Re: Middle Welsh (was Cein)

Am 05/30 22:14  kam@CARROT.CLARA.NET yscrifef:

Wondering I do how this would work in Brithenig I worked on quick
translations:

> >From "The Seven Sages of Rome" :
> ... y deffroes sarff ... (a serpent awoke)[finite verb to start the chain off]
> a chyrchu neuad ... (and making for the hall)
> Ac arganuot y mab ... (And perceiving the child)
> a dwyn ruthur idaw. (and making a rush at him)
> A chynn ymgael ac ef, bwrw o'r milgi ... neit idi
> (And before coming to grips with him [the child], taking by the hound a leap
> at her [the snake]).
>
Ill sarffent ychweilaf
e ffager per ill curth
e berchebir lla blenhin
e ffager yn assallt a lle
e inawant gweddir cu lle,
pr+ener d'ill gwellt yn sallt a lle

> That is "[then] a serpent awoke and made for the hall and perceived the
> child and made a rush at him. And [but] before it could get to him the
> hound took a leap at it".
>
> >From "Pwyll" where he get Gwawl in the bag :
> Kyuodaf yn llawen heb ef (I'll get up gladly he [Gwawl] said)[finite verbs]
> A chyuodi y uynyd (And rising up)
> a dodi y deudroet yn y got, (and putting his two feet into the bag)
> [now Pwyll becomes the agent ...]
> a throi o Pwyll y got yny uyd Guawl dros y penn yn y got,
> (and turning by Pwyll the bag until G. will be over his head in the bag)
> ac yn gyflym caeu y got ... (and quickly closing the bag)
> a dodi llef ar y gorn. (and giving a blast on his horn).
>
Eo rerai geiddadfent, ys dis
e fagef a rer
e buner sew dewphedd in ill buly
e wolltar di Bwyll ill buly abuis Gwawl sera syrs lla dest in ill buly
e rebiddfent clodder ill buly
e dunar yn grid a sew corn.

The second line looked like an auxiliary verb so I translated it that
way.  I wonder if the use of fager as an auxiliary might have lasted
into modern Brithenig in this fashion.  The resulting affect reminds me
of the use of a simple tense in creoles once the time frame has been
indicated.  The infinitive seemed more likely to be used in this way to
me than a gerund or a verbal noun.


- andrew.
--
Andrew Smith, Intheologus                       hobbit@griffler.co.nz
http://hobbit.griffler.co.nz/homepage.html

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