An Introduction to Early Welsh - Arthur Pendragon of Wales
An Introduction to Early Welsh - Arthur Pendragon of Wales
An Introduction to Early Welsh - Arthur Pendragon of Wales
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26 THE ADJECTIVE. [32.<br />
llynges the fleet was shattered MA. i5o<br />
b<br />
,<br />
bit wenn gwylyan the<br />
seagull is white FB. 247, Hem awel keen is the wind FB. 255, ys<br />
lledan y lenn its mantle is broad FB. 146, bolch y lauyn his<br />
blade is notched MA. 172*; but here the masculine form is also<br />
found, e.g. llym awel keen is the wind BB. 45* i, pan yw gwyrd<br />
llinos when the linnet is green FB. 133, oedd bwlch llafn yn Haw<br />
gynnefin the blade was notched in a practised hand MA. 2i7 b ,<br />
guaedlyd y lein bloody is his spear MA. 184*.<br />
Number.<br />
33. With the attributive adjective there is concord, the dual or a<br />
singular noun preceded by a numeral having the construction <strong>of</strong> the<br />
plural, e.g. danned hiryon melynyon long yellow teeth, deu<br />
vackwy wineuon ieueinc two auburn young lads, pedeir<br />
meillionen gwynnyonfour white blades <strong>of</strong> clover. But there are<br />
many exceptions; with certain adjectives the singular is regularly<br />
used; such are adjectives in -awe, -awl, -eid, -ic, comparatives and<br />
superlatives, some other simple adjectives such as mawr great, tec<br />
beautiful, and compound adjectives; e.g. gwyr arvawc armed men<br />
(but exceptionally o vrenhined coronogyon <strong>of</strong> crowned kings<br />
WB. p. 90*), llygeit hebogeid hawklike eyes, niveroed mawr<br />
great numbers, dyrnodeu calet-chwerw hard bitter buffets.<br />
With<br />
the predicative adjective there are found on the one hand, e.g.<br />
bychein ynt wynteu they are small RB. 60, wynteu a veynt veirw<br />
they would be dead Hg. I. 138, oedd beilch gweilch<br />
heroes were<br />
proud MA. 2 1 7 b , ker<strong>to</strong>ryon neud ynt geith now poets are captive<br />
b<br />
MA. i57 on the other<br />
, hand, e.g. cadarn oed y holl aelodau all<br />
his limbs were strong CM. 26, balch iawn yw dy eiryeu thy words<br />
are right haughty CM. 34, marw ynn they are dead MA. 164% rud<br />
ynt wy they are red FB. 284, doeth y veirt his bards are learned<br />
MA. 262% ys da y gampeil his feats are good MA. 237<br />
b<br />
. The<br />
whole subject needs a thorough investigation.<br />
Order.<br />
34. (a) In <strong>Welsh</strong>, as in the other Celtic languages, the adjective<br />
normally follows the noun, e.g. dyn doeth a wise man, gwreic