Old Welsh

Wales is the only part of the British Isles in which a version of the Brythonic language has been spoken without a break down to the present day. Brythonic is the mother language from which Welsh, Cornish and Breton evolved. It developed into Old Welsh during the 500s and 600s.

The example of Old Welsh which you can hear on this page is an extract from a series of englynion, or three-line verses, written down in the 800s and known as the Juvencus poems. It is the lament of a lone soldier, whose only companion is a mercenary from the Continent who does not speak his language. While they can fight together, communication is limited.

Professor Ifor Williams thought the word franc denoted a 'foreign mercenary soldier', comparing it to the Irish francamais for the same. If the word refers to someone originally from the Carolingian Empire, he would have spoken a form of Gallo-Romance (or if from the eastern areas, perhaps Germanic).

Transcription of the audio passage:

Niguorcosam nemheuaur henoid

Mitelu nit gurmaur

Mi am [franc] dam ancalaur. Nicanãniguardam nicusam henoid

Cet iben med nouel

Mi amfranc dam anpatel. Namercit mi nep leguenid henoid

Is discirr micoueidid

Dou nam riceus unguetid.

English translation:

I shall not talk even for one hour tonight,

My retinue is not very large,

I and my Frank, round our cauldron. I shall not sing, I shall not laugh, I shall not jest tonight

Though we drank clear mead,

My Frank and I, round our bowl. Let no one ask me for merriment tonight,

Mean is my company,

Two lords can talk: one can only speak.

English translation after Ifor Williams. Source: R. Bromwich (ed.) 1980, The Beginnings of Welsh Poetry. Studies by Sir Ifor Williams D. Litt., LL.D., F.B.A. (University of Wales Press), 89-121; Old Welsh reading by Peter Wynn Thomas