Why I want to learn Welsh
Mary Hopkin was, if I recall correctly, the first independent artist the Beatles fell in love with and offered a contract to shortly after they founded their Apple recording label, in the mid-late ’60s. She was a young fresh-faced Welsh girl, with the voice of an angel. Her English language hit out of the box was “Those Were the Days,” my friend, we thought they’d never end…
But elsewhere, hidden away on her one (and only) hit album, was a song sung all in Welsh. “Y Blodyn Gwyn,” was the title. Total Greek to me. But ambrosia to my ears.
You can hear it here.
After falling in love with this song, I looked at programs to study Gaelic with Irish families (you lived with them for 6 months – part of a “living language” program that existed at the time, early-mid ’70s). But ultimately I joined the Army and took my admittedly large language aptitude off to the Defense Language Institute at Monterey, CA, where I became fluent in German…
But.
A large part of me remains gaelic-ly inclined. Y Blodyn Gwyn, indeed. (Also musically inclined. I still aspire to learn lap-harp, to the tune of the anent song. Have already taught myself jigs on a violin, or should I call it fiddle, idionsyncratically tuned, but that’s a post for later…)
I still have no idea what the lyrics mean, lo these many years later. If any reader would care to share a translation of those beautiful lyrics, I’d be most grateful. And maybe, when I have a long summer free, I will still find my way to do a language-in-residence program in Wales or Ireland (of course I know they’re different flavors of Gaelic – but it’s the Gaelic that matters to me, and I have affinity for both areas, so I’d be happy where-ever…)
So many languages, so little time…
And here’s to Mary Hopkin, long may she wave.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
I went to Wales in June and learned the basic pronunciation of their language. My name is Welsh, my brothers’ names are Welsh, and my heritage is Welsh, so the language has enormous appeal.
I don’t think Welsh is a Gaelic language, though…Irish and Scottish are, but I believe Welsh is not. Could be wrong there. But I’ve never heard it referred to as before….
Welsh is a Brythonic Celtic language; Irish and Scots Gaelic are Goidelic Celtic languages. Welsh is not a form of Gaelic.
Y Blodyn Gwyn (The White Flower)
DAINTY SNOWDROP WHY SO EARLY? THESE ARE NOT THE FLOWERING DAYS,
LISTEN TO THE NORTH WIND HOWLING SEE THE SNOW ON MEADS AND BRAES,
LISTEN TO THE NORTH WIND HOWLING DAINTY SNOWDROP, WHY SO EARLY
THESE ARE NOT THE FLOWERING DAYS
TENDER SNOWDROP, WHY SO EARLY? I’LL ADVISE THEE TO THY GAIN,
LEST THE WINTRY BLAST DESTROYS THEE HURRY BACK TO BED AGAIN.
NAY, I LOVE MY EARLY RISING UP BEFORE THE SUN COMES ROUND,
AT THE DAWN YOU’LL HEAR ME CALLING, CALLING OTHERS FROM THE GROUND.
FORTH THEY COME, THESE EARLY RISERS LEAPING TO THE GARDEN LAWN.
OTHERS SLEEP DESPITE MY CALLING, SLEEP TO MISS THE SILENT DAWN.
FORTH THEY COME THESE EARLY RISERS, LEAPING TO THE GARDEN LAWN,
OTHERS SLEEP DESPITE MY CALLING, SLEEP TO MISS THE SILENT DAWN.