Welsh

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Etymology

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gwir (true) +‎ iawn (very). The semantic shift from "pure, innocent" > "silly, daft" has parallels to that seen in English nice ("silly" > "pleasant"). Cognate with Breton gwirion.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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gwirion (feminine singular gwirion, plural gwirion, equative mor wirion, comparative mwy gwirion, superlative mwyaf gwirion)

  1. silly, daft, foolish
  2. pure, innocent, blameless

Mutation

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Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
gwirion wirion ngwirion unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

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  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “gwirion”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies