Medieval Welsh

A Self-Instruction Course created by Heather Rose Jones

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Unit: Lesson 4

Verbal Predicates and Prepositions: Introduction

Unit Structure

 

Unit text

In this unit, we begin to master something approaching regular text. In this passage we have both the narrative past tense and quoted speech using the present tense, as well as various types of action. The passage is from the opening scene of the tale of Branwen, with the event that sets the rest of the action in motion. Several of the main characters are sitting on the rock of Harlech, looking out over the sea. The edition of this text from the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies is an excellent first text for beginners, as the organization of the glossary and notes is very user-friendly, and the text itself is relatively short.

Original Text

Ac ual yd oedynt yn eisted yuelly, wynt a welynt teir llong ar dec, yn dyuot o deheu Iwerdon, ac yn kyrchu parth ac attunt, ...ac yn nessau yn ebrwyd attunt. "Mi a welaf longeu racco," heb y brenhin, "ac yn dyuot yn hy parth a'r tir. Ac erchwch y wyr y llys wiscaw amdanunt, a mynet y edrych pa uedwl yw yr eidunt." Y gwyr a wiscawd amdanunt ac a nessayssant attunt y wayret. Gwedy guelet y llongeu ... diheu oed ganthunt na welsynt eiryoet llongeu gyweirach eu hansawd noc wy.

from the opening scene of Branwen verch Lyr (the second branch of the Mabinogi)


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