Welsh

Alternative forms

• bachgennyn

Noun

bachgenyn m (no plural form)

1. boykin; little boy^[1] (diminutive form of bachgen)
   • 1827: Papa John Herring (editor), Greal y Bedyddwyr: neu; Ystorfa efengylaidd, am y flwyddyn 1827; a gyhoeddwyd dan olygiad John Herring, Aberteifi, “Hanesion”, “Amrywiaethau”, page 355, Boddi [Mr. Phillip Jones] (Aberteifi: Isaac Thomas)

     […] nofiodd unwaith yn nghylch 6 milltir, a chario bachgenyn 8 mlwydd oed, ar ei gefn; felly hefyd, y waith hon, efe a nofiodd i dir yn ddihangol, ac arosodd ar y tir yn nghylch pum mynyd, yn edrych ar y bachgenyn oedd gydâg ef yn y cwch, yn nofio ar ei ol; yna gwaeddodd y bachgenyn am gymorth, gan ei fod wedi diffygio, dychwelodd Mr. Jones yn ei erbyn, a phan ddaethant at eu gilydd, gafaelodd y bachgenyn ynddo : a soddasant eill dau heb godi mwy, fel hyn syrthiodd ei fywyd yn aberth i ddyngarwch.

     […] he once swam for around 6 miles, whilst carrying an 8-year-old little boy, on his back; thus also, on this occasion, he swam ashore for safety, and stayed on the land for around five minutes, watching the little boy, who was with him in the boat, swimming after him; then the little boy shouted for help because he was exhausted, Mr. Jones returned towards him, and when they came to each other, the little boy grasped hold of him : hence they both sank and surfaced no more, thus fell his life in sacrifice to beneficence.

   • 1897: David Davies, John Vaughan and his friends; or, More echoes from the Welsh hills, page 304 (James Clarke & Co.)

     […] a little lad (bachgenyn*). He was very young […]
     

     * Here the Welsh translation, as in many other instances, excels the English, in using the diminutive term.

Usage notes

• Bachgenyn is a singulare tantum — there is no diminutive plural form of bachgen; in lieu of a genuine plural form, bechgyn is sometimes employed by suppletion.

Mutation

References

1. ↑ William Evans’ new English–Welsh dictionary (1771) gives bachgenyn as the translation of the English phrase a little lad.