ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2567 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2567 ************************************ 12 Jun 2002 From: Julie Stampnitzky Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a Welsh woman living in mid-15th century. You also asked if there is a diminutive form like , which is what you would prefer to use. Here is the information we have found. is a fine name for your period. This is the typical Welsh spelling, which we have found in documents from the late 13th century and mid-15th century [1, 2, 3]. In English-influenced records it generally appeared in other spellings, such as , , and . was pronounced \gwen-LLEE-ahn\, where \LL\ represents the unilateral hiss, a sound found in few languages other than Welsh. You make this sound by positioning your tongue as if to say a normal \L\ and then blowing air over one side of your tongue. We haven't found clear evidence of any short form of . We're fairly certain is not correct; nothing like it appears in our sources, and it doesn't follow the patterns of forming pet forms that we've observed in Welsh. If you prefer a short given name, you might be interested in the name , which appears in 15th-century records [3]. The Welsh word for "daughter" is , which was used in this spelling from the 15th century to modern times [4]. The older spelling is also appropriate for your period [3]. , the Welsh form of , was a very common name in your period [3, 5]. It was pronounced \YEH-vahn\. The byname that you gave your father is a fine choice, but we recommend a different spelling: is the form that appears consistently in the 15th century documents we have studied [6]. It is derived from the same word as modern English and literally means "Englishman", but was commonly used in late-period Welsh to mean "English- speaker" [7]. or is an excellent name for a Welsh woman living in the 15th century. In an English document, you might be identified as or . We hope that this letter has been useful to you, and that you will not hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Adelaide de Beaumont, Arval Benicoeur, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Blaise de Cormeilles, Mari neyn Brian, Talan Gwynek, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, and Ursula Georges. For the Academy, Maridonna Benvenuti and Julie Stampnitzky 12 June 2002 ----------------------------------------- References: [1] Pierce, T. Jones, "Lay Subsidy Account 242/50 (AD 1293)" in _The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies_, 5:142-8, 1930; Manor of Nevyn. [2] Lewis, E.A. "The Court Rolls of the Manor of Broniarth (Co. Mont.), 1429-64" in Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, 1944, 11:54-73. [3] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1996). http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/tangwystyl/welsh13.html [4] _Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru_ (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, several dates), s.v. ferch. [5] Williams-Jones, Keith, "A Mawddwy Court Roll, 1415-16" in Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies vol. 23 (1970). [6] Roberts, Glyn. "The Anglesey Submissions of 1406" in The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, XV (1952): 39-60. [7] Morgan, T.J. and Prys Morgan, _Welsh Surnames_ (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1985), s.n. Sais.