Welsh kinship terms

[Nancy P.]

Hi!

This week we have to do the same thing we did for colors and come up with kinship words that are original Welsh words.

We're supposed to start from our point of view and work out:

My mother
my father
my sister
my brother
my grandmother
my grandfather
my aunt
my uncle
my son
my daughter
etc.

Do you know which of these would be original Welsh and which would be borrowed? My guess is that they'll be original except for maybe great-grandparents (which would have been rare). I also wonder about terms like sister-in-law.

Thanks!
Nancy

[Hazel]

Hi!

This week we have to do the same thing we did for colors and come up with kinship words that are original Welsh words.

We're supposed to start from our point of view and work out:

My mother
my father
my sister
my brother
my grandmother
my grandfather
my aunt
my uncle
my son
my daughter
etc.

Do you know which of these would be original Welsh and which would be borrowed? My guess is that they'll be original except for maybe great-grandparents (which would have been rare). I also wonder about terms like sister-in-law.

Thanks!
Nancy

I cannot say if this is true in Welsh linguistic history but it may be a thought worth checking. I know that, in centuries past (in English) relatives were identified differently than we do today. Cousins were called brothers or, if older, uncles. The "uncle" bit could get very confusing to a reader. Those are just two examples I have come up against. No doubt, there were others.

Just a thought. Hazel

[Nancy P.]

That's very interesting. I'll see what I can find on that. Thanks!
Nancy

[Sioni]

As "fy" (my) causes a mutation, I'll give the word first, then give it with "my":

my mother - mam - fy mam
my father - tad - fy nhad
my sister - chwaer - fy chwaer
my brother - brawd - fy mrawd
my grandmother - mamgu/nain - fy mamgu/fy nain
my grandfather - tadcu/taid - fy nhadcu/fy nhaid
my aunt - modryb - fy modryb
my uncle - ewythr - fy ewythr
my son - mab - fy mab
my daughter - merch - fy merch
my nephew - nai - fy nai
my niece - nith fy nith

my cousin (male) - cefnder - fy nghefnder
my cousin (female) - cefnither - fy nghefnither
my great-grandfather - hen dadcu/hen daid - fy hen dadcu/fy hen daid
my great-grandmother - hen famgu/hen nain - fy hen famgu/fy hen nain
my grandson - ŵyr - fy ŵyr
my granddaughter - wyres - fy wyres
my great grandson - gorwyr - fy ngorwyr

my mother-in-law - mam-yng-nghyfraith - fy mam-yng-nghyfraith
my father-in-law - tad-yng-nghyfraith - fy nhad-yng-nghyfraith
my son-in-law - mab-yng-nghyfraith - fy mab-yng-nghyfraith
my daughter-in-law - merch-yng-nghyfraith - fy merch-yng-nghyfraith

With the in-laws, these are relatively new words. Formerly the word for "father-in-law", for example, was "chwegrwn" and "mother-in-law" was "chwegr" (probably amongst many ). These are now archaic and not many people would know them these days.

All the above are Welsh words. I think that your point is proven by the fact that there is not really a word for "great-grandfather/mother", but the word "hen" (old) is placed in front in the same way as "great" is placed in English.

There are also words for "uncle" and "aunty" which are widely used and are borrow words from English:

uncle - wncwl
aunty - anti

[Nancy P.]

Wow!!! Thanks, Sioni. This is great!!

Nancy

[Sioni]

Wow!!! Thanks, Sioni. This is great!!

Nancy

You're very welcome. Is that enough or can I add something?

[Nancy P.]

I can't think of a thing you can add--this is really a nice list! What does "chwegr" mean? Is there a literal translation?

Thx. Nancy

[Nancy P.]

I was also curious about how "nhad" is pronounced since most languages have a papa or dada or tata child's word for father.

[Sioni]

I can't think of a thing you can add--this is really a nice list! What does "chwegr" mean? Is there a literal translation?

Thx. Nancy

Old cow.

Not really. It just means mother-in-law.

[Sioni]

I was also curious about how "nhad" is pronounced since most languages have a papa or dada or tata child's word for father.

Basically, as you see it: nhahd

Say the 'n' and then add 'hahd'.

Most kids say 'dad' or 'dat'.

[Nancy P.]

I can't think of a thing you can add--this is really a nice list! What does "chwegr" mean? Is there a literal translation?

Thx. Nancy

Old cow.

Not really. It just means mother-in-law.

Oh, very funny!

[Nancy P.]

I was also curious about how "nhad" is pronounced since most languages have a papa or dada or tata child's word for father.

Basically, as you see it: nhahd

Say the 'n' and then add 'hahd'.

Most kids say 'dad' or 'dat'.

That's very interesting. Thanks!!

Nancy