第 142 节
作者:随便看看      更新:2021-02-25 00:47      字数:9322
  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