Dictionary of Welsh and English Idiomatic Phrases [Paperback]

Alun Cownie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0708316565 | ISBN-13: 978-0708316566

This brand new dictionary, containing some 12,000 Welsh and English idiomatic phrases, is sure to be of interest to both Welsh speakers and learners. The phrases included range from those which are true idioms in both languages and cannot be translated literally - such as chwerthin yn ei dwrn: to laugh up her sleeve - to those where only the use of a preposition is different or peculiar - such as amneidio ar rywun: to beckon to somone. Many of the other phrases contain a peculiarity of vocabulary, word order or tense, which means that they cannot be translated word for word. This is a dictionary which will allow you to look up such diverse Welsh phrases as achub y blaen arnyn nhw, blwyddyn gron, corff yr eglwys, dan ei sang, elwa ar ..., Gorau oll!, mewn bri, siarad fel pwll y mor or wedi chwythu ei phlwc; or to see how to translate such English idioms as all and sundry, cat's whiskers, get a fair crack of the whip, in the nick of time, Mum's the word!, on the off chance, stick out like a sore thumb or throw down the gauntlet. An important aim of this dictionary is to help those learning Welsh to make the difficult transition from idiomatic usage in English to idiomatic usage in Welsh, and it will very quickly earn its place as an invaluable tool in that learning process. However, there is little doubt that it will be of great value to many whose first language is Welsh and to those who are studying in universities, colleges and Welsh-medium schools.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“ . . . a representative compilation on notably sound foundations . . . the most comprehensive and most thorough dictionary of its type currently available . . . a reference work and learning tool which will be of great value to all students of Welsh at all levels, to translators, and to first-language Welsh speakers wishing to improve their command of both languages . . . essential stock, to all academic, reference and lending libraries in Wales, and to libraries anywhere with an interest in Wales, Celtic Studies, Linguistics.” –Reference Reviews

(Reference Reviews )

“. . . Cownie’s compilation contains around 12,000 Welsh and English idiomatic phrases and is likely to prove invaluable to Welsh speakers and learners . . . a dictionary that will enable speakers of all abilities to add flavour and depth to their speech.” –South Wales Argus

(South Wales Argus )

About the Author

Alun Rhys Cownie is a retired university lecturer. He was born in Cardiff and now lives in Pwllheli, where he has learnt Welsh. Wyn G. Roberts is a retired primary school headteacher now living in Pwllheli.

Product Details

• Paperback: 299 pages
• Publisher: University of Wales Press (April 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0708316565
• ISBN-13: 978-0708316566
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,420,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Celtic
  • #56 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Welsh

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.