I have come across a useful ending for saying “more of” by adding “ach” at the end of the word. I have seen the following:
HWYRACH = LATER
GYNNARACH = EARLIER
HAPUSACH = HAPPIER
AMLACH = MORE OFTEN
CYFLYMACH = = FASTER/QUICKER
HENACH = OLDER
TALACH = TALLER
BYRRACH = SHORTER
MELYSACH = SWEETER
CRYFACH = STRONGER
GWANNACH = WEAKER
YMHELLACH = FURTHER
YN AGOSACH AT = CLOSER TO
Are these words legitimate in spoken Welsh? Are there any other useful ones that come to mind?
Yes, they’re legitimate - it’s the standard way of turning an adjective into a ‘-er’ ending. There are irregulars of course (as there are in English).
There’s also the standard way of getting the ‘-est’ ending - for that you use -af, so hwyraf = latest, cynharaf = earliest, hapusaf = happiest, etc. (and again, there are a few irregular exceptions)
Typo alert - it’s cynharach with that h that sometimes sneaks in at the stress boundary of words to make pronunciation smoother.
Also worth noting that an alternative to agosach is nes.
Diolch Siron
Diolch Rob
One interesting thing is the use in place names. In English, Upper and lower (villages, farms, etc) might be the case, but in Welsh it is usually the -af ending. So uchaf (highest) also meaning the higher/upper of the two places.
Hi Siaron! I’m on a roll. I’d be grateful if you could please check that the following are OK (and spelling is correct:
CYNHARAF = EARLIEST
HWYRAF = LATEST (Maybe diweddarra is better fo the context of most recent?P
HAPUSAF - HAPPIEST
CYFLYMAF = QUICKEST/FASTEST
HENAF = OLDEST
IFANCAF = YOUNGEST
TALAF = TALLEST
BRYAF = SHORTEST
MELYSAF = SWEETEST
CRYAF = STRONGEST
GWANNAF = WEAKEST
YMHELLAF = FURTHEST
YNAGOSAF = CLOSEST
DDISGLEIRIAF = BRIGHTEST
SYCHAF = DRIEST
GWLYPAF = WETTEST
HIRACH = LONGER
HIRAF = LONGEST
Mostly fine, just a few notes!
HWYRAF = LATEST (Maybe diweddarra is better fo the context of most recent? - yes, DIWEDDARAF is in context of most recent
HENAF = OLDEST - a spelling variation needed here (it’s one of the irregulars), so HYNAF
IFANCAF = YOUNGEST - yes, particularly in the South but in some places you may also hear IEUAF, IEUANGAF, IFENGAF, and colloquially 'FENGAF
BRYAF = SHORTEST - this is an semi-irregular, so BYRRAF (the r doubling is the irregularity)
CRYAF = STRONGEST - typo I’m sure… CRYFAF
YMHELLAF = FURTHEST - you can also use BELLAF
YNAGOSAF = CLOSEST - this is an irregular. Closest = NESAF (or sometimes but less correctly AGOSAF)
DDISGLEIRIAF = BRIGHTEST - in theory yes, though I’d say most people would tend to use FWYAF DISGLAIR in preference.
As a rule of thumb, single syllable words usually take the -af (except the exceptions of course!), with words of more syllables you will often hear “fywaf xxx” instead.
Diolch eto Siaron.