madfall
Welsh
FWOTD – 22 July 2014
Madfall
Etymology
A variant of mabddall m (“person who is born blind; blindworm, slowworm; lizard; newt”), from mab (“son”) + dall (“blind”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈmadvaɬ/
Noun
madfall m or f (plural madfallod or madfeill or madfeillod)
- lizard
- 1853, Aeron Afan, sef y Cyfansoddiadau Buddugol yn Eisteddfod Iforaidd Aberafan, page 49:
- Mae cymmaint a phum tylwyth o leiaf o madfallod wedi eu darganfod yma.
- As many as five families of lizards have been discovered here.
- 1854, Yr Eurgrawn Wesleyaidd neu Drysorfa o Wyboddaeth Ddwyfol, Iachusol a Chyffredinol, page 151:
- Fel y fadfall, newidiant eu lliw gyda phob cyflwr a sefyllfa.
- As the lizard, they change their colour with every condition and situation.
- Synonym: genau-goeg
-
- slowworm, blindworm
- Synonym: neidr ddefaid
- newt
- Synonym: madfall ddŵr
Derived terms
- boda madfall (“lizard buzzard”)
- cog fadfallod (“lizard cuckoo”)
- madfall ddŵr (“newt”)
- madfall fonitor (“monitor lizard”)
- madfall gyffredin (“common lizard”)
- madfall y tywod (“sand lizard”)
- tegeirian y fadfall (“lizard orchid”)
Mutation
| Welsh mutation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| radical | soft | nasal | aspirate |
| madfall | fadfall | unchanged | unchanged |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | |||
References
- R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “madfall”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies