ENDING THE WELSH PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 50, 27 August 1938, Page 27

ENDING THE WELSH PROBLEM

The action of Wrexham District Rural Council in adopting English names for certain new thoroughfares in the Ruabon area has shown up another aspect of the language question in Wales, says the "Christian Science Monitor." The- Welsh people want to preserve their language and to retain a Welsh . atmosphere in the villages of Wales. And most tourists would, in theory at all events, like each country to retain as unspoiled as possible its national 'Characteristics. But travellers seeking the villages.of "Llannhangel-y-pennant" or "Penrhyn•deudraeth" naturally feel slightly embarrassed when compelled to ask the way. Even the popular resorts of Llandudno and Pwllheli are most likely to be pronounced as "Landudno" and "Pehelie," instead of the Welsh "fchalan-didno" and "pooth-helley." How would you go about asking for i hotel in Cefndu Street or a restautant in ynys-y-maegyn Road? But it

is argued that these names can be translated into good English and still retain much of their original charm. For instance if Ynys-y-maegyn be split into its component parts it becomes "ynys" meaning an "island" in English, "y" representing "of the" and "maen" a "stone," while "gwyn" indicates "white." Instead .of . "Ynys-y----maegyn Road," therefore, the street sign would read "White Stone Island Road," or—to be literal —"Island of the White Stone Road." In Welsh "aber" has the old Scottish meaning of "at the mouth of," as indicated in "Aberdeen," i.e., "At the mouth of the River Dee." "Cwm" means "valley" in Welsh, and "Moel" a mole or bare hill. After spending a few weeks in Wales one soon recognises and may become able to pronounce these words with some resemblance to their usual sound. But the popular beginning "llan ..." to a place name still baffles people who have lived for years in Wale 3. <