Welsh - Breton vocabulary

ar lan - war c'hlann (on the bank))
athrawon,gyda'r athrawon-kelennourion,gant ar gelennourion(teachers,with the teachers
bara - bara (bread)
bore - beure (morning)
cadair, y Gadair - kador, ar gador (chair, the chair)
canu - kanan, senin (sing)
car - karr (car)
cig moch - kig moc'h (bacon)
cwn - kon, chas (dogs)
Cymraeg - Kembraek (Welsh language)
Cymraeg - Kembraeg (Welsh language)
dawnsio - dansal (dance)
ffordd,heol - hent (road)
Ffrangeg - Gallek (French)
Ffrangeg - Gallek (French)
ffrwythau - frouezh (fruit)
geiriadur - geriadur (dictionary)
Gwyddeleg - Iwerzhonek (Irish)
Gwyddeleg - Iwerzhoneg (Irish)
heddiw - hiziw (today)
heno - henozh (tonight)
Llydaweg - Brezhoneg (Breton)
ma - man (here)
mor - mor (sea)
mynydd - menez (mountain)
yn awr, nawr - breman (now)
nofio - neuin (swim)
Prifysgol, y Brifysgol - Skol-veur, ar Skol-veur(University, the university)
prynhawn - endervezh (afternoon)
Saesneg - Saoznek (English language)
Saesneg - Saozneg (English language)
siarad - komz (speak, talk)
siop - stal (shop)
tatws - avalou-douar (potatoes)
tref, y dref - ker, ar ger (keoded) (town, the town)
ty - ti (house)
ymarfer - poelladenn (practise)
yn - en, e-barzh (in)
ysgrifennu - skrivan (write)

Triban Morgannwg

Da Ddafydd, dywed imi
Yn well, ai pell yw'r gelli?
'R wy wedi blino tramwy'r rhos
Mae'n achos imi ochi.

Dictionary of Welsh Mythology

Afalleneu: Welsh name for the island of Avalon.

Afang: see Addanc.

Afang Du: Black Afang, third child ofTedig the Bald and Keridwen; by his ugliness he was considered to be the most unfavoured of men.It was for him that Keridwen prepared the Cauldron of Knowledge but it was Taliesin who profited from it.

Amaethon: Son of Don, his name comes from the Gaulish <> servant. He is the <>; his four brothers are Gwyddyon, Hyveidd, Govannon, Gilvaethwy and his sister Arianrhod.

Kings of Britain

303+: Persecution of the Christians by Diocletian. - Asclepiodotus (10years)

Adelstan: First King of the Saxons in Loegria, after the downfall of the Britons.

Aeneas: Flees from Troy with his son Ascanius; comes to Italy; is received honourably by King Latinus; Turnus, King of the Rutuli, is jealous of Aeneus; war erupts between Aeneus and Turnus; Aenus kills Turnus,seizes the Kingdom of Italy and the person of Lavinia, daughter of Latinus; ancestor of the Romans and of the Britons too; the father of Ascanius; common ancestor of the Britons and the Romans.

Aeneus Silvius: Son of Aeneus, ruling over Italy at the time when Brutus was King of Britain; still King of Italy at the time when Gwendolen, widow of Brutus' eldest son, Locrinus, was Queen of Loegria.

Welsh - Breton homonyms

Bodennog in Anglesey. - Bodennec in Bolazec and Cast.

Saints days

Dec. 31; St. Sylvester

Hen bennill

Trwm y plwm, a thrwm y cerrig,
Trwm y calon pob dyn unig;
Trymaf peth tan haul a lleuad,
Canu'n iach lle byddo cariad.

Daily Proverb

Dadleu mawr yng nghylch cynffon llygoden.

Pub diary/Journal

Hugely disappointing, given that it's a holiday period. Four regulars turned up, mind you the roads were white and slippery and most people have to drive a fair way to get here, as one French guide book puts it I am "in the middle of nowwhere". Manu works for the local Breton language school in the dining room and comes in most nights for his pint of stout, not Guinness but a local brew called 'Coreff', the same root as 'cwrw'(Welsh for beer). Nanard, the electrician you've already met, he comes in most nights in his big works van for his halves of bitter, he only lives three hundred yards away, Mich Rochard who's retired and travels a lot, you've met him also and Mich who works in the slaughterhouse who stops in at every pub on his way home for two beers; his mother doesn't understand how he earns so little for the hours he puts in. In mid- evening I got a small wedding party in from Poullaouen, they had one drink each and left. Two young English boys came in complaining that it was difficult to pick up girls and that all their friends were selling up and going back home to England. Two minutes after they left a girl came in looking for them. The Welsh couple who, the previous evening, had promised to bring a crowd with them never turned up. I waited by myself until 10.40p.m. closed and left.
Two little stories from last week; 1) There's a woman who used to come in most nights with her boyfriend around 8 o'clock, she's no spring chicken, has recently moved into the village but has mental problems. Normally they would come in and order a beer each for about 4 or 5 rounds then she'd start setting about her boyfriend quite loudly for not contributing to the relationship, which is not conducive to my bar motto which is "ammbiance positive accepted, ambiance negative rejected", they would leave around 10 o 'clock. Then they started coming in around 10 o'clock after doing the rounds of the bars in the other villages. Because he was coming in drunk I wouldn't serve him, 4 times in a row, she didn't understand this, told me I deserved a kick up my bottom and stormed out, he following, slamming the door behind him.
2) Thirty years ago when this was still a part of the 'Wild West'I refused to serve alcohol to one of the locals because he was not in a fit and proper state to drink it, he went outside got hold of an iron bar and threatened me with it (another time a man came back in with a whip). This was probably the first time ever that someone in this village had been refused a drink. A local Landlord, not to be named, served one of my Welsh friends (no names again but he lives on Cowbridge Rd.) until he fell off his stool, the landlord came from behind the bar and my friend thought that he was going to be thrown out, whereupon the landlord proceeded to lift him up, put him back on the stool and bought him another drink; Any way, 2 weeks ago this man from the past came in again with a mutual friend and all was forgotten. Last week he came in drunk again.

 

 

Triban Morgannwg

These are Glamorgan Welsh rhyming verses. This section is on places.

Cyn dod i Gefnygorwydd
Bum yn yr Eglwys Newydd
Lle treuliais flwyddyn ar fy nhro
Hynodol o annedwydd.

Dictionary of Welsh Mythology

Achren: Druidess, she fought at Bran's side against Gwydion during the battle of the shrubs.Her name apparently is that of the tree.

Addanc: Monster, serpent, dragon, the equivalent to the Minotaur, living in a grotto and periodically claiming his tributes from young people. He was killed by Peredur thanks to the stone that 'allowed him to see without being seen'.

Addaon : Son of Talisin. He took part in the battle of Mt. Badon against the Saxons.

Kings of Britain

Here we have Geoffrey of Monmouth's list of kings filling in the historical gaps, giving their synchronisms with approximate dates, followed by an 'index raisonné' of the book.
A.D. 208-11: Severus comes to Britain, builds his wall and dies in York. - Geta,Bassianus, sons of Severus.

Aaron, martyred in the city of the legions, by Maximianus Herculius, he has a church dedicated to him there.
Aballac, The 24th daughter of Ebraucus, King of Loegria.
Achilles, father of Pyrrhus.

A small Welsh-Breton vocabulary

As this is simple vocabulary and not proverbs or poetry I'll do English translations for the Americans and Australians etc. among us.

afal - aval (apple)
ar - ar, war (on)
athro - kelennou (teacher)
can, y gan - kan, ar c'han (song, the song)
cerdded - kerzhout (walk)
ci - ki (dog)
clywed - klevout (hear)
cysgu - kousket (sleep)
darllen - lenn (read)
dyn - den (man)
dynion - denion, tud, gwazed (men)
dysgu - deskin (teach,learn)
edrych ar - sellout ouzh (look at)
gyda - gant (with)
henwr - den kozh, henc'hour (old man)
iaith - yezh (language)
Llydaweg - brezhonek (bretonlanguage)
llyfr - levr (book)
llyfrau - levriou (books)
papur - kazetenn (paper)
prynu - prenan (buy)
siarad - komz (speak,talk)
wybren - ebr,oabl (sky)
y wlad - ar vro (the country)

Welsh and Breton homonyms

From the same book as the Saints:

Bodalog in Merioneth - Bodalec at Locunole, Finistere.

Celtic Saints

'These come from a volume of the Archeological Society of Finistere, Brittany. The Saints names come from 'The Universal Martyrology' of the Abbot Chastelain published in Paris in 1709. Missing Saints names are filled in from the modern Celtic calendar.
I am from Merthyr Tydfil and until I came to live in Brittany thirty years ago, I did not Know that Tudful/Tydfil/Tedvil's Saints day is on the 23rd of August!

Dec. 30; In Ireland, St. Ailbee (Ailbeus), Confessor.
In Ireland, St. Marnoch (Marnochus), of the Order of the Citeaux, whose relics are at Dublin.
Santes Tirid from the calendar.
St. Mael out of another book.
These are not contradictory, quite often there is more than one Saint to a day.

Hen Bennill

From the same book as the proverbs:

Ow fy nghalon! tor os tori,
Pa ham yr wyd yn dyfal boeni,
Ac yn darfod bob yn 'chydig,
Fal ia glas ar lechwedd llithrig.

A proverb a day in Welsh

These proverbs come from an old book, the name of which has worn away,first published in Liverpool in October 1862, secondly in August 1863 and thirdly February 1864. In some cases the spellings are archaic. The point of the exercise is to put into the public domain an interesting aspect of Welsh Culture that's been under wraps. If you are a Welsh speaker get your heads around them, if you're a learner get a dictionary and then get your heads around them. Warning: some of them are pre-politically correct and sexist.

Asgre lan diogel ei pherchen.

Pub diary (journal)

I intend to give a sort of diary report from the bar, given that not many Merthyr people run a bar in the wilds of Brittany it should be ever so slightly out of the ordinary but it won't be easy as virtually nothing happens; last night for example I closed at midnight with four customers, which beats my record of three for the last fortnight.My main trade now is around six o'clock, which is aperitif time, although as I've explained previously my trade is in beer; stout,blanche,organic blonde and a sweet draught bitter based on a recipe from the 'Ringwood brewery' in the 'New Forest' Hampshire but inspired by a visit to Castell Newydd Emlyn (Newcastle Emlyn) twenty four years ago. Most of my regulars were there; Nanard the electrician whose been around Wales with me and who went to Meic Stevens's fortieth birthday party at his birthplace in Solva, West Wales; Jean-Pierre the Council worker who gave up his job in the fish factory because of the threat of redundancy and who sells me my wood for the fire in the open hearth; René the J.C.B. driver; Gilles who is a man of all trades but seems to concentrate on plumbing and it's related sales such as washing machines; Marcel,the Mayor who was born in Plouye and came back to spend his retirement with his wife after a long sojourn in Paris,(yes we have Mayors in little villages of fewer than a thousand inhabitants), his role is also that of first Magistrate and link to the local Gendarmerie. Here I digress, I was taught that 'gendarme' translates 'police' but the police are civil whilst the gendarmes are military and come under the Ministry of Defence and not the Home Office. To continue; Michel who seems hardly ever to have worked but retired with a load of money and plenty of houses and cars, most of which he's now sold off. He's sixty nine years old yet looks and acts forty nine,he has three latent cancers but you wouldn't know it to look at him, he used to take alternative medicine but the authorities closed the place down There's hardly a country in the world he hasn't been to, traveling widely as a youngster and taking it up again in his retirement; Emile the rugby fanatic from the Ardeche region, married a local girl and is to become the father-in-law of my niece (there are very few rugby fanatics in Brittany, it's a game in the south of France and Paris, where everyone is forced to emigrate under the centralised French regime). My first customers of the day came in with a lady who was secretary to the Mayor more than thirty years ago and knew a bit about Wales and the Breton Saints, she new that Wales is 'Bro Gembre' in Breton which corresponds to the Welsh word Cymru,(in the Breton Anthem, which is a version of the Welsh National Anthem,they say Bro for country whereas the Welsh say Gwlad), that is unusual because for the French, Wales is considered to be part of England, a synonym for Gt. Britain or even the United Kingdom. Notwithstanding, the most popularly read French dictionary cum Encyclopaedia 'Larousse' clearly states " England, the largest part of Gt. Britain, limited to the north by Scotland and to the west by Wales". Sorry Cornwall you are officially part of England in the same way that Brittany is officially part of France. The confusion arises because the Franks, corresponding to the Angles & Saxons created France in the same way that the Angles & Saxons created England but they also conquered the whole of Gaul, which was not the situation in Great Britain, therefore France also became the name of the State whereas England didn't.To carry on; A couple came in and ordered two coffees, something I haven't served for years but I have to have alternatives now that I have diabetes and am not allowed to imbibe alcohol because of the sugar content. I run a pub and I've always tried to stay away from the French concept of 'cafe'. The French don't have a pub culture and refer to real pubs as Irish, especially in Brittany because many of them holiday in Ireland and bring the idea back with them, it's the same thing with stout, because of the world-wide renown of Guinness peple believe stout to be an Irish drink, which it isn't, it was accidently brewed in London for the first time when an over zealous brewer burned the malt. Later on a Welsh couple from Cardiff and Ystrad Mynach came in, they've bought a house adjacent to the the church and they're over for the 'New Year',they intend to come beck today bringing a few Welsh friends with them. Two girls came in from Sgrignac and I showed them their photos on the internet, the address of which is http://picasaweb.google.fr/www.tyelise.com and around 10.30 my last four customers came in.

A quiet Christmas

Christmas week was nothing to shout about considering that its the holiday that brings the Bretons home. After thirty years my bar has become a bit of a shrine, as in Tornaod's air "Etre Ty Jos ha Ty Elise", which is Breton for "between Ty Jos and Ty Elise" signifying that they go to the one when in Paris and the other when in Brittany. Although I've been getting a fair trade between 6 & 7 o'clock, I've been by myself most evenings with one or two coming in before closing time. Hopefully the New Year will be better as it's the main holiday; Christmas is family.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Place names/hen bennillion/Tribannau Morgannwg/Gwers

Car cywir, mewn ing e'i gwelir.


175-89; Pope Eleutherius sends Faganus and Duvianus to Britain (1v;19) - Lucius, who dies in A.D. 156 (v.1).


29, Dec.; Saints Dewi (David) & Salaun* (Solomon), Kings of Israel. *Breton spelling.
St. Maeleg.


Berwyn - Berven at Plouzevede and Guiclan, in Finistere.


Dod dy law, ond wyt yn coelio,
Dan fy mron, a gwylia'm briwo;
Ti gei glywed, os grandewi,
Swn y galon fach yn tori.


Caer-lan sydd hardd ar mynydd,
Y Gilfach a 'r Tynewydd,
Ond Hendre Forgan a'r Graig Las
Sy'n maeddu Plas Cilfynydd.


Yr ydwyf i ['n] siarad. - emaon [o] komz. (I am speaking)
Yr ydwyt ti {'n] bwyta. - emaout [o] tebrin. (You are eating)
(Y) mae e ['n] dysgu. - eman(en)[o] teskin. (He is learning)
(Y) mae hi ['n] darllen - eman(hi)[o] lenn. (She is reading)
Yr ydyn ni ['n] cerdded - emaomp [o] kerzhout.(We are walking)
Yr ydych chi ['n] canu - emaoc'h [o] kanan. (You are singing)
(Y)maen(t)nhw['n] cysgu - emaint [o] kousket. (They are sleeping).

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Place names/hen bennillion/Tribannau Morgannwg/Gwers

Cynt y cyferfydd dau ddyn na dau fynydd.


Vespasian comes to Britain (1v.16) - Marius, Coilus.


Dec. 27; St. Alain, Confessor at the Diocese of Quimper.
St. Aidaine, a penitent of Coldingham near Barvic in Scotland.
St. Yann Avielour, from my calender.


Banadlog, Caern.: - Bannalec and Balanec in Finstere.


Hawdd yw d'wedyd, "Dacw'r Wyddfa;"
Nid eir drosti ond yn ara':
Hawdd i'r iach, a fo'n ddiddolur,
Beri i'r claf gymmeryd cysur.


Bum bart o dri diwarnod
Yn rhodio Cefan Hirgod,
Rhwng y dderwen gopa fain
A'r ty sy ar Waunygwaddod.


Rydw i'n bwyta'r afal - Emaon o tebrin an aval.(I am eating an apple).
Mae'n nhw'n dysgu'r gan - Emaint o teskin ar c'han.(They are learning the song).
Rydyn ni'n cerdded gyda'r henwr - Enaomp o kerzhout gant an den kozh.(We are walking with the old man).

Blowing the pub's trumpet; references & recommendations

Michelin, Bretagne; Voyageur pratique.
Guide du Routard, Bretagne Nord.
Fatman in France 1994, "Earth's End.
Rough Guide to Brittany.
Latitude Bretagne, "Le Guide des Bonnes Addresses".
Carnet de Charme Bretagne, 300 Hotels, Chambres D'Hotes, Restos, Bistrots pour le Faire Plaisir, "Monts d,Arree", 2006.
Commerçe de Campagne, "Gestes et Paroles" 2002.
Geoguide Bretagne Nord.
Le Petit Futé.
Deux Siecles des Bieres en Bretagne.
La Nostalgie est Derriere le Comptoir, "France", "Bagdad Café".
La Route des Zincs.
Le Finistere,"Les 283 Communes" 2006.
Whisky 2009,Guide des Bonnes Addresses.
Bretagne Magazine No 25, Mai-Juin-Juillet 2004.
Bretons D'ailleurs,"Bretagne","Yec'hed Mad","Les derniers bistrots bretons"30/07/'97.
La Bretagne des Cafes Plus.
The Claddagh News, Jaargang 2, nummer 4, Verschijnt tweemaandeliks, Augusus 1995
Keltia (Magazine) No 9, Juillet 2008.
Armor (Magazine) No 466, Nov. 2008.
Cambria (Magazine) Haf/Summer 2003.
Ar Men (Magazine) No 85, Mai 1997.
Ar Men (Magazine) No 113 Juillet 2000.
Your Cat, "travels with my cats", (Magazine) Feb. 2006.
What's Brewing (Focus on France) Sept. 1998.
Biere Magazine No 15 Novembre-Decembre 2000.
Bretons d'Ailleurs No 14 Juillet-Aout 1997.
Univers Celtes, No 1. (date forgotten).
Parti (Le Magazine Pratique pour Vos Vacances) (dossier Bretagne) No 20 Juillet/Septembre 1996.
French Times No 5, Autumn 2002.
Herria Eginez, Gidak 1995, ko udako ale berezia. (Basque newspaper).
Egunnkaria, 2001.
Les Strateges (Cotes d'Ar Mor,Finistere, Ile et Vilaine et Morbihan), "TOURISME & SORTIES".
Un Jour, Une Vie en Finistere, "Bonnes adresses" Mai 1997.
Humanité Dimanche No 180, 26/08/1993 au 1/09/1993.
The News (date and number forgotten) English language newspaper for france.
La Voix du Nord (date and number forgotten).
Ouest France, "Le Journal du siecle" Janvier 2000.
WikiPedia.
Journal 13 heures, TF1. (French BBC).
"An Douar hagus an Speir' No 10, a musical air "Etre Ty Jos ha Ty Elise", Album by 'Tornaod'.
L'ombre des tableaux 2003, ROMAN Suspense LIV'POCHE, LIV'EDITIONS.
Festival des Vieilles Charrues 10 ans de Labour
Le Telegramme, "24 HEURES EN BRETAGNE", "Bistrots de Bretagne",8/08/1997.
Ouest France, "Bretagne" 2/01/1998.
Le Telegramme, "Plouye" 11/08/1994.
Le Telegramme, "Plouye" 21/08/1999.
Le Telegramme, 29/08/2003.
Le Telegramme, 21/08/2006.
Le Telegramme, 2/11/2006.
Le Telegramme, 25/08/2006.
Le Telegramme, 20/12/2006.
Le Telegramme, 14/04/07.
Le Telegramme, "CARHAIX" 14/11/2002.
South Wales Echo,"The Stroller" 9/09/1987.
Merthyr Express, 14/04/1983.
Merthyr Express, July 10, 1980.
Merthyr Express, February 9, 2006.
Ouest France, Lundi, 20 Aout 2001.
Ouest France, 14/08/2001
Ouest France, 21/08/2000.
Ouest France, 16/08/2006.
Le Poher Hebdo, 19/08/1999.
Le Poher Hebdo, "Le Guide des Loisirs", 19/08/1999.
Le Poher Hebdo, 23/08/2000.
Le Poher Hebdo, 22/08/2001.
Le Poher Hebdo, 16/08/2006.
Y Dinesydd, "Tro Yn Llydaw" rhif 127, Gorfennaf Awst,?.
Bretagne Hebdo, 24au30 Juillet 2002.
Le Telegramme, "BRETAGNE" Mercredi 11 Decembre 2002.
Le Telegramme Magazine, "Coup de Coeur" 7 Fevrier 1996.
BBC CYMRU'R BYD, Dydd Mawrth, 28 Chwefror, 2006.
Breizh Vibes, 2000.
Ancient footsteps, "Journeys to Sacred Places", 24/07/2006.
maes-e.com, Mercher, Awst 09, 2006.
TREK EARTH, 04/18/2006.
Google Groups:fr.rec.boissons.bieres, Dec. 1999.
De grootste reiscommunity van Nederland, 28 Aug.2006.

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Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Place names/hen bennillion/Tribannau Morgannwg

Cyn fynyched yn y farchnad, croen yr oen a chroen y ddafad.


A.D.43: Claudius comes to Britain (1v,12-15) - Guiderius, Arvirargus.


Dec.26: St. Jarlatee (Hierlatius), Bishop of Tuam in Ireland, titular of the Cathedral Church. St Stefan or Steven from my modern calendar.


Bala - Balc'h in Plouezoc'h and Plouneour-Menez, Finistere.
Cymraeg/Welsh: dala, gwala, eira,etc., - Llydaweg/Breton: dalc'h, gwalc'h, erc'h.


Tros y mor y mae fy nghalon;
Tros y mor y mae f'och'neidion;
Tros y mor y mae f'anwylyd,
Sy'n fy meddwl i bob mynyd.


Blaen Gwrych, Blaen Gwrach, Blaen Gwrangon,
Blaen Ffrydwyllt,Blaen Cynhafon,
Blaen Afan sydd,Blaen Llyfni syw,
Blaen Garw yw'r blaen creulon.


GWERS/LESSON
Mae hi'n gweld y dynion = Eman (hi) o welout ar wazed (She sees the man)
Maen nhw'n darllen y papur = Emaint o lenn ar gazetten (They are reading the paper)
Rwyt ti'n clywed y ci = Emaout o klevout ar c'hi (You hear the dog)

Festive Greetings

 
Iechyd da I chi I gyd. Good health to you all. Nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda. A very merry christmas I hope was had by all. Now we hope to be looking forward to the happy new year that I wish to family, old and new friends and past, present and future customers at Ty Elise.

Christmas Day

Received my insulin injection around 6.30 a.m., went to see my grandchildren playing with their newly opened toys around 11 a.m.,got a present off my daughter, opened the Pub at 11.30 thinking i might get a few aperitif customers,(hour not contents).There's no Pub culture here, everything turns around the meals. Nobody actually drinks aperitifs in my bar they all drink 'Real Ale' but it is drunk at aperitif time. Normally I don't open for the mid-day custom, I leave that for the two bars on the square although today I made an exception. Early on I got two customers who had gone to the square first, only to find the other bars closed. This meant things were looking up except that they were the only two locals that came in. Ten past one I had a good crowd of two English families who are on a weeks Christmas holiday staying in two houses down the road a bit.They enjoyed my local beers and ciders before heading off in mid-afternoon. My regular crowd came in at my normal trading time of six in the evening, drank their beers, then between seven and eight, headed home for their evening meals. The protagonist from yesterdays story came in, I told him that I was suspending him but it turned out he came in to apologise then left. I was quite busy until about 7.30 and one two were getting slightly tipsy, including my friend Jean-Yves, a.k.a. Jaquot last nights hero: eventually they left but just before they did, a group came in, sat around the fire, brought in wood to build it up a bit and ordered one glass each of chouchen (popular local mead) and white wine before leaving me by myself for a few hours until two brothers came in around 10 o'clock, slightly tired,(which is a local euphemism) followed by the wife of one of them, drinking their beers until I asked them to leave at midnight. One customer on Christmas eve night and three customers on Christmas night. I hope that the new year will be better, which it should because it's the main holiday as in Scotland. Christmas is really for family.

Christmas Eve

What a night; underwhelming! I closed at 2.15a.m.although I had the right to stay open all night.Things have changed, between the economic situation, the Police checks and the no-smoking law. For most of the evening after 8 o'clock there was one customer, then there were 2. In the meantime I had refused one who was inebriated before my neighbours came in, a couple from Wrexham. He was shaking and before we could talk about it their 34 year old son who lives with them followed them in looking for a fight with his mother and father. Apparently he'd already caught his father 3 or 4 times outside the Pub. He also tried to pick a fight on my only customer who was standing quietly at the bar drinking his Ricard but he picked on the wrong person.In the meantime his parents disappeared and today, Christmas Day, they are locked out of their house and have to find somewhere else to spend the day.Talk about a Christmas Carol.

Gwers/Lesson

Rydw i'n gweld yr athro = Emaon o welout ar c'helennour.(I see the teacher)
Mae e'n edrych ar yr wybren = Eman (en) o sellout ouzh an ebr.(He is looking at the sky)
Rydych chi'n gweld yr henwr = Emaoc'h o welout an den kozh.(You see the old man)

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Place names/hen bennill/Triban Morgannwg

Cyfaill blaidd bugail diog.


Augustus in power (1v.11) - Tenvantius, Cymbeline* (10+ years). *Cynfelin


24 Dec. Saint Maela (f). (From my calender)


Arianhell on Anglesey - Arhantel in Plouider and Argenton in Porspoder, both Finistere.


Dacw lwyn o fedw gleision,
Dacw'r llwyn sy'n torri'm calon;
Nid am llwyn yr wy'n och'neidio,
Ond am y ferch a welais ynddo.

___________


Ar ben y twyn mi safas
Ac yno mi feddyliais
Nad oedd un crwth na miwsig gwych
A gurai glych Trelalas.

Ramble

Got my insulin injection at 6.30a.m., have to go back to bed because it's Christmas eve and if there are customers I have the right to stay open all night. Now that I've got diabetes I have an insulin injection twice a day, a second in 12 hours time. It's the first time in my life (at 57 years of age) that I'm up before 7 o'clock every day, the first time for thirty years that I'm eating three square meals a day and also the first time that I'm eating at 8 o 'clock in the evening, except for when I ate cheeseburgers the Crown, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil as a stop gap half- way between my tea-time meal and a curry at Hal-Als in Castle Street back in the mists of time. I used to go to Hing-Hongs on the High Street as well because I've always liked Chinese food but now I have to watch out for the sugar level in my blood with my pancreas not doing its job; come to that neither are my kidneys because I also suffer from gout. I have to be careful because sometimes what is good for my gout is bad for my diabetes.

My son Dewi, my daughter Morwen, and my brother Maldwyn guesting

As Yuletide approaches, I, Byn (Bun not Bryn)take this opportunity to wish everyone; Nadolig Llawen/Nedelig Laouen/Merry Christmas/Joyeux Noel.

A re-united Brittany.

Many of you won't know that in 1790 the ancient Duchy of Brittany was divided into 5 departments and stayed that way until the second world war, June 30, 1941 to be exact. The then French President of the 'Vichy Government, Marechal Pétain the 'Hero of Versailles' passed a law, promulgated in reply to an order from the occupying Nazi forces, taking the area around Nantes/Naoned out of Brittany. The idea was to have two territorial circumscriptions in the west, one at Rennes with 4 Departments, the other at Angers with 5, including 'Loire inferieure', thus dis-unifying Brittany. After the War the Free French took over from the official collaborative Government and rescinded its laws; however Nantes stayed in "France". According to the popular French dictionary 'La Rousse' Brittany is made up of the 5 Departments of Finistere, Cotes d'Armor, Ile et Vilaine, Morbihan and Loire Atlantique but the administrative Region is minus Loire Atlantique: there is on going pressure to get it back: that is why I have added the address of 'Bretagne Reunie' to my links. See: www.cuab.org

Hen bennill

Pan fo seren yn rhagori,
Fe fydd pawb a'i olwg arni;
Pan ddaw unwaith gwmwl drosti,
Ni fydd mwy o son amdani.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Place names.

Cadarnach yr edef yn gyfrodedd nag un ungor.


55-54; Julius Caesar invades Britain (1v. 1-10) - Cassivelaunus.


Dec. 22; St. Eved. (my calender)


Argoed in Caerphilly - Nargoat in Querrien,Finistere; Argoat is wooded or forested Brittany.

Music

For those of you who do not already know, there's a group of musicians in Paris of Breton heritage who have two albums on the market; they call themselves 'Tornaod'. You can see for yourselves at :
www.tornaod.com
The reason I'm belatedly telling you this is that on their first album "An Douar hagus an speir" released in 2002 is a medley of which the second part is titled ' etre Ty Jos ha Ty Elise'.which is breton for 'between Ty Jos and Ty Elise'. Ty Jos is a pub/creperie in Paris and Ty Elise is my pub. The significence is that whilst in Paris the homesick Bretons frequent Ty Jos and whilst in Brittany they frequent Ty Elise.

Hen bennill

Clywais ddadrwdd, clywais ddwndro,
clywais bart o'r byd yn beio;
Ond ni chlywais neb yn dadgan
Fawr o'i hynod feiau'i hunan.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Place names.

Breuddwyd gwrach yn ol ei hewyllys


390; Sack of Rome (111.9) - Belinus and Brennius.Gurguit Barbtruc, Guithelin, Queen Marcia, Sisillius 11, Kinarius, Danius, Morvidus, Gorbodianus, Archgallo, Elidurus, Ingenius (7 years), peredurus, an unnamed King, Marganus, Enniaunus (6 years), idvallo, Runo, gerennus, Catellus, Millus, Porrex 11, Cherin, Fulgenius, Edadus, Andragius, Urianus, Eliud, Cledaucus, Clotenus, Gurgintius, Merianus, Bledudo, Cap, Oenus, Sisillius 111, beldgabred,Archmail, Eldol, Redon, Redechius, Samuil, Penessil, Pir, Capoir, Digueillus, Heli (40 years), Lud.


Dec. 21; St. Ethernan, Bishop in Scotland.(My calender says St. Gwinier);


Argae; an enclosure - Ergue-Armel and Ergue-Gaberic in Finistere.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Vocabulary/Place names.

Po tynaf bo'r llinyn cyntaf oll y tyr.


740-701; Isaiah prophesies (11.15) - Cunedagius (2+33 years). Rivallo, Gurgustius, Sisillius I, Kimarcus, Gorboduc, Ferrex and Porrex, the five unnamed Kings, Dunvallo Molmutius (40 years).


20, Dec. St Alar; (off my calender).


Ynys = island - Enez - Ile (island)
Ystrad = valley floor - Stum - non répertorié (meandre)


Arfor = sea coast, coast land. - Arvor in Treflez, Larmor in Plougastel-Daoulas, Larvor in Logonna-Daoulas; all in Finistere.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Vocabulary/Place names.

Balchder heb droed (h.y. heb foddion i'w borthi)


753; traditional date of the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus (11.15) - Leir (60 years), Queen Cordelia (5 + years).


Dec. 19; St. Yuzel (This is off my house Celtic calender as there is no Saint for this date in these archives).


Uchel = high - Uhel,Huel = haut, éleve.(high or elevated)


Afon (river) - Fon-aven and Lesaven in Pont-aven, Finistere.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Vocabulary/Place names.

Nid twyll twyllo twyllwr


874+; Elijah prophesies the drought, under King Ahab (11.10) - Rud Hud Hudibras (39 years), Bladud (20 years).


18 Dec. St. Flamien, a Bishop in Ireland.
St. Muin, Bishop of Forgnuide in Meath;


Tal = end, front - Tal = front, près de.
Tir = land - Tir = terre en friche.
Traeth = sand, beach - Trez = sable, grève.
Traws = transverse, cross - Treuz = traverse.
tref = town, homestead - Trev,treo = division paroissiale.
Ty = house - Ty* = maison.
* My pub is called 'Ty' Elise and the neighbouring bar is called 'Ty' Anna, but unfortunately the Breton schooling movement has opted for 'Ti'.


Aercol. - Argol in Finistere.

To Claire.

I like your ears,
i like your eyes,
I like your nose,
I like your clothes,
I like your hair,
I like your mouth,
I like your chin,
I like your teeth,
But underneath,
who knows.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Vocabulary/Place names.

A wnel dwyll a dwyllir


971-931; King Solomon reigns in Judea - Brutus Greenshield (12 years), Leil (25 years


17 Dec. 627; St; Briach (Briachus) in Brittany.


Sych = dry - Sec'h = sec (dry)


Adwy = gap,rank. - Odeveur in Kersaint-Plabennec, Nodeveur in Plouezech.

I apologise to those who will not receive Christmas cards from me this year as I have lost most of my addresses. Fortunately some were preserved on my computer.

Proverb/British Kings/Saints/Vocabulary/Place names.

A wnel dyn Duw a'i barn


1011-971; King Saul reigns in Judea - Ebraucus (39 years).


16 Dec. V111; St. Bean, Bishop of Murthlac in Scotland.
V11; St. Giguel in Brittany;
St. Berikert(Berikertus) in Ireland.


Rhos = moorland - Roz = colline


Aberig; a rivulet or swift stream - Aberic in Ploudalmezau, Finistere.

Best customer/Proverb/British Kings/Toponomy

Coreff is the name of a Breton brew which gives its name to the first Breton brewery of modern times established in May 1985. The word is the Breton version of 'cwrw' and the beer is brewed in Carhaix after being transferred from Morlaix. Anyway to the point, I've just come back from their Christmas function in the brewery restaurant, where I am pleased to say they presented me with a large Red Dragon clock inscribed with my name and that of the pub for my being their best customer.


A wnel Duw a farn dyn.


1050-1011
Samuel's judgeship [ii.6] - Mempricius (20 years)


15 Dec. 565 - St. Malo (in Normandy; Maclou, in Italy; Mauto). Bishop of Quidalet.
St. Carne, honoured as a matyr at Dinan in the Diocese of St. Malo.


pant - hollow,valley - pant/bant - flanc de couteau
parc - park - parc - champ
pau - a settled country - pou - pays
pen - head,end - pen/penn - tete, bout
plwyf- parish - plouye/plou - paroisse
pont - bridge - pont - pont
porth- gateway,harbour - porz - port,grande porte,cour
pwll - pit,pool - poull - mare


Aber(aeron) - Aber(vrach)

Saints' days

Abbot Chastelain's Celtic Saints published in 1709.(Many of the years are approximate).
14 December, 499 ad. St. Eguigner, martyred with St. Piala his sister and a number of others at Ploudiry, lower Brittany.

Disponibility

I have potentially more time on my hands now that I have to get up before 7 o'clock every morning for my insulin injections, therefore I will resume.

300 o ddiarhebion cymreig, a proverb a day:
"Ar ni phortho gath porthed lygod"

Kings of Britain with Geoffrey of Monmouth's Synchronisms:-

Biblical synchronism - Kings & Queens
1075-1035 B.C. Samuel's judgeship [ii.6] - Gwendolen (15 years). Maddan (40 years).

Cymraeg/Welsh-English/Saesneg - Llydaweg/Breton-Frangeg/French (toponomy)

On = ash trees - Onn = frenes

Cymru - Llydaw
Abaty (Cwm Hir) - Abaty (Landevennec), Nabaty (Rosnoen)

Diabetes

1979 - 2008; What a party! spoiled a little bit about 20 years ago by gout but kept under control by very effective tablets. As our Shirl once sang, 'the party's over'. On November 3rd I went to hospital with toothache and an extremely bad mouth infection that was inhibiting my swallowing. They took a blood sample, the result of which it turns out that I now have diabetes. In a revolutionary change of lifestyle my staple diet has now changed from beer to food, I'm eating 3 times a day for the first time in 30 years and I'm out of bed every morning between 6 and 7 o'clock for the first time in my life. Between 3 p.m. and 1 a.m. I've found that it's much easier to drink 5 litres of beer than 2 litres of aromatic water, tea, coffee, chicory, barley, etc. Oh well life goes on, back to the bar in 4 hours, tan y tro nesa'.