Gwefan Cymru-Catalonia:
La Web de Gal·les i Catalunya
Wales-Catalonia Website
The Welsh
in the United States - the Gwalia Deg
settlement / Y Cymry yn yr Unol Daleithau: sefydliad
Gwalia Deg
http://www.kimkat.org/amryw/1_alltudiaeth/america_nebraska-gwalia-deg_2782e.htm
0001 Home
Page / Yr Hafan kimkat0001
→ 1050e
The Welsh in America / Y Cymry yn América kimkat1050e
→ this page / y tudalen hwn
(delwedd 7375)
Aquesta pàgina en català: no disponible
encara
2781k Y tudalen
hwn yn Gymraeg kimkat2781k
If a link to another
page in this website doesn’t work for some reason Pe
buasai dolen gyswllt ar gyfer tudalen arall yn y wefan hon yn methu am ryw
reswm, the
page can be found via Google
gellir dod o hyd i’r tudalen trwy gyfrwng Google. Type kimkat followed by the page number Teipiwch kimkat
ac wedyn rif y tudalen – for example, to follow link 1276k er enghraifft, i ddilyn y ddolen gyswllt 1276k, search
for kimkat1276k chwiliwch am kimkat1276k
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gwalia Deg was a Welsh settlement in Nebraska that came into being
in the year 1871. Yr oedd Gwalia Deg yn sefydliad
Cymreig yn Nebraska a ddaeth i fodolaeth yn y flwyddyn 1871 when the
first Welsh people came (see item 10 below) pan ddaeth y Cymry cyntaf (gweler eitem 10 isod); and
it was given the name “Gwalia Deg” by two Welsh ministers from Ohio, R. R. WILLIAMS o Cincinnati, a DAVID JONES o Gomer ac fe’i bedyddiwyd yn “Gwalia Deg”gan ddau weinidog o Gymry
o Ohio yn 1876, R. R.
WILLIAMS o Cincinnati, a DAVID JONES o Gomer.
.....
Mention
is made of Gwalia Deg in the periodical “Y Cenhadwr Americanaidd” (the American
Messenger) Y mae sôn am sefydliad Gwalia Deg yn “Y
Cenhadwr Americanaidd” in January 18788 and in April 1878 ym mis Ionawr
(delwedd
7622)
(delwedd 7623)
....
(delwedd
7710)
(delwedd
7711)
(delwedd 7706)
(delwedd 7712b)
Here
is the January 1878 article, along with the reference to it in the index, and
the nameplate / masthead (they have been added together in the image below) Dyma erthygl Ionawr 1878, ynglŷn â’r cyfeiriad ati yn y
mynegai, a’r banernod (wedi eu rhoi at ei gilydd yn y delwedd isod)
(delwedd
7619)
1
(delwedd
7617b)
GWALIA DEG, SEFYDLIAD CYMREIG YN NEBRASKA.
O'r Tyst a'r Dydd Rhag. 6ed y cymerwyd yr Erthygl isod — meddyliasom y bydd ei
darlleniad yn ddyddorol hefyd i lawer yn y CENHADWR. - GOL.
Yn gymaint a bod y pwnc o ymfudiaeth dan sylw ein cenedl yn ngwlad ein
genedigaeth, crefwn gyfleustra i osod ger eu bron hawliau am y gymydogaeth a
alwn yn "WALIA DEG.” Dywedwn air ar
GWALIA DEG, A WELSH SETTLEMENT IN
NEBRASKA.
The article below was taken from Y Tyst a’r Dydd (NOTE: “the Witness
[combined with another publication] The Day”, an American periodical in Welsh)
December 6 – we thought a reading of it would be interesting too to many people
[if it were reprinted in] Y Cenhadwr (“the messenger”). Editor.
Since the topic of emigration is receiving attention from our fellow-countrymen
in the land where we were born (“is under the attention of our nation in the
land of our birth”), I beg the convenience of putting before you claims for the
neighbourhood which we call “GWALIA DEG”. We shall say a word or two about....
(“We shall say a word about...”)
2
(delwedd
7617c)
LEOLDEB Y DALAETH.
Gorwedda Nebraska rhwng y 40° a'r 43° o gyhydedd gogleddol y ddaear, a rhwng y
95° a'r 104° o hydred gorllewinol o Greenwich. Terfynir hi ar y gogledd gan
Dakota, ar y gorllewin gan Wyoming a Colorado, ar y deheu gan Colorado a
Kansas, ac ar y dwyrain gan yr afon Missouri; a chynwysa 60,000,000 o erwi o
dir da at amaethyddiaeth.
THE LOCATION OF THE STATE:
Nebraska lies between 40º and 43º of the northern line of latitude of the
Earth, and between 95º and 104º of the line of longitude west of Greenwich. It
is bounded on the north by Dakota, on the west by by Wyoming and Colorado, on
the south by Colorado and Kansas, and on the east by the river Missouri; and it
contains
3
(delwedd
7617d)
LLEOLDEB GWALIA DEG.
Gorwedda ein sefydliad yn un o ranau deheuol y dalaeth; o ganlyniad yr ydym yn
nghymydogaeth y 40°. Yr ydym agos a bod yn yr un llinell a Rhufain. y ddinas
dragywyddol, ar lan y Tiber, yn yr Eidal, enwog am ei pher-awelon a'i hwybren
oleu; y llinell hefyd y mae Philadelphia ynddi — y ddinas dlysaf ac iachusaf ar
gyfandir mawr y gorllewin — y llinell a gymer i fewn y rhan hyfrydaf yn y
Gwregys Cymhedrol. Rhed y llinell hon trwy ardaloedd y gwinllanoedd — y pêr
lanoedd a'r gerddi dymunol.
THE LOCATION OF GWALIA DEG
Our settlement lies in one of the southern parts of the state: as a result we are
in the neighbourhood of the 40º. We are nearly on the same latitude as Rome
(“near with being on the same line as Rome”), the eternal city, in Italy,
famous for its gentle breezes (“sweet breezes”) and its bright sky (“light
sky”); the line [of latitude] that Philadelphia is on (“is in it”) – the
prettiest and healthiest city on the great continent of the west – the line [of
latitude] that takes in the most pleasing part of the Temperate Zone. This line
[of latitude] runs through the areas of vineyards – the sweet-scented
enclosures and the pleasant gardens.
4
(delwedd
7617e)
ARWYNEB Y WLAD.
Cawn yma gorff o ddaear, am fwy nag 20 milltir yn mhob ffordd, o'r aruchedd
mwyaf cyfleus i'r amaethwr. Dywedir am dir aml i ardal, mai tonawg (undulating)
ydyw, ond tonau toredig y môr mewn ystorm ofnadwy fyddant; ond wrth edrych ar
diroedd GWALIA DEG, tra y dywedwn yn briodol ei fod yn donawg, ymchwyddiad
graddol rhanau helaeth o'r cefnfor a ganfyddwn. Fel peth cyffredin, medr yr
amaethwr aredig pob modfodd o'i ffarm, ac yn adeg y cynauaf gall ddefnyddio y reaper
a'r mower, a'r holl beirianau amaethyddol dros y cwbl oll, heb
deimlo un anhawsder.
THE SURFACE OF THE LAND
We have here a body of land, for more than twenty miles in all directions (“in
each road”), with the most convenient surface for the farmer. It is said of the
land of many an area that it is undulating but they are the broken waves of the
sea in a storm; but when we look at the terrain (“the lands”) of GWALIA DEG,
while we say appropiately that they are undulating, it is the gradual swell of
extensive parts of the ocean that we perceive. Generally (“as a general
thing”), the farmer can plough every inch of his farm, and at harvest-time he
can use the reaper and the mower, and all the agricultural machinery over all
of it, without any problem (“without feeling / experiencing any difficulty”).
5
(delwedd
FFRWYTHLONRWYDD Y TIR.
Mae y pridd o liw tywyll — nid y pygddu, ond y gwineuddu (brown black),
y cwbl yn hollol rydd oddiwrth geryg a dyrysni, ac yn addas i gynhyrchu yd a
gwair. Pan aredir y tir y waith gyntaf, plenir y corn ar y sod a
chyfrifir 30 bushel yr erw yn gnwd da — bydd rhai yn cael cymaint a 40 bushel.
Rhydd y State Agricultural Society y cyfrif a ganlyn o fushels ar
yr erw o dir diwylledig, yn ei hadroddiad am 1870: - Gwenith 25, corn 75,
ceirch 60, haidd 50, cloron 300. Dywed y State Board of Commissioners of
Immigration yn eu hadroddiad diweddaf, fod cywarch a llin (hemp and flax)
yn talu yn odidog; fod y llin yn gnwd buan; y bydd i’r amaethwr dderbyn y budd
oddiwrtho yn mhen tri mis ar ol gosod yr hâd yn y ddaear, ac y cynhyrcha o 15 i
22 bushel o hâd llin ar yr erw.
FERTILITY OF THE LAND
The earth is dark in colour — not pitch black, but brown black, and it is
completely free from stones and tangled roots and is suitable for producing
cereals and grass. When the land is ploughed for the first time, the corn is
planted on the sod and 30 bushels an acre is considered to be a good
crop — some get as much as 40 bushels. The State Agricultural Society gives
the following amount for bushels per acre of cultivated land, in its report for
1870: - Wheat 25, corn 75, oats 60, barley 50, potatoes 300. The State Board
of Commissioners of Immigration says in its latest report that hemp and
flax yield are very profitable (“pay excellently”); that flax is a
quick-growing crop; the farmer receives the benefits of it three months after
putting the seeds in the ground, and it produces from 15 to 22 bushels of
flax seed per acre.
6
(delwedd
7617g)
COED
Ceir hwynt ar yr aberoedd; ond, ar y prairie, bydd rhaid eu planu, ac y maent
yn tyfu yn hynod gyflym, lle y mae y prawf wedi ei wneyd. Dywedodd ffarmwr
profiadol wrthym, pe gwnaem blanu osage, y rhai sydd debyg i ddrain
gwynion yr hen wlad; a gofalu am danynt, y byddai genym berth yn mhen tair
blynedd a dry unrhyw anifail. Ac am goed i adeiladu tai, cawn ddigonedd o
honynt yn nhref Harvard yn ein hyml, am yn agos yr un bris ag a delir yn
Chicago. Er tanwydd, ceir glo wrth y station yn Harvard, a phan orphenir y St.
Joe a'r Denver R. R., daw y glo atom o Colorado yn llawer is ei bris nag y ceir
yn awr.
TREES
They are to be found by the streams; but on the prairie it will be necessary to
plant them, and they grow remarkably quickly, where this has been tried (“where
the test has been done”). An experienced farmer said to us that if we planted osage,
which is similar to white hawthorn in the old country, and if we looked after
it, we would have a hedge in three years which will turn away any animal (“will
turn any animal”). And as for wood for building houses, we get plenty of it
from the town of Harvard next to us, for almost the same price which is paid in
Chicago. As for fuel, coal is obtainable from the station in Harvard, and when
the St. Joe and Denver Railroad is completed, coal will come to us from
Colorado at a much lower price than what is obtainable at present.
7
(delwedd
7617h)
DWFR
Ceir digonedd o hono yn mhob lle wrth dyllu. Daw tri dyn atom ar ben boreu, a gosodant
yr ebill ar waith, ac ar ol myned i'r dyfnder o 40 i 80 troedfedd, tarawant yn
gyffredin ddigonedd o ddwir meddal, na ddihysbyddir mo hono. Gorphenant yr holl
waith mewn un diwrnod, am bris o 75 i 80 cent y droedfedd.
WATER
Plenty of it is obtainable everywhre by boring. Three men come to us early in
the morning, and they set the auger to work, and after going to a depth of 40
to
8
(delwedd
7617i)
MARCHNADFA.
Gorwedda Gwalia Deg ar un o brif ffyrdd y genedl o fôr y Werydd hyd y môr
Tawelog. Os awn i San Francisco deuwn i gyffyrddiad âg ynysoedd y môr, yn nghyd
â'r dwyreinfyd mawr. Os awn tua dwyrain yr Unol Dalaethau, gallwn groesi y
llynoedd a tharo y Werydd ar dueddau America Brydeinig, a dyfod i gyffyrddiad â
hen wledydd cyfoethog Ewrop. Yn Plattesmouth a St. Joe, gallwn gymeryd yr afon
fawr Missouri, yr hon sydd yn llongwrol am 4000 o filltiroedd, a chael marchnad
yn y trefi a'r dinasoedd mawrion yr awn heibio iddynt, a chawn trwy Lynclyn
Mexico fynediad i America Ddeheuol, a chyffwrdd â Brazil, a'r Argentine
Republic, a chludo hefyd ddefnydd cynaliaeth i'r Patagoniaid, os deuant rhyw
bryd i gyfyngder. Amlwg yw y bydd marchnad y byd yn agored i ni, a gallwn hefyd
fabwysiadu geiriau Zachary Taylor, "Ein bod mewn heddwch â'r byd, ac â’r
lleill o ddynolryw." Ond os dywed y darllenydd fod y farchnad uchod yn rhy
eang a chyffredinol, dywedwn fod y Reilffyrdd yn creu marchnad wrth ein drysau.
MARKET.
Gwalia Deg lies on one of the nation’s main routes from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Pacific Ocean. If we go to San Francisco we come into contact with the
Pacific Islands (“the ocean islands”), as well as the great Orient (“the big
eastern world”). If we go to the east of the United States we can cross the
lakes and come to the Atlantic (“and hit the Atlantic”) on the edges of British
America, and come into contact with the old rich countries of Europe. In
Plattesmouth and St. Joe we can take the great Missouri river which in
navigable for
9
(delwedd
7617j)
Y DRAUL I DDYFOD ATOM
Gall ein cenedl yn yr hen wlad gael allan y draul o Lerpwl i New York. Bydd y
draul o New York i Lincoln, prif ddinas Nebraska, yn $28,60, a chyda’r express
yn $44,45, ac ar ol cyrhaedd Harvard, taith 3 neu 4 awr o Lincoln, byddwch yn
NGWALIA DEG, ac os bydd yma gan y llywodraeth dir heb ei gymeryd, gall pob dyn
21 mlwydd oed, a phob merch yn gystal a’r mab fyddo yn yr oed uchod, ond datgan
eu bwriad i fod yn ddinasyddion, gymeryd 80 erw yn rhad, ond tebyg yw, na symud
y Cymry yn ddigon buan i gael y fraint hon; yna yr unig gyfleusdra fydd tiroedd
y Rheilffordd. Gwerthir ganddynt o 15 o ddoleri i 5 yr erw, a 10 mlynedd i dalu
ar lôg o 6 y cant; ac os telir y cwbl ar unwaith, gostyngir y pris 20 y cant,
sef un rhan o bump. Mae yr amodau hyn yn hynod o esmwyth. Os bydd rhai yn
ngwlad ein tadau yn cael ar eu meddwl i ddyfod yma, gallant alw yn Swyddfa y
Burlington Route, yn 16 South Castle-street, Lerpwl, a gwneyd yr holiadau a
farnant yn briodol yno. Deuwch ar unwaith, gallwch yn awr gael dewisol diroedd.
Cewch yr efengyl yma ar unwaith yn yr hen iaith, a chewch ysgolion o radd uchel
i’ch plant. Cewch wlad iach, a gwlad a ddaw yn gyfoethog, fel y gallwn wrth
ddiweddu ddefnyddio geiriau Montgomery –
“The wandering mariner, whose eyes explore
The wealthiest isles, the most enchanting shore,
Views not a realm so bountiful and fair,
Nor breathes the spirit of a purer air.”
R. R. WILLIAMS, Cincinnati, O.
DAVID JONES, Gomer.
THE COST OF COMING TO US.
Our fellow-countrymen (“our nation”) in the old country can find out [for
themselves] the cost from Liverpool to New York. The cost from New York to
Lincoln, the main city in Nebraska, is $28.60, and with the express is $44.45.
And after reaching Harvard, which is 3 or 4 hours from Lincoln, you will be in
GWALIA DEG, and if the Government has land here which hasn’t been taken, every
man who is 21 years old, and every woman as well as man who is of that age,
merely by stating their intention of being citizens, can obtain (“can take”)
“The wandering mariner, whose eyes explore
The wealthiest isles, the most enchanting shore,
Views not a realm so bountiful and fair,
Nor breathes the spirit of a purer air.”
R. R. WILLIAMS, Cincinnati, Ohio.
DAVID JONES, Gomer.
Here is the April 1878 article, along with
the reference to it in the index, and the nameplate / masthead (they have been
added together in the image below)
Dyma erthyglEbrill 1878, ynglŷn â’r cyfeiriad ati
yn y mynegai, a’r banernod (wedi eu rhoi at ei gilydd yn y delwedd isod)
(delwedd
7620)
10
(delwedd 7618b)
GWALIA DEG.
Parch. R. Everett, D. D., — Hynaws Olygydd, — Mae cynydd mawr wedi bod yn swydd
Clay, Neb., er pan aethum yno gyntaf; lle gwyllt ac anial ydoedd y pryd hwnw,
heb na R. R., na chwrdd, nac ysgol ddyddiol na Sabbothol. Yn awr mae yno bedair
o eglwysi wedi eu sefydlu, pedair o ysgolion Sabbothol ac amryw ysgoldai. Pan
aethum yno gyntaf yn Gorphenaf 1871, nid oeddwn yn gweled yr un ty am 24
milltir, wrth deithlo i fy nghyhoeddiadau o Sutton i'r Little Blue. Barnai
eraill a fy hunan ein bod yn gallu cyfrif 32 o dai newyddion ar un olwg ar y
Prairie yr Hydref diweddaf. J. Llewelyn a fy hunan ydoedd unig frenhinoedd
Cymreig y wlad yr amser hwnw. Yn awr mae yno amryw deuluoedd Cymreig pur,
diledryw.
GWALIA DEG.
Rev. R. Everett, Doctor of Divinity, — Dear Editor, A great deal of progress
has been made (“there has been a great increase”) in Clay County, Nebraska,
since I first went there. At the time it was a wild and desolate place, without
a railroad or church, and neither a day school nor a Sunday school. Now four
churches have been established, four Sunday schools and various schoolhouses.
When I first went there in July 1871, I didn’t see a single house for
11
(delwedd
7618c)
Oddeutu blwyddyn yn ol daeth y ddau frawd anwyl o Cincinnati a Gomer yno.
Pregethasant yr hen efengyl gyda nerth a dylanwad mawr yn Gymraeg a Saesoneg.
Enwasant y wlad yn "Gwalia Deg," ac aethant adref at eu teuluoedd a'u
heglwysi. Dychwelasant drachefn gan draddodi gair y bywyd fel pe byddent o dan
yr eneiniad sanctaidd. Mae rhagor o le i amaethwyr a chrefftwyr yn Gwalia Deg,
gyda manteision crefyddol yn yr iaith Gymraeg.
About a year ago the two dear brethren
from Cincinnati [Ohio] and Gomer [Ohio] came here. They preached the gospel
(“the old gospel / the dear gospel”) with great force and influence in Welsh
and in English. They named the land "Gwalia Deg," and they went home
to their families and their churches. They returned once more and preached the
word (“expounded the word of life”) as if empowered by the Holy Spirit (“as if
they were under the holy unction”). There is still a place for (“there is more
space for”) farmers and craftsmen in Gwalia Deg, with provision for religous
worship (“with religious advantages”) in the Welsh language.”
12
(delwedd
7618d)
Dyfynaf gyfarchiad gan y Parch. D. Knowles i mi pan yn llafurio yno fel
cenhadwr yr haf diweddaf: —
“Boed llwyddiant a noddiant y nefoedd
Yn aros ar Gwalia Deg mwy;
Doed dynion a'u da lon deuluoedd
I’w gwaenoedd, a Duw gyda hwy.
Hir iechyd a bywyd i'w bugail,
Fy mrawd hoff ac araul, a'i dŷ,
Boed iddynt drwy hoff Geidwad Israel,
Y fraint o wel'd llwyddiant y llu.”
Eich ewyllysiwr da hyd byth,
Florenceville, Iowa. J. A. JONES.
I quote a poem of address to me by the
Rev. D. Knowles when I was working there as a missionary last summer: —
“May Gwalia Deg have success
and the patronage of Heaven for evermore (“may succcess and the patronage of
Heaven remain evermore on...”)
May men come with their good and cheerful families
To its prairies (“its moors”), and may God be with them (“and God with them.”)
Long years of health and life (“long health and life”) to its pastor
My belovèd fine (“pleasant, agreeable”) brother, and to his church (“his
house”)
May they have through the belovèd Saviour of Israel,
The privilege of seeing success for his flock (“seeing the success of the
multitude”)
Wishing you well for evermore,
(“your good well-wisher for ever”)
Florenceville, Iowa. J. A. JONES.
....................................
In the book entitled “The
History of the Welsh in Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Iowa" (1895)
there is mention of the Rev. John A. Jones and the Gwalia Deg settlement in
Nebraska. Yn y llyfr "The History of the Welsh in
Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Iowa" (1895) mae sôn am y Parchedig
John A. Jones a gwladychfa 'Gwalia Deg' yn nhalaith Nebraska.
This is what is said about him: Dyma a ddywedwyd
amdano:
"Rev. John A. Jones Born at
Rheidiol (sic), near Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, Wales, in the spring of 1828.
His parents, John and Catherine Jones, removed when he was a child, to a farm
called Nantyrhydd near Nanteos. This was also the home of Rev. Thomas Edwards,
Dr. Lewis Edwards and the eminent Welsh musician Ieuan Gwyllt..."
And after he removed to America: Ac ar ôl iddo
fynd i fyw i America:
"He preached in English to the Foreston church every Sunday morning
and in Welsh to the few Welsh families at Bristol Minnesota, in the afternoons.
The only Welsh families then in that now populous Welsh settlement were: David
J. Davies, William Davies, J. Jones, John R. Williams, Owen Jones, and Richard
W. Jones. His next move was to Floranceville, nine miles south of Foreston,
where he organized a church of nine members. Before he left the membership
increased to fifty and a church edifice was built at a cost of $4,000. He was
sent in 1871 by the Home Missionary Society to Nebraska and there organized an
English church and helped to found the Welsh settlement of "Gwalia
Deg". In 1874 he removed to Salem, Neb., where he labored with great
success for six years. In 1880 the Home Missionary Society sent him to
California and he ministered two years in Calaveras county, then at South
Vallejo and Crockett.
.......................
In August 2008 we journeyed from Iowa to Colorado, calling in at the Great
Plains Welsh Heritage Centre in Wymore, Gage County, Nebraska.Ym mis Awst 2008 buom ar daith o Iowa i Colorado, gan alw
heibio i Ganolfan Treftadaeth Gymreig y Gwastadeddau Mawr yn Wymore, Swydd
Gage, , Nebraska. We were keen to visit Gwalia Deg, but we didn’t know
exactly in what county it was. Buom yn awyddus i
ymweld â Gwalia Deg, heb wybod yn union ym mha swydd yr oedd. We now
know it was in Clay County. Erbyn hyn y gwyddom taw yn
Swydd Clay y mae. At the time we understood it was possibly in Hitchcock
County, near the town of Trenton. Y pryd hwnnw cawsom
ar ddeall ei bod o bosibl yn Swydd Hitchcock, ar bwys tref Trenton. Here
are two videos showing our attempt to find the village Dyma
ddau fideo o’n hymgais i ddod o hyd i’r pentref – but it was all in
vain, though we did find the graves of some Welsh pioneers in the west of the
state. – yn
ofer, ond cawsom hyd i gerrig beddau arloeswyr o Gymry yng ngorllewin y
dalaith.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVfUk1qbLFc
15-09-2008 PART 1 / RHAN 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgbzVOCPFg
15-09-2008 PART 2 / RHAN 2
At present (12 January 2011) we have no
more information about Gwalia Deg. Nid oes gennym
ragor o wybodaeth am Gwalia Deg ar hyn o bryd (12 Ionawr 2011). We hope
to get the opportunity sometime soon to pay another visit to Nebraska. Gobeithiwn gael y cyfle i ymweld â Nebraska rywbryd eto cyn
hir o dro and to look around Clay County i gael
teithio o gwmpas Swydd Clay.
.....
NOTE ON THE NAME GWALIA DEG
Gwalia Deg means “Fair Wales”. Gwalia [GWAL-ya] is a poetic name for Wales.
The
name Wallia, a Latinisation of the English name Wales, was used in documents
written in Latin by the Norman-French and the English.
The medieval Latin name for England was Anglia (and is used in the regional
name of East Anglia for a part of eastern England). Anglii (the Angles) and
Anglia (territory of the Angles) were at first used by writers in Latin to
refer to Western Germanic tribes in general before being used as a synonym of
English Angelcynn (Angle-kin, the family of the Angles, and was used to mean
both (i) the Angles as a people, and (ii) the land of the Angles, England).
Medieval
Latin writers Latinised Cornwall was Cornwallia (using the Latin ending
denoting a country –ia ).
Possibly
Wallia was formed in imitation of Cornwallia.
It
is wal- [wal] the first syllable of the name Wales. (The vowel in the English name Wales would
have in fact been long [waal-], later becoming the diphthong of the modern
language [weil-]).
(The name Wales did not originally indicate a place; it is a people name, from
an Old English plural form meaning “people not like us; people who are
foreign”. But the name came to be applied to the country – “[the land of] the
people who are different to us”)
Welsh medieval poets took the name Wallia and adapted it to Welsh usage. A word
beginning with [w] is usually the result of a soft mutation, where an original
initial [g] is lost. Thus “gwynt” is wind, but windmill is “melin
wynt” (soft mutation of a qualifying adjective or noun after a feminine
singular noun).
Historically, words beginning with w- always had a base form beginning with
gw-. So when words with an initial [w] were taken from English they generally
fitted into the system by acquiring an initial [g].
Examples are Old English [wal] (a wall), which became Welsh gwal, and
Middle English [wast] (= waist) and [wast] (= waste) which both became Welsh gwast.
In the same way Latin Wallia became Gwalia in Welsh.
(Modern words with intial [w] taken from English no longer have an intial [g] –
wel is the sentence filler well, and wall is always wal
in the modern language)
Gwalia was very popular in Victorian times as a poetic name for Wales. Today
though it sounds rather antiquated and overly romantic.
The word “teg” [te:g] means fair.
Gwalia + teg means “fair Wales”.
After
a feminine singular noun, an initial consonant undergoes soft mutation where
possible. The consonant [t] becomes [d], resulting in Gwalia Deg [GWAL-ya DE:G]
END / DIWEDD
Latest update / Adolygiad diweddaraf: 22.30 12-01-2011
Sumbolau arbennig: ŷ ŵ
Ble'r wyf i? Yr ych chi'n ymwéld ag un o dudalennau'r
Gwefan "CYMRU-CATALONIA" (Cymráeg)
On sóc? Esteu visitant una pàgina de la Web
"CYMRU-CATALONIA" (=
Gal·les-Catalunya) (català)
Where am I? You
are visiting a page from the "CYMRU-CATALONIA" (= Wales-Catalonia) Website
(English)
Weə-r àm ai? Yùu àa-r víziting ə peij fròm dhə
"CYMRU-CATALONIA" (=
Weilz-Katəlóuniə) Wébsait (Íngglish)
Search this website Archwiliwch y wefan hon
---
Structure of teh website Adeiladwaith y wefan
---
Maintenance of the website Gwaith cynnal a chadw
Cysylltwch â ni trwy’r llyfr ymwelwyr: YMWELFA
CYMRU-CATALONIA
