Literary Equative cyn + -ed

Literary Equatives: Cyn + -ed (Recognition)

Level 6

cyn wynned â'r eira means as white as snow. Speech says mor wyn â'r eira.

How It Works

Recognition only. This pattern belongs to literary Welsh, poetry, hymns and some fixed phrases. In speech use mor ... â.

How it is built. cyn + adjective + -ed, then â:

  • gwyn → gwynned: cyn wynned â'r eira (as white as snow)
  • cyflym → cyflymed: cyn gyflymed â'r gwynt (as fast as the wind)
  • poeth → poethed: cyn boethed â thân (as hot as fire)
  • dewr → dewred: cyn ddewred (as brave)

As with -ach, the stem can change: a final b, d or g hardens to p, t or c (gwlyb → gwlyped, rhad → rhated), and some final consonants double (gwan → gwanned).

Mutation after cyn. Here cyn means "as", not "before". It softens the adjective, except ll and rh: cyn rhated (as cheap), cyn llawned (as full). Â causes aspirate mutation: â thân.

Still used today. The irregular equatives are everyday Welsh: cystal, cymaint, cynddrwg (As Good As), and cyn gynted â phosib (as soon as possible), from cynted.

Exclamations. Literary Welsh can also use the -ed form alone to exclaim: Deced yw hi! (How fair she is!).

Examples (5)

  1. Roedd ei gwallt cyn wynned â'r eira.

    Her hair was as white as snow.

    Spoken: Roedd ei gwallt hi mor wyn â'r eira.

  2. Rhedodd cyn gyflymed â'r gwynt.

    He ran as fast as the wind.

  3. Roedd y tywod cyn boethed â thân.

    The sand was as hot as fire.

    Â causes aspirate mutation: tân becomes thân.

  4. Nid oedd y bwyd cyn rhated ag o'r blaen.

    The food was not as cheap as before.

    Rh does not soften after cyn.

  5. Dewch cyn gynted ag y gallwch.

    Come as soon as you can.

    Cyn gynted is still everyday Welsh.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Literary Equative cyn + -edLevel 6Literary Equatives: Cyn + -ed (Recognition)

Learn This First

Literary equatives use cyn + -ed.

Words in This Pattern

-edâ