gwell
Welsh
editEtymology
editInherited from Proto-Celtic *wellos, from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“choose, want”).
Pronunciation
edit- (North Wales) IPA(key): /ɡwɛɬ/
- (South Wales) IPA(key): /ɡweːɬ/, /ɡwɛɬ/
- Rhymes: -ɛɬ
Adjective
editgwell
Adverb
editgwell
- Prefer
- Mae well 'da fi ddawnsio na chanu (South)
- I prefer to dance than sing
- (literally, “It is better with me to dance than to sing”)
- Mae well gen i de na choffi (North)
- I prefer tea to coffee
- (literally, “Tea is better with me than coffee”)
- Had better
- Well i chi beidio
- you had better not
- (literally, “[It is] better to you not to”)
Usage notes
edit- When used to mean 'prefer', gwell is combined with the possessive construction (literally "it is better with me"). When used to mean 'had better', it is linked to its subject by i (literally "it is better for me"). In both cases it is almost always followed by the soft mutation.
Derived terms
editSee also
editMutation
editWelsh mutation | |||
---|---|---|---|
radical | soft | nasal | aspirate |
gwell | well | ngwell | unchanged |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
References
edit- R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “gwell”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
Categories:
- Welsh terms inherited from Proto-Celtic
- Welsh terms derived from Proto-Celtic
- Welsh terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European
- Welsh terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Welsh terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:Welsh/ɛɬ
- Rhymes:Welsh/ɛɬ/1 syllable
- Welsh non-lemma forms
- Welsh comparative adjectives
- Welsh lemmas
- Welsh adverbs
- Welsh terms with usage examples