Author Topic: Welsh placenames  (Read 2783 times)

Offline Top-of-the-hill

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Welsh placenames
« on: Sunday 08 August 21 18:11 BST (UK) »
   The grandchildren have just been to North Wales, and we were talking about placenames. I know there are many beginning with Llan, which on-line translators have as Church. Is this correct? There are also many Llanfihangels, and I have a vague memory that the second element of this is Michael. Am I right?
Pay, Kent
Codham/Coltham, Kent
Kent, Felton, Essex
Staples, Wiltshire

Offline Gadget

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Re: Welsh placenames
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 08 August 21 18:20 BST (UK) »
Llan can be more than Church. *It refers to the area around the Church - the village. Llanfihangel means the church of St Michael

* add -  to clarify, used on it's own it means the village cf pentre
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Offline Top-of-the-hill

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Re: Welsh placenames
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 08 August 21 19:49 BST (UK) »
  Thanks Gadget! Glad I remembered Michael correctly.
Pay, Kent
Codham/Coltham, Kent
Kent, Felton, Essex
Staples, Wiltshire

Offline Ian999

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Re: Welsh placenames
« Reply #3 on: Monday 09 August 21 14:56 BST (UK) »
To add to Gadget's translation, it makes a bit more sense when you think of it as "Church of St Michael the Archangel", and yes there are dozens of them.


Offline Gadget

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Re: Welsh placenames
« Reply #4 on: Monday 09 August 21 15:13 BST (UK) »
Mihangel* is the usual translation of Michael in Welsh and angel is, I think, the same in both languages. Although there are variations  ;D

* the M is soft mutated to  F after Llan

This takes me back to 1st year grammar school - declining the mutations  ;D

Add - try saying LlanFihangel and LlanMihangel and see what sounds best  :)
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Offline Llwyd

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Re: Welsh placenames
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 11 August 21 19:41 BST (UK) »
The dreaded mutations - treigladau - the bane of a Welsh learners life.
 :)
Humphreys; originating in Montgomeryshire and spreading out locally, nationally and internationally.
"Yma o hyd".