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Session 17

Language notes

In this section we will examine some of the ways in which quantities and sizes are shown in Welsh using numbers.

Welsh has two ways of representing numbers, an older traditional system and a newer system. For example:

fifteen pymtheg un deg pump

seventeen dau ar bymtheg un deg saith

eighteen deunaw un deg wyth

twenty four pedwar ar hugain dau ddeg pedwar

Times use the old system:

pump ar hugain munud i chwech twenty five to six

ugain munud wedi saith twenty past seven

Similarly, dates use the old numbering system:

y pymthegfed o Ionawr the fifteenth of January

y bedwaredd ar bymtheg o Fedi the nineteenth of September

y degfed ar hugain o Awst the thirtieth of August

yr unfed ar ddeg ar hugain o Fai the thirty first of May

The old numbering system is also used for the numbering of centuries:

the first century y ganrif gyntaf

the twelfth century y ddeuddegfed ganrif

the nineteenth century y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg

It is often more convenient to use the new numbering system when calculations are involved, for example with money:

�37.99 tri deg saith punt naw deg naw ceiniog

Periods of time may also be given using the new number system.

tri deg chwech munud a phedwar deg pump eiliad

thirty six minutes and forty five seconds

Distances may be given in either imperial or metric units:

chwe troedfedd dwy fodfedd six feet two inches

tri metr chwe deg centimetr three metres sixty centimetres

Weights may also be written using either system of units:

deuddeg pwys chwe owns twelve pounds six ounces

pedwar cilo a dau gant o gramau four kilos and two hundred grams

Quantities may use either imperial or metric measures:

pedwar galwyn a thri pheint four gallons and three pints

wyth pwynt chwe litr eight point six litres

Fractions may be written in words:

traean o bobl y pentref

a third of the people in the village

pedwar deg wyth y cant o'r pleidleisiau

forty eight percent of the votes

Measurements may be specified:

mae'r mynydd yn dair mil troedfedd o uchder

the mountain is three thousand feet high

mae e'n chwe troedfedd o daldra

he is six feet tall

mae'r afon yn ugain troedfedd o led

the river is twenty feet wide

mae'r ardd yn ddau gant o fetrau o hyd

the garden is two hundred metres long

mae'r pren yn ddwy fodfedd o drwch

the timber is two inches thick

mae'r blwch yn pwyso tri chilo

the box weighs three kilos

Treigladau

In this section we will review the ways in which the use of numbers in sentences can affect the use of treigladau.

The numbers two, three and four have both masculine and feminine forms, used with masculine and feminine nouns respectively. For example:

masculine feminine

two dau adeilad dwy ysgol

three tri mynydd tair afon

four pedwar ci pedair cath

The number 'un' causes a treiglad meddal with a feminine noun:

un ci ac un gath one dog and one cat

un mab ac un ferch one son and one daughter

cath noun (f); merch noun (f);

Both dau and dwy cause a treiglad meddal with both masculine and feminine nouns:

dau bentref a dwy ddinas two villages and two cities

pentref noun (m); dinas noun (f);

The masculine tri causes an aspirate mutation (treiglad llaes):

tri phentref, tair tref three villages, three towns

When the number six (chwech) appears immediately before a noun, it is shortened to chwe and an aspirate mutation is applied to the noun:

chwe thref a chwe phentref six towns and six villages

chwech o bentrefi a chwech o ddinasoedd

The ordinal number cyntaf ('first') takes a treiglad meddal when it follows a feminine noun:

y wers gyntaf ar y diwrnod cyntaf the first lesson on the first day

gwers noun (f); diwrnod noun (m);

The ordinal number ail ('second') causes a soft mutation in both masculine and feminine nouns:

yr ail wers ar yr ail ddiwrnod the second lesson on the second day

Other ordinal numbers cause a treiglad meddal only for feminine nouns:

y seithfed ddinas, y seithfed pentref the seventh city, the seventh village

The ordinal numbers may be used on their own without a following noun, for example: 'the sixth', 'the tenth'. In this case, a treiglad meddal is applied if the number applies to a feminine person or object:

Y ferch oedd y ddegfed i ymuno �'r clwb.

The girl was the tenth to join the club.

Y bachgen oedd y degfed i ymuno �'r clwb.

The boy was the tenth to join the club.

When units of measurement follow the numbers two, three and four, the masculine or femine form is used depending on the gender of the unit:

tri munud, tair awr, tri diwrnod, tair wythnos, tri mis, tair blynedd

munud noun (m); awr noun (f); diwrnod noun (m);

wythnos noun (f); mis noun (m); blynedd noun (f);

tair punt pedair ceiniog punt noun (f) ; ceiniog noun (f);

tair troedfedd pedair modfedd troedfedd noun (f) ; modfedd noun (f);

tri metr pedwar centimetr metr noun (m) ; centimetr noun (m);

Idioms

The word 'gan' or 'gen' is generally equivalent to the English word 'with'. It is used in various situations:

indicating a posession

Mae gen i gar cyflym. I have a fast car.

Roedd gan y dref lawer o siopau. The town had many shops.

denoting the person responsible for providing something

Darllenais erthygl gan feddyg. I read an article by a doctor.

Canodd y c�r gerddoriaeth gan Bach. The choir sang music by Bach.

to specify a feeling or emotion

Mae'n flin gen i glywed am y ddamwain.

I'm sorry to hear about the accident.

Roedd yn dda gen i enill y gystadleuaeth.

I was delighted to win the competition.

Byddai'n rhyfedd gen i pe taswn gytuno efo'r gwleidydd.

I would be surprised if I agreed with the politician.

Mae ganddo fe gywilydd am gymryd rhan yn yr ymosodiad.

He is ashamed of taking part in the attack.

'gan' appears in various idioms:

gan amlaf - usually

Maen nhw'n cwrdd yn y parc gan amlaf.

They usually meet in the park.

gan bwyll - carefully

Gan bwyll, mae'r llwybr i fyny'r mynydd yn serth.

Careful, the path up the mountain is steep.

gan mwyaf - mostly

Mae'r teulu yn prynu bwyd yn yr archfarchnad gan mwyaf.

The family mainly buys food in the supermarket.

waeth gen i - I don't care

Waeth gen i ba ddydd byddwn ni'n mynd i Gaerdydd.

I don't care what day we go to Cardiff.

gan feddwl - thinking about it

Gan feddwl, efallai y dylen ni aros amdano fe.

Thinking about it, maybe we should wait for him.

gan gynnwys - including

Dewisodd gwyliau gan gynnwys teithio ac wythnos mewn gwesty.

He chose a holiday including travel and a week in a hotel.

gan wenu - smiling

Gwnaeth e gerdded i lawr y stryd gan wenu.

He walked down the street smiling.

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Sentences

Sentence 1 of 20: I saw two boys and three girls on the village square.

You are invited to translate this article into Welsh.

Vocabulary

remarkable nodedig adjective; rescue achubiad noun (m);

wreck llongddrylliad noun (m); oar rhwyf noun (f);

rigging rigin noun (m); remains gweddillion noun (pl);

alongside ochr yn ochr �; involving ymwneud �;

launch lansio verb; survivor goroeswr noun (m);

hovercraft hofranlong noun (f); lightship goleulong noun (f);

assist cynorthwyo verb; protect diogelu verb;

inshore lifeboat bad achub y glannau;

Lifeboat rescue

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was formed in 1824.
There are currently thirty lifeboat stations in Wales.
The history of the RNLI in Wales is long and remarkable.
The most dramatic rescues have involved ships in difficulty around the Welsh coast.
One of the most difficult rescues involved the Criccieth lifeboat which was called out to help the sailing ship Spanker in 1885.
The ship was travelling from Jamaica to Liverpool and struck the coast off Morfa Harlech.
It was a dark and stormy night.
The lifeboat went out to the wreck, powered by 10 men with oars.
The wreck was in total darkness and the lifeboat had to wait at sea until dawn.
The ship had now broken in two but seven men were seen clinging to the remains of the rigging.
These men were rescued, the lifeboat returned to shore and the rescued men were looked after by the people of Criccieth.
In 1890, 27 passengers and crew were rescued from the ship Loch Shiel by the Angle lifeboat.
It was impossible for the lifeboat to get alongside the ship which had run onto rocks below the cliff.
Crew members were put ashore and climbed along the cliff to the Loch Shiel, to pass a rope to the ship.
The greatest disaster for the lifeboat service in Wales was the loss of the Mumbles lifeboat and its crew in 1947.
The lifeboat was launched to help the cargo ship Samtampa.
The ship had lost power during a storm and was washed onto the shore, where it broke into three sections.
It is believed that the lifeboat came close to collect survivors, when a huge wave hit the ship and it rolled over on top of the lifeboat.
In 1963, the Rhyl lifeboat rescued a hovercraft.
The hovercraft was being tested at sea when it got into difficulties.
In another unusual incident the Tenby lifeboat rescued the crew of a lightship in the Severn Estuary.
At the present day, helicopters can assist lifeboat crews during rescues.
RNLI lifeguards protect many of the popular beaches in Wales, and many rescues are by inshore lifeboat.
Rescues often involve pleasure boats and small fishing craft.
Inshore lifeboats are also called out to people trapped below cliffs by the tide or who have fallen from the cliff path.

Translate the sentence:

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was formed in 1824.

Suggested translation: (a number of alternatives acceptable)

Story

The set of icons below was randomly selected, and has been used to write a story.

You are invited to translate the story into Welsh.

Vocabulary

mystery dirgel adjective; victim dioddefwr noun (m);

stab trywanu verb; clue cliw noun (m);

reveal dadlennu, datgelu verb; crime scene lleoliad trosedd;

blackmail blacmel noun (m); redirect ailgyfeirio verb;

John and Jane go on a murder mystery weekend in a country hotel.
The crime scene is set with two victims - a kitchen maid had been poisoned and the chauffeur had been stabbed.
They have to search the hotel and grounds for clues before the time runs out - and the plot is revealed.
They discover clues that the butler appears to be responsible.
This was because the two murdered staff members were going to speak to the master, Lord Pwllheli.
They would tell him that the butler had been stealing wine from the wine cellar and selling it.
According to the accounts, many bottles of wine were not accounted for.
Further investigations revealed, however, that this was a false trail planted by Lord Pwllheli.
In fact, the Lord had committed the crime himself.
The kitchen maid and chauffer were good friends and didn`t keep secrets from one another.
The kitchen maid had revealed to him that she was having a secret relationship with Lord Pwllheli.
Presents of jewellery and love letters were found hidden in the maid`s room.
A blackmail note written by the chauffer was found in Lord Pwllheli`s library.
The Lord had killed the two servants to avoid a scandal, then tried to redirect suspicion onto the butler.

Translate the sentence:

John and Jane go on a murder mystery weekend in a country hotel.

Suggested translation: (a number of alternatives acceptable)

Create your own story in Welsh

Click the button to randomly select a set of story icons:

Use of Welsh

College course description

A further education college provides a course in Countryside Management. An entry from the college prospectus is shown alongside. You are invited to translate this into Welsh.

Vocabulary

relevant perthnasol adjective; agriculture amaethyddiaeth noun (f);

habitat cynefin noun (m); conservation cadwraeth noun (f);

variety amrywiaeth noun (f); apprenticeship prentisiaeth noun (f);

GCSE TGAU (Tystysgrif Gyffredinol Addysg Uwchradd);

alternatively fel arall; acre erw noun (f);

assignment aseiniad noun (m);

Translate the sentence:

Countryside Management including Forestry.

Suggested translation: (a number of alternatives acceptable)

Description

Write four or five sentences in Welsh to describe the picture:

`Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd` gan Islwyn Ffowc Elis

Er i�r nofel hon gael ei chyhoeddi gyntaf ym 1957, mae�n sicr yn stori sy�n cydio yn nychymyg y darllenydd o�r dechrau, a hynny hanner can mlynedd yn ddiweddarach. Mae�n amlwg wrth ddarllen y nofel heddiw mai nofel o bropaganda cenedlaetholgar y cyfnod yw hon, ac nid yw Islwyn Ffowc Elis yn ceisio cuddio hynny.

Heb ddatgelu gormod, stori am Ifan Powell yn neidio o�r flwyddyn 1956 i�r flwyddyn 2033 ydyw hon, gyda chymorth Dr Heinkel. Drwy ddefnyddio�r pedwerydd dimensiwn teithiodd Ifan drwy amser i Gymru Rydd ddelfrydol. Nid oes dim o�i le ar y wlad annibynnol hon, o�r bwyd a�r gerddoriaeth i�r ffyrdd y cosbir troseddwyr. Gyda chymorth teulu Llywarch, caiff Ifan Powell ei hebrwng drwy Gaerdydd a Chymru gyfan i weld ffermydd, chwareli a glofeydd cymunedol a llwyddiannus y wlad. Mae pob golygfa yn odidog ac nid oes brys ar Ifan i ddychwelyd, yn enwedig ar �l cyfarfod Mair Llywarch. Ond nid yw�r siwrne�n f�l i gyd pan ddaw wyneb yn wyneb ag arweinyddion cas y Crysau Porffor sydd am weld Cymru`n rhan o Brydain unwaith eto. Maent yn benderfynol y bydd Ifan yn eu cynorthwyo i wneud hynny, boed hynny o�i wirfodd neu beidio.

Mae�n rhaid i Ifan ddychwelyd i�w oes ei hun yn fuan, er y carai ef aros yn y Gymru Rydd. Wedi ychydig o amser yn �l yn 1957, penderfyna ei fod eisiau dychwelyd i 2033 er gwaethaf rhybuddion Dr Heinkel am y peryglon. Wrth geisio mynd yn �l i�r flwyddyn 2033 am yr ail dro, � pethau o chwith i Ifan. Yma gwelwn wrthgyferbyniad llwyr �r Gymru ddelfrydol, heddychlon a brofodd Ifan ar ei ymweliad cyntaf. Nid Cymru ydyw�r wlad bellach, ond Lloegr Orllewinol. Dyma ddarlun hollol wahanol i�r Gymru Rydd welodd ef gynt; cyferbyniad sy�n ddigon i godi ias. Mae�r iaith Gymraeg wedi marw ac mae Cymru erbyn hyn yn lle erchyll i fyw ynddo gyda chriwiau megis y platoons yn gwneud i�r crysau porffor edrych yn heddychlon.

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