Re: Ancient History.

[Andrew Smith <hobbit@mail.earthlight.co.nz>]

On Fri, 3 Jul 1998, Raymond A. Brown wrote:

> At 15:55 2/7/98, Padraic Brown wrote:
> [......]
> >
> >Ah well.  I've meant to ask before, but keep forgetting: do you know any
> >titles of books that deal with Welsh etymology and/or reconstructions of
> >Brittonic?  All I have is one for Gaulish (and not a reconstruction,
> >either); and while helpful, I'm sure not of direct influence on either
> >Brithenig or Welsh.
> 
> I used to go to University Library at Cardiff when I lived in Newport in
> South Wales.  Alas, I never noted titles (I didn't know then that I'd come
> across Brithenig one day  ;-)
>
The best that I have found is Language and History in Early Britain by
Kenneth Jackson, University Press: Edinburgh (1953).  I used it to
reconstruct the Brithenig soundchanges.  I gives few words though
unfortunately.

> >> Ach - LLYWELYN please - Llewellyn is a horrid anglicism.  As for the
> >> etymolgy, I must plead ignorance.  The first element must surely be the
> >> same as in Llywarch.  And besides Llywelyn we also have Llywel as a
> >> masculine name & Llywela as a feminine.  I have seen it suggested that
> >> Llyw- is from Llew "lion".
> >
> >Perhaps lindos for lyn?
> 
> Hadn't thought of that.  But then what about that awkward -e- between Llyw-
> and lyn?
> 
My apologies for misspelling the highly honourable name that the Welsh
must have spent several centuries divising so that they could exasperate
the English with it!  I'll do some research and see if that brings out any
details.

- andrew.

Andrew Smith                                  <hobbit@earthlight.co.nz>

MAN, despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many
accomplishments; still owes his existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil
and the fact that it rains.
							   - Anonymous