Welsh - English translation

Welsh to English: recognise the word behind its mutation

A changed initial consonant need not mean a different noun

Welsh mutation can alter a word’s first consonant according to its grammatical surroundings. If an unfamiliar noun is not found under its visible spelling, identify the underlying dictionary form before assuming it is a name or a typing error. The preceding word often explains the change.

Dy dad means “your father,” with dad representing a mutated form of tad. Fy nhad means “my father,” using another mutation pattern. English normally preserves the noun unchanged while changing the possessive. Translate the whole ownership relationship rather than treating dad and nhad as unrelated vocabulary items.

A possessive can leave the owner ambiguous in isolation

Welsh ei can mean “his” or “her,” with a mutation on a suitable following word contributing to the distinction. Read the complete phrase, not just the possessive. Earlier names and the surrounding message are also important when several people are discussed.

An English translation should not make a confident ownership choice from an isolated fragment that does not establish it. Repeat a known name where that makes the reference clear, or preserve uncertainty where necessary. A fluent sentence still fails if it gives the document, house, or family relationship to the wrong person.

Reconstruct the English clause instead of its source order

Welsh can use verb-initial order and constructions involving a form of bod with a verb-noun. English usually needs a different arrangement. Identify the subject and the action before deciding which English tense and auxiliary express the same message.

A Welsh expression that looks like a noun in a dictionary may be functioning inside a verbal construction. Do not translate it as a detached English noun if the source reports or requests an action. Conversely, a heading that merely names a task need not be expanded into a command. The purpose of the line matters as much as its individual vocabulary.

Handle place names and accents as meaningful spelling

Tŷ means “house.” The circumflex is part of the spelling and should be preserved while identifying the word. Welsh place names can also appear in mutated forms inside sentences. Use an established standalone English or Welsh name according to the document’s purpose rather than treating every visible variant as a different location.

Welsh has regional and register differences, so a conversational form should not automatically be dismissed because a formal grammar gives another one. Translate the intended meaning and tone into readable English. Finally, compare names, quantities, dates, and reference identifiers separately from the prose. The recipient should be able to locate the same booking or record even when the sentence has been reordered and the source mutation no longer has a visible English counterpart.