Ffa A Cwtchdanstar

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18 April 2018 at 19:16

Seeing as the ffa I planted months ago has finally come up, and it's been sunny and warm (!!!) today I planted: the other packet of ffa (broad beans), carrots, beetroot, turnip, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, onions, chives, garlic chives, parsley, sweet pea and morning glory all in raised beds. Gardeners Delight and yellow tomato seeds have also been planted and are sitting in seed trays on the front windowsill.

Mrs Lasagne  Oh it sounds lovely in your garden Benxxx

Mrs J W  You were taught well by your parents Ben as my brother and I was xx

Mr GJ  Da iawn Ben, ffa yw ffa

Bentonbag  It's the same with cwtchdanstar. I just can't say cupboard-under-the-stairs.  We all say cwtchdanstar in this house now, and Fester has to translate for visitors.

Ms Telyn  Phonetic pronunciation please for the non Welsh! Looks like a fab word.

Bentonbag  Cwtch with a short oo and ch as in chuff.  Dan as in karate.  Star as in the night sky.  And you have to say it swiftly in three short syllables.

Cwtch has many meanings (including cuddle) but in this instance means a small space that you can't stand up in: a hen coop would be cwtchiâr.  Dan means under.  Star means stairs

Ms Telyn  So chudanstar then?

Bentonbag  Hard c in Welsh unless followed by an h - so more kutchdanstar.

I was brought up in a truly bilingual part of Wales, although we were an English speaking household.  When, aged 5, I started Cwmifor school at least half the children were mam-iaith Cymraeg (first language Welsh) and most of our neighbours would slip from English to Welsh depending on who or what they were talking to or about.   

Dad would sometimes do this and I treasure the memory of a letter he once sent with a line in Welsh about something too close to the heart for English.

Henffrind (my oldest best friend) and I have only recently started using Welsh together.  For most of our childhood it was English, however in the kitchen with her Gran both languages were used and flowed into each other with everybody following the conversation.

So there are some things that I still only use Welsh for:-

Ffa because a regular conversation starter at this time of year was 

“Is your ffa up yet?”

Cwtchdanstar because we lived in a bungalow so I only ever heard the Welsh word.