第 142 节
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Gaelic; in the ancient Gaelic; however; there are such numerals as
ceathrachad; seasgad; and naochad; which correspond with
quadraginta; sexaginta; and nonaginta。 The numerals dau; tri; and
pedwar; or two; three; and four; have feminine forms; becoming when
preceding feminine nouns; dwy; tair; and pedair。 In Gaelic no
numeral has a feminine form; certain numerals; however; have an
influence over nouns which others have not; and before cead; a
hundred; and mile; a thousand; do; two; is changed into da; for it
is not customary to say do chead; two hundred; and do mhile; two
thousand; but da chead and da mhile。 (29) With respect to pedwar;
the Welsh for four; I have to observe that it bears no similitude
to the word for the same number in Gaelic; the word for four in
Gaelic is ceathair; and the difference between ceathair and pedwar
is great indeed。 Ceathair is what may be called a Sanscritic
numeral; and it is pleasant to trace it in various shapes; through
various languages; up to the grand speech of India: Irish;
ceathair; Latin; quatuor; Greek; tessares; Russian; cheturi;
Persian; chahar; Sanscrit; chatur。 As to pedwar; it bears some
resemblance to the English four; the German vier; is almost
identical with the Wallachian patrou; and is very much like the
Homeric word 'Greek text which cannot be reproduced'; but beyond
Wallachia and Greece we find nothing like it; bearing the same
meaning; though it is right to mention that the Sanscrit word pada
signifies a QUARTER; as well as a foot。 It is curious that the
Irish word for five; cuig; is in like manner quite as perplexing as
the Welsh word for four。 The Irish word for five is not a
Sanscritic word; pump; the Welsh word for five; is。 Pantschan is
the Sanscrit word for five; and pump is linked to pantschan by the
AEolick pempe; the Greek pente and pemptos; the Russian piat and
the Persian Pantsch; but what is cuig connected with? Why it is
connected with the Latin quinque; and perhaps with the Arabic
khamsa; but higher up than Arabia we find nothing like it; or if
one thinks one recognises it; it is under such a disguise that one
is rather timorous about swearing to it … and now nothing more on
the subject of numerals。
I have said that the Welsh is exceedingly copious。 Its
copiousness; however; does not proceed; like that of the English;
from borrowing from other languages。 It has certainly words in
common with other tongues; but no tongue; at any rate in Europe;
can prove that it has a better claim than the Welsh to any word
which it has in common with that language。 No language has a
better supply of simple words for the narration of events than the
Welsh; and simple words are the proper garb of narration; and no
language abounds more with terms calculated to express the
abstrusest ideas of the meta…physician。 Whoever doubts its
capability for the purpose of narration; let him peruse the Welsh
Historical Triads; in which are told the most remarkable events
which befell the early Cumry; and whosoever doubts its power for
the purpose of abstruse reasoning; let him study a work called
Rhetorick; by Master William Salisbury; written about the year
1570; and I think he will admit that there is no hyperbole; or; as
a Welshman would call it; GORWIREB; in what I have said with
respect to the capabilities of the Welsh language。
As to its sounds … I have to observe that at the will of a master
it can be sublimely sonorous; terribly sharp; diabolically guttural
and sibilant; and sweet and harmonious to a remarkable degree。
What more sublimely sonorous than certain hymns of Taliesin; more
sharp and clashing than certain lines of Gwalchmai and Dafydd
Benfras; describing battles; more diabolically grating than the
Drunkard's Choke…pear by Rhys Goch; and more sweet than the lines
of poor Gronwy Owen to the Muse? Ah; those lines of his to the
Muse are sweeter even than the verses of Horace; of which they
profess to be an imitation。 What lines in Horace's ode can vie in
sweetness with
〃Tydi roit a diwair wen
Lais eos i lysowen!〃
〃Thou couldst endow; with thy dear smile;
With voice of lark the lizard vile!〃
Eos signifies a nightingale; and Lysowen an eel。 Perhaps in no
language but the Welsh; could an eel be mentioned in lofty poetry:
Lysowen is perfect music。
Having stated that there are Welsh and Sanscrit words which
correspond; more or less; in sound and meaning; I here place side
by side a small number of such words; in order that the reader may
compare them。
WELSH SANSCRIT
Aber; a meeting of waters; an Ap; apah; water; apaga;
outflowing; Avon; a river; a river; Persian; ab;
Aw; a flowing water; Wallachian; apa
Anal; breath Anila; air
Arian; silver Ara; brass; Gypsy; harko;
Aur; gold copper (30)
Athu; to go At'ha; Russian; iti
Bod; being; existence Bhavat; bhuta
Brenin; a king Bharanda; a lord; Russian
barin
Caer; a wall; a city Griha; geha; a house; Hindu…
stani; ghar; Gypsy; kair;
kaer
Cain; fine; bright Kanta; pleasing; beautiful;
Kana; to shine
Canu; to sing Gana; singing
Cathyl; a hymn Kheli a song; Gypsy; gillie
Coed; a wood; trees Kut'ha; kuti; a tree
Cumro; a Welshman Kumara; a youth; a prince
Daear; daeren; the earth Dhara; fem。 dharani
Dant; a tooth Danta
Dawn; a gift Dana
Derw; an oak Daru; timber
Dewr; bold; brave Dhira
Drwg; bad Durgati; hell; Durga;
the goddess of destruction
Duw; God Deva; a god
Dwfr; dwfyr; water Tivara; the ocean
(Tiber; Tevere)
Dwr; water Uda; Greek; 'Text which
cannot be reproduced'
Sanscrit; dhlira; the
ocean; Persian; deria;
dooria; the sea; Gypsy;
dooria
En; a being; a soul; that An; to breathe; to live;
which lives ana; breath; Irish; an;
a man; fire
Gair; a word Gir; gira; speech
Gwr; a man Vira; a hero; strong; fire;
Gwres; heat Lat。 vir; a man; Dutch; vuur;
fire; Turkish; er; a man;
Heb。; ur; fire
Geneth; girl Kani
Geni; to be born Jana
Gwybod; to know Vid
Hocedu; to cheat Kuhaka; deceit
Huan; the sun Ina
Ieuanc;young Youvan
Ir; fresh; juicy Ira; water
Irdra; juiciness
Llances; a girl Lagnika
Lleidyr; a thief Lata
Maen; a stone Mani; a gem
Mam; mother Ma
Marw; to die Mara; death
Mawr; great Maha
Medd; mead Mad'hu; honey
Meddwi; to intoxicate Mad; to intoxicate; Mada;
intoxication; Mada; pleasure;
Madya; wine; Matta;
intoxicated; Gypsy; matto;
drunk; Gr。 'Text which cannot
be reproduced'; wine; 'Text
which cannot be reproduced';
to be drunk
Medr; a measure Matra
Nad; a cry Nad; to speak; Nada; sound
Nant; ravine; rivulet Nadi; a river
Neath; Nedd; name of a river; Nicha; low; deep; nichaga;
nedd; a dingle; what is low; a river; that which descends;
deep (Nith; Nithsdale) nitha; water
Nef; heaven Nabhas; Russian; nabeca; the
heavens; Lat。; nubes; a cloud
Neidiaw; to leap; Nata; to dance; Nata; dancing
Ner; the Almighty; the Lord; Nara; that which animates
the Creator every thing; the spirit of
God (31)
Nerth; strength; power Nara; man; the spirit of God;
Gr。 'text which cannot be
reproduced'; a man; 'text
which cannot be reproduced'
strength; Persian; nar; a
male; Arabic; nar; fire
Noddwr; a protector Natha
Nos; night Nisa
Pair; a cauldron Pit'hara
Ped; a foot; pedair; four Pad; a foot; pada; a quarter
Pridd; eart