Translation request - might be rude!

[Barley]

In a newspaper article of 1891 the journalist "Morien" was quoting an old fellow he met in Penllyn, Vale of Glamorgan, and slipped a bit of Welsh into the article.
But" continued old Evans, laughingly, "He was not without his faults like the most of us," What was his? "Well", was the reply, "he liked 'oncommon' to look at a pretty woman," and he then added, "Un 'navus o'dd e!"
What was that last bit again? What's "Un 'navus o'dd e!"?  Without knowing any Welsh I guess that it has the sense of "He was an old devil, he was". I hope it isn't too rude to translate!
Barbara

[bevbee]

I would say that this was "nafus" as in blemished, damaged, etc.  - from anafus.

B.

[Sam Swift]

I would say it's the way an English person wrote what they heard - the word  "anweddus" which, in the context of what you've posted means indecent or improper.

[Barley]

Thanks to both of you.
Google translate gives nafus = maimed and anweddus = obscene, both well within the context. The man being discussed was a wealthy landowner who seems to have been predatory on local women.

Barbara

[trystan]

Translating a word literally doesn't sometimes come up with quite the right meaning of a phrase.

I'm a Welsh speaker, the phrase is that "He was a hurtful one". (We'd probably in English just say 'he was a nasty one')

Trystan

[Barley]

Thanks Trystan. Yes, I agree literal translations aren't always correct or helpful. For instance,"under the weather" doesn't translate into another language and back again, or at least doesn't come back with anything helpful!

Barbara