In The Valleys Of Patagonia, The Talk Is Of An Astonishing Revival Of The Welsh Language

Independent (UK) ^ | 4-19-2003 | Marcus Tanner

[Myrddin]

Celtic languages are in two branches. The Goidelic branch includes Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic and Manx (Isle of Man). The Brythonic branch includes Welsh, Breton (spoken in Brittany in the NW of France) and Kornish (spoken around Cornwall). Modern Welsh exists in 3 common dialects. The northern and southern are most common. My family spoke the "mid-valleys" dialect. An example of how different they are:
How are you?
Northern (Sut dach chi?),
Southern (Sut rydy chi?),
mid-Valleys (Shw mae?)

[Myrddin]

Betws is nominally "chapel". Coed is "trees". The meaning is roughly the chapel in the trees. Most Welsh places names have a descriptive element. The word "Aber" means "mouth" as in the mouth of a river. The cities Aberystwyth (mouth of the Ystwyth river), Abertawe (mouth of the Towy river) and Aberaeron (mouth of the river Aeron). Pen-y-bont desribes a village and the "end of the bridge". Pont-y-Pridd describes a bridge made of an earthen dam. Pontrhyygroes describes a bridge that fords a river at a cross roads. My great grandfather came from Ysbty Ystwyth which is a village where hospital was located along the Ystwyth river.

[Myrddin]

There is also a large settlement of Welsh in Malad, ID. It is the largest concentration of people of Welsh ancestry outside of Wales itself.

The program for the annual Welsh Festival is at the link.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Fascinating! Thanks for the info.

[Myrddin]

Spotted a misspelling. (pont)(rhyd)y(groes) literally (bridge)(ford)(cross)..Pontrhydygoes. Pronounced: Pont Rid' uh groys.

The "forts" in Wales share Caer as a prefix.

Many cities bear the name Fairfield. I was traveling through Wales one afternoon and observed the name "Maesteg". That is the Welsh version. (maes - field) (teg - fair).

If you understand both Welsh and French, the Breton language appears as a mix of the two.

[blam]

Thanks for all your inputs.

This is great.

[gleeaikin]

My grandfather was born in the shadow of Conway Castle. I am told one of his grandparents was from The Isle of Man. So I am 1/4th Welsh and 1/16th Manx. No tail though.

I saw an interesting report on the Aboriginal languages of Australia. It said that once there were 200 but now only about 20, but there is a new revival going on.

[dennisw]

I’ll bet they immigrated there to be shepherds same as the Basque

[blam]

"I am told one of his grandparents was from The Isle of Man. So I am 1/4th Welsh and 1/16th Manx"

Ellan Vannin

[Condor51]

Wow. Talk about 'the middle of no where', Puerto Madryn is it. Heck Patagonia itself is remote (and kind of barren) to begin with and his place is in the middle of that (though on the ocean).

An aside: Ever since I was a kid in the 50's 'Patagonia' fascinated me. Maybe it's just the name??? Really, say 'Patagonia' over and over and over -- it's cool :-)

Then again, 'Outer Mongolia'(which no longer 'exists') fascinated me too but saying that over and over really doesn't have the same affect. Hmmm?? Maybe I just liked really weird places out in the middle of no where.

yes I was excellent in Geography. I had a huge world map on my bedroom wall I 'studied' almost every night.

[blam]

I was a map guy myself.

Ted Turner has a 10,000 acre compound down there somewhere and when he was asked what he does with it he said, "that's where I'll go when the revolution in America starts." (That was about 20 years ago though)

[bonfire]

Grew up hearing Welsh between my great aunts and grandfather.

Thanks for the article! Will be copying it for my mother who doesn’t have internet access.

[Condor51]

*** I was a map guy myself. ***

Yep, maps are wonderful things. I still keep a U.S. Road Atlas around for reference (You can find the neatest places on one). And when 'things go' and GPS no longer works people better know how to read a map and use a compass along with it or they'll fast become food for the cannibals.

As to Ted Turner, it figures. IIRC he owns more of Montana's private land than anyone else -- which drove prices up 10³ times. So now no regular folks can even afford a few acres to retire to, which was 'my dream'. And like the good, kind, caring and *sharing* liberal Turner is, He Keeps The Peons OFF IT! When it comes to 'his stuff' he ain't sharing a dam thing.

[blam]

"As to Ted Turner, it figures. IIRC he owns more of Montana's private land than anyone else -- which drove prices up 103 times."

John Malone Becomes The No. 1 (US) Land Owner, Passing Ted Turner

[Condor51]

Interesting, and this will po Ted. Now he'll have to buy more land to be #1 again. Maybe Ted will buy Belgium, or some other bankrupt European 'country' like Spain. :-)

Anyway, good for Malone. That linked article says all that land Malone bought and owns will be open to the public (for hunting, fishing, hiking and such). And when he dies it will be passed down to the public (states) as Conservatories. But unlike Malone, when Ted 'goes' he'll make darn sure his land will somehow stay PRIVATE PROPERTY and off limits to the us peons.

Now I certainly have nothing against Private Property, and even 'No Trespassing' or 'Keep Out' signs. Just when that Private Property is owned by some limousine liberal hypocrite who espouses 'Share The Wealth' -- but at the same time he is guarding every square foot of that land they own with an Armed Security Force that could invade and overthrow Canada.