Snowdon or Wyddfa

[Tommy Tainant]

Snowdon? Yr Wyddfa!

There’s been a lot of discussion this past week (on both sides of the border!) about a task group that had been set up to examine whether Wales’s highest mountain,

johnmills.wales

There’s been a lot of discussion this past week (on both sides of the border!) about a task group that had been set up to examine whether Wales’s highest mountain, known almost universally as its English name Snowdon, should be in future known only by its Welsh name – Yr Wyddfa.

The Welsh name ‘Yr Wyddfa’ means “the tumulus” or “the barrow”, and in folklore it is believed that the giant Rhita Gawr was buried on the mountain after his defeat by King Arthur. ‘Snowdon’ comes from Saxon “snow dune” meaning “snow hill’, a quite descriptive name, but by origin and definition, a much later naming of the mountain. . It’s been known as Yr Wyddfa long before the people of Wales spoke English.

When you deny a people of its language and its history then that is essentially an act of genocide. Nothing says colony quite like this.

 

[Grumblenuts]

What does Ed say?

 

[Vagabond63]

Why not have both? Many English people have extreme difficuly pronouncing Welsh words, so why create a problem unnecessarily?

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Why not have both? Many English people have extreme difficuly pronouncing Welsh words, so why create a problem unnecessarily?

Ive got no problem with that.

I think a little more education is needed on Welsh pronunciation. Along the border there are welsh place names in England and the locals cant actually pronounce the name of their own town.

Llanymynech being a prime example. The border cuts through the middle of the local pub.
Its the double L thats the main issue. It is pronounced Thl not Ll. Easy peasy.