Weird and Wonderful Welsh Words!

 

It’s weird! It’s fun! It’s Welsh!

I always dreamt of going to Wales to enjoy the sights, taste their unique food items and meet new friends. So, I packed my bags, got my passport, crossed my fingers and started my adventure! It is one adventure I will never forget!

The place is fantastic, but I felt like I was in another planet! Don’t get me wrong, the Welsh folks are friendly people. They just have this ‘weird’ language. You will get a migraine trying to decipher them. Let me give you some examples.

How about “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch”? Nope! My computer keys didn’t go wacko! And, it’s not a joke. It is a nice little village in Anglesey, Wales that is very popular to tourists because of its unique and tongue-twisting name, the longest in Europe.  Believe it or not the translation is “Saint Mary’s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of Saint Tysilio of the red cave”. Yap! THAT simple!  I checked the pronunciation and I got the “gogo” part right! Am I good or what!?

“Popty ping” sounds like a candy or a toy, right?  I was in a village and it was a bit nippy, so I asked my new Welsh friend if I could heat up some coffee. She replied, “Just use the popty ping right there.” Imagine me scratching my head and saying,“Ahhh….hmmm? Huh?!!!” I found out later she was referring to their microwave oven. “Popty” is the Welsh word for oven while the “ping” is sound of the microwave after the heating or cooking is done!  See? I told you. Cute yet … mind boggling!

While trying some of their Welsh beers and their Penderyn, folks kept saying not too much or you will go “Igam Ogam” later. I was thinking – Flintstone language? Well, I found out that the word “Igam Ogam” means “zigzag”!  I kid you not!

One last! Do you love morons like I do? Really! I love them! I love to slice them or cut them into bits and chew them ever so slowly! What’s wrong with this writer, you say? Just kidding! I am no zombie (sometimes!) and “morons” in Welsh simply means “Carrots”! Gotcha!

Thanks to my new Welsh friends I enjoyed unique delicacies and beautiful places. I also had a great time learning some Welsh words. It was fun and I love telling them to my friends back home just to irritate them! So, if you plan to take a vacation soon, check out Wales. I am sure you will also say “fi cariad Cymru” or “What!!??” in no time!