Initial consenant mutation - Altering the beginning of a word/and or the end in certain grammatical situations.
The following is stolen from a random .doc found floating on the internet.
Note: You`ll see the following symbols (s), (n) and (a). These show you that a sound change potentially follows. These symbols are not, used when writing Welsh. They are used to help you notice and come to understand the sound changes. They are to help you as you learn. The sound changes are:
TM(s) Treiglad Meddal (SM soft mutation) Very common in native speech.
TT(n) Treiglad Trwynol (NM nasal mutation) Very limited in native speech.
TL(a) Treiglad Llaes (AM aspirate mutation) Very limited in native speech.
The Welsh word `treiglo` was translated as `to mutate` when discussing the sound changes in Welsh. Given one modern usage of the word `mutate` in English, this has unfortunate connotations. It could have been translated as `to turn, roll, tumble, whirl, change, circulate, spread, move, roam, wander, meander, flow, trickle` etc. So you could think of the sound changes as a soft meandering, a nasal meandering and an aspirate meandering of sounds!
In Welsh, some sounds at the beginnings of words change. (There`s more to it than this as sounds also change in the middle of words and at the end of words, but we don`t need to learn these changes here.) These sounds and the sounds they change into are outlined below. For example, `p` (the sound `puh`) can change into `b` (the sound `buh`), `t` (the sound `tuh`) can change into `nh` (the sound `n-huh`), and `c` (the sound `kuh`) can change into `ch` (the sound `ch-uh` with `ch` as in German `Bach`). The sounds are represented by letters in writing.
You`ll hear native speakers talking or you`ll read something and notice that the sounds have already changed. Remember the principles of reverse engineering. So if you hear `buh` or read `b`, the sound might come from `puh`. Similarly, `n-huh` or `nh` from `t`, and `ch-uh` or `ch` from `kuh`.
Remember that these are potential sound changes. For example, potentially, a sound change (TM) can occur to the sound immediately following `i` meaning `to/for` if the immediately following sound is one of the nine shown on page 2. If it`s not one of the nine, in other words if it`s not on the list, then no sound change happens. The same applies for TTn and TLlh.
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Genarth (Cenarth). I`m going to Cenarth. (+ sound change)
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Neyland. I`m going to Neyland. (No sound change)
Only nine sounds are involved in the sound change (mutation) system as it`s usually described: puh, tuh, kuh, buh, duh, guh, em, ll, hruh. These sounds are written using the letters: p, t, c, b, d, g, m, ll, rh. Learn them as sounds, not letters. Do not learn them as pee, tee, see, etc. This is the list of sounds involved in the sound changes (mutations) - puh, tuh, kuh, buh, duh, guh, em, ll, hruh. If a sound is not on the list, it doesn`t change – simple as that.
TM(s) affects puh, tuh, kuh, buh, duh, guh, em, ll, hruh.
TT(n) affects puh, tuh, kuh, buh, duh, guh.
TL(a) affects puh, tuh, kuh.
Notice where the sounds are made in the mouth.
puh the lips
buh the lips
em the lips
tuh the tip of the tongue at the back of the upper tooth ridge
duh the tip of the tongue at the back of the upper tooth ridge
ll the tip of the tongue at the back of the upper tooth ridge
kuh at the back of the palate
guh at the back of the palate
hruh at the back of the palate
Treiglad Meddal (TM) Soft Mutation
`Mutations` are sound changes. All languages including English have `mutations`. Another word for this is lenition. The Celtic languages have evolved a sophisticated system of such sound changes that are embedded in the grammar, so we have to give special attention to them.
TM is a sound change. Nine sounds change. The nine sounds that change are at the beginnings of words. Why do these six sounds change? Who cares! (TMo can be explained by historical linguistics, but this is not a course in historical linguistics.) When do these nine sounds change? When you least expect it! You`ll pick it up as you go along. When writing, the sound changes are represented by letters. TMo occurs frequently in native speech. It also occurs in the shower, on the train, during breakfast, on the mountains, on holiday in Portugal, in work, in the cinema, ………………… If the sound is not on the list below, it does not change. There`s more to TMo than this, but this is enough! Learn the pattern as sounds, not letters.
The nine sounds that change in TM and the sounds they change into
p puh - b buh
t tuh - d duh
c kuh - g guh (as in English `gut`)
b buh - f vuh
d duh - dd thuh (as in English `thus`)
g guh - / (disappears)
f vuh - m em
ll ll - l el
rh hruh - r ruh
Treiglad meddal (s) Soft mutation
Examples after `o` - `from`
O ble dych chi`n dod yn wreiddiol?
Where do you come from originally?
Dw i`n dod o(s) Bonterwyd p
I come from Ponterwyd p
Dw i`n dod o(s) Grymych c
I come from Crymych c
Dw i`n dod o(s) Frechfa b
I come from Brechfa b
Dw i`n dod o(s) Ddryslwyn d
I come from Dryslwyn d
Dw i`n dod o(s) Lanaman g
I come from Glanaman g
Dw i`n dod o(s) Feidrim m
I come from Meidrim m
Dw i`n dod o(s) Lanarth ll
I come from Llanarth ll
Dw i`n dod o(s) Rydlewis rh
I come from Rhydlewis rh
Treiglad meddal (s) Soft mutation
Examples after `i` - `to`
Ble dych chi`n mynd heno?
Where are you going tonight?
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Bonterwyd p
I`m going to Ponterwyd p
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Dalybont t
I`m going to Talybont t
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Grymych c
I`m going to Crymych c
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Frechfa b
I`m going to Brechfa b
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Ddryslwyn d
I`m going to Dryslwyn d
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Lanaman g
I`m going to Glanaman g
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Feidrim m
I`m going to Meidrim m
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Lanarth ll
I`m going to Llanarth ll
Dw i`n mynd i(s) Rydlewis rh
I`m goimg to Rhydlewis rh
Treiglad Trwynol (n) Nasal Mutation
TT is a sound change. Six sounds change. The six sounds that change are at the beginnings of words. The six sounds change after `yn` (in), and `fy` (my). Why do these six sounds change? Who cares! (TT can be explained by historical linguistics, but this is not a course in historical linguistics.) When do these six sounds change? When you least expect it! When writing, the sound changes are represented by letters. TT occurs in just a few restricted circumstances in native speech. Having said that, it also occurs in the bath, on the bus, during supper, on the beach, on sunny days, in the rain, ………………… If the sound is not on the list, it does not change. There`s more to TT than this, but this is enough! This sound change is very limited in native speech.
The six sounds that change in TT Represented by letters as it`s difficult to `write` these individual sounds in English. Notice the pattern of letters as it will help you remember. The top three are the same as the bottom three, but with an `h`.
p puh - ng
t tuh - n
c kuh - m
b buh - ngh
d duh - nh
g guh - mh
Treiglad Trwynol (n) Nasal Mutation
Examples after `yn` - `in`
Ble dych chi`n byw?
Where do you live?
Dw i`n byw ym(n) Mhonterwyd p
I live in Ponterwyd p
Dw i`n byw yn(n) Nhalybont t
I live in Talybont t
Dw i`n byw yng(n) Nghrymych c
I live in Crymych c
Dw i`n byw ym(n) Mrechfa b
I live in Brechfa b
Dw i`n byw yn(n) Nryslwyn d
I live in Dryslwyn d
Dw i`n byw yng(n) Nglanaman g
I live in Glanaman g
Notice that the sound of `yn` changes in speech and this is represented in writing.
Treiglad Llaes (a) Aspirate Mutation
`Mutations` are sound changes. All languages including English have `mutations`. Another word for this is lenition. The Celtic languages have evolved a sophisticated system of such sound changes that are embedded in the grammar, so we have to give special attention to them. The following is a basic, incomplete explanation for the purposes of this beginners` course.
TLl is a sound change. Three sounds change. The three sounds that change are at the beginnings of words. Why do these three sounds change? Who cares! (TLl can be explained by historical linguistics, but this is not a course in historical linguistics.) When do these three sounds change? When you least expect it! When writing, the sound changes are represented by letters. TLl occurs in just a few restricted circumstances in native speech. Having said that, it also occurs when you`re at work, on your bike, in the supermarket, on holidays, in the spring, on Monday mornings, ………………… If the sound is not on the list, it does not change. There`s more to TLl than this, but this is enough! Learn the pattern as sound changes not letters. This sound change is very limited in native speech.
The six sounds that change in TLl and the sounds that they change into
p puh - ph as in `fan`
t tuh - th as in `think`
c kuh - ch as in German `Bach` or Scottish `Loch`. Never as in `machine`, `mechanic` or `chips`
Treiglad Llaes (TLl) Aspirate Mutation
Examples after `ei` - `her`
Ble mae ei(a) phen hi? p Where`s her pen? Mae ei(a) phen hi yn y desg p Her pen is in the desk Ble mae ei(a) thŷ hi? t Where`s her house? Mae ei(a) thŷ hi yma t Her house is here Ble mae ei(a) char hi? c Where`s her car? Mae ei(a) char hi yn y garej c Her car is in the garage
ei pronounced ee phen ph as in fen thŷ th pronounced as in think, ŷ pronounced ee char ch as in German `Bach` or Scottish `Loch`. Never as in `machine`, `mechanic` or `chips`