddio (m)
– commérages, cancans = gossip = clec(s), clonc(iau)
– nounours (m), ours en peluche = teddy bear = tedi
– peluche (f) = fluff, plush, stuffed/soft toy = fflwff, plwsh, tegan meddal
– railler = to make fun of sb, taunt, scoff, jeer = gwawdio
– vedette (f) = (film) star, speedboat = seren, cwch gwib
– chaise droite (f) = upright/dining chair = cadair gefnsyth (?)
– détroit (m) = strait = culfor (m)
– capuche (f), capuchon (m) = hood = cwfl (m)
– exécuter, jouer = to perform (music) = perfformio, chwarae
– boulette (f) (de pâte) = dumpling = twplen (f), poten (f)
– Bavière (f) = Bavaria = Bafaria
– bavarois = Bavarian = Bafarieg
10/02/12
Les mots de la semaine
– carte de bus = bus pass = trwydded bws
– tenir un journal = to keep a diary = cadw dyddiadur
– ongle (m) = finger nail = ewin (m/f)
– ongle de pied = toe nail = ewin troed
– orteil (m) = toe = bys troed
– retenir sa respiration = to hold one’s breath = dal dy anadl
– ça n’arrivera peut-être pas de sitôt ! = don’t hold your breath! = paid â dal dy anadl!
– surgelé = frozen = rhewedig / wedi ei rewi
– Les Amis de la Terre = Friends of the Earth = Cyfeillion y Ddaear
– prétendre = to claim (assert) = hawlio
– démodé = old fashioned (things) = hen ffasiwn
– vieux jeu = old fashioned (people) = hen ffasiwn
03/02/12
Les mots de la semaine:
– égout (m) = sewer = carthffos (f)
– (les) canalisation(s) (f) = (the) drain(s) = draen(iau) (m)
– écouler = to drain = draenio
– epicure (m) = gourmet = beirniad bwyd (m)
– gourmand (m) = gourmand = gloddestwr, bolgi
– gourmand (adj) = greedy = barus, trachwantus
– kippa (f), yarmoulka = kippah, yarmulke = cap corun (m)
– baragouin (m), charabia (m) = gibberish, gabble, double Dutch, gobbledygook = baldordd, cleber, lol
– baragouiner = to gibber / jabber / gabble = baldorddi, clebran
– dire du charabia, parler de façon incompréhensible = to talk gibberish
20/01/12
Les mots de la semaine:
– émission (f) = (TV/radio) programme = rhaglen (f)
– draguer = to be on the pull, to try and pick up (sb)
– traquer = to stalk (sb), pursue, hound, track down = dilyn, ymlid, mynd ar drywydd
– harceleur, admirateur = stalker = dilynwr
– acouphène (m) = tinnitus = tinitws
– éternuement (m) = sneeze = tisiad (m)
– éternuer / faire un éternuement = to sneeze = tisian
– valeur (f) à la revente = street value = preis ar y stryd (?)
– canot/bateau de sauvetage (m) = lifeboat = bad achub (m)
– détrempé = soggy (ground) = corslyd, soeglyd
– trempé = soggy (clothes)
– mou (molle) = soggy (sandwiches, bread, cornflakes)
02/12/11
Les mots de la semaine
– forgeron (m) = blacksmith = gof
– maréchal ferrant (m) = blacksmith, farrier = ffarier
– forge (f) = smithy = gefail
– marteau (m) = hammer = morthwyl = malleus
– enclume (f) = anvil = eingion / einion = incus
– étrier (m) = stirrup = gwarthol (f) = stapes
– hériter (de) = to inherit = etifeddu
– héritage (m) = inheritance (money, property, cultural) = etifeddiaeth (f), gwaddol (m)
– patrimoine (m) = inheritance (genetic) = etifeddiad (m)
– faire une promenade (de cheval), monter (à cheval), faire du cheval = to ride (a horse) = marchogaeth, reidio
– aller (à cheval / à bicyclette / à moto / en autobus / en voiture) = to ride (a horse, a bicycle, a motorbike, a bus a car)
14/11/12
Les mots de la semaine
– enlever / kidnapper – to kidnap – herwgipio
– l’enlèvement – kidnapping, removal, abducting – herwgydio
– tentative d’enlèvement – kidnap attempt – ymgais herwgipio
– kidnappeur/euse, voleur d’enfants, ravisseur/euse – kidnapper – herwgipiwr
Plus de détails sont à découvrir à: http://www.omniglot.com/blog/?p=6081
07/11/12
Les mots de la semaine
– groseille à maquereau / groseille verte – gooseberry, eirinen Fair / gwsberen
– groseille – (red)currant, cyrensen
– maquereau – mackerel, macrell
groseille (ribes rubrum) is part of the gooseberry family (grossulariaceae), as is the blackcurrant / cyrensen ddu (ribes nigrum) or cassis / groseille noir.
30/10/11
Le mot de la semaine
– comptine /kɔ̃tin/= nursery rhyme; counting rhyme or song = hwiangerdd; rhigwm neu gân rifo
Des comptines et chansons pour enfants: http://comptine.free.fr/
23/10/11
Les mots de la semaine:
– ménager la chèvre et le choux = to sit on the fence, to face both ways, to keep everyone happy, have a foot in both camps, to play both ends against the middle. (lit. “to keep the goat and the cabbage”). = peidio ag ochri, eistedd ar y clawdd (“cadw’r afr a’r fresychen / gabetsien”).
– ménager (vb) = to handle carefully, to treat considerately, to take care not to hurt sb’s pride, to take care of, to look after or to arrange. = trin yn ofalus / yn ystyriol, poeni am ddim brifo teimladau rhywun, gofalu am (rhywun/rhywbeth), trefnu.
– ménager (adj) = household, domestic, housework, housewife or canteen = catref