Tiny questions with quick answers - continuing thread

I could be way off the mark here, as I’ve never come across it before, but on having a look at GPC, my guess is that it has come from “am ddim” which as well as meaning “for nothing/free”, can also mean “by any means”.
As I said, I’ve personally not heard it used like that, but it’s the only thing I can see that would fit the rest of the sentence.

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Thanks Siaron, It was used once before earlier in the book but I just carried on. After the second usage I thought I’d try to find out. That theory would fit.

Yeah, wondering if it is the original sense of slightest rather than nothing . As in bob dim. Any way possible etc.

As a follow up to my question Siaron, I asked a firsty (from Tudweiliog) today about “ddim” in that sentence and he said, with certainty, that it means absolutely nothing and is there only in the same way that a “innit, y’know, so” type tag is used at the end of a sentence. I won’t lose any sleep over that. :grinning:

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Fair enough then! As I said, that’s a tag I haven’t come across, but I’m expecting to hear it several times in the near future now (that’s how it usually works, isn’t it?! :wink: )

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I keep hearing the word “sgil” on the radio, mostly political interviews. I’m assuming its not the literal Pillion meaning. I listened again this morning to make sure that it wasnt the English: Skill meaning. Im pretty sure it was “yn sgil”. So is it something happening on the back/as a result of something else?

Oh yes, they love this one on the news - yn sgil Brexit - the pound dropped 50%, yn sgil plastig - the oceans are full of rubbish etc etc.

The other definitions you mentioned like - as a result of, in the wake of, etc fit the best - or to me, just simply another way of saying because of, I think.

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It’s just a band name, but I got curious to find out if I’m missing something, if I try to translate word by word:
Bob Delyn a’r Ebillion
And at least @siaronjames should be well informed! :smiley:

I would guess it plays with the similarity with Bob Dylan, and telyn/delyn.

Then for ebillion, the only dictionary where I can get a result, gives me:
auger, borer, peg.

But each of these means many different things in English!!! :dizzy_face:
So which one should I choose?

Yes, you’ve spotted the play on “Bob Dylan” - and Twm plays the harp, so that’s why Delyn is the perfect twist on Dylan!
Harps have pegs - ebillion - for tuning, so Bob Delyn a’r Ebillion = Every Harp and the Pegs :joy:

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Haaa, thanks, I had the impression I was missing something. Got it now, and love it! :joy:

For some reason, among tools, insects, clothes washing…I didn’t think peg also referred to stringed instruments!
(and when I googled ebillion in images, all I got was some watches brand) :roll_eyes:

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yep, on a harp sometimes they’re called pins in English, but they’re definitely pegs in Welsh. Actually, in Welsh the keys or pegs for tuning any stringed instrument are ebillion.

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“Brensiach y brain!” is sort of like “stone the crows!”…so I presume myn brain i - may be in a similar exclamatory vein!

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Just a thought. Is there a literal way of asking “are you married?” Or would you just use “Oes wraig/gywr 'da ti” / Do you have a wife/husband.

I’m not sure where that came from, as I don’t recall ever asking the question in English :smile:

How about “Wyt ti’n briod?” :slight_smile:

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I’ve also heard “wyt ti wedi priodi?” quite often.

They usually ask me with a quizing, surprised tone for some reason. :roll_eyes:

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I constantly get asked “Mrs or Miss” when I sign up for something new … which to me is asking the same thing.

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Ms, Mx, Dr, Rev…? They ought to know there are possibilities beyond Miss or Mrs!

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Dych chi’n briod is the usual way.

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Thanks, Dee. I was wondering if it could be that, but then I wondering if my mind was just changing it from “barod”.

In Level 3, Challenge 5 South, around min 01:20 the translation for
He’s been more slow than we think sounds to me somerthing like:
Ma fe wedi bod yn arafach nag yn ni’n meddwl
How should I properly write it? I don’t really understand what’s going on after arafach! :smiley:

In the tv show Rhannu the subtitles translate Dan ni’n barod i rhannu as let’s play Rhannu.
But what does it literally say? I can guess something about being ready…isn’t it?

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