'Iawn'

[Hypnodisc]

(You'll probably get lots of these little questions off me in the next few weeks, apologies!)

'Iawn' means 'very' as far as I understand.

Two questions:

- Would 'Very good' be 'da iawn' (as opposed to 'iawn da')?

- And is 'iawn' used as a sort of .. afirmative response like 'OK' - as I've seen it used in a context like that where 'very' doesn't make any sense.?

Diolch!

[Siomedig]

'Iawn' means 'well':

'Sut wyt ti?' 'Iawn diolch'

'Ti'n iawn?' 'Ydw'

However, as you noticed, it's also used to mean 'very'. This is a bit like 'well good' in English, only it doesn't have any of the slangy connotations of that usage. In answer to your question, yes, 'iawn' comes after the adjective:

Da iawn
Hapus iawn
Mawr iawn

[Hypnodisc]

Many thanks for the reply

Therefore is it used 'colloquially' as a way of saying 'okay'? As that is the sort of context I have seen it used in, where it doesn't seem to make much sense. - It's just like 'ah, iawn.'

[Sionned]

Actually I think the "very" sense of iawn is more like the British use of "right" - as in "right good" - da iawn.

In this sense, "ti'n iawn?" can mean "are you alright?" and the answer to "sut wyt ti?" can mean "alright, thanks"

Iawn is often used when someone answers a question (as in class) and the teacher then says "iawn" - meaning "correct."

[Siomedig]

Many thanks for the reply

Therefore is it used 'colloquially' as a way of saying 'okay'? As that is the sort of context I have seen it used in, where it doesn't seem to make much sense. - It's just like 'ah, iawn.'

Yep, pretty much. As well as meaning 'correct' as Sionned said.

Actually I think the "very" sense of iawn is more like the British use of "right" - as in "right good" - da iawn.

Mmm, use of 'right' like this is not pan-British, y'know. I only use it because I borrowed it as a construction from Welsh ('mae hi'n reit dda'). In any case it's synonymous with 'well'.