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Translation
edit@Hogyn Lleol: I've translated Pontyglasier as "Blue Bridge". Have I got that right? Appreciate your advice. Cheers, Tony Tony Holkham (Talk) 22:44, 11 February 2016 (UTC)
- Hi Tony. I don't think that "blue bridge" is right, but I don't know what is! Blue Bridge would be "Pont Las" and this is quite different to that. (As an aside, historically 'glas' used to mean blue or green, more often the latter, so for instance, "Glasfryn" = green hill). As to what 'glasier' means, it's not a current Welsh word, and the 'y' in the middle of the settlement name would make it "Bridge of the Glasier" or "The Glasier's Bridge". I see that the spelling with a 'z' was standard in the 19th century, but that doesn't help much either. Maybe it's simply a glazier! (though that's not the Welsh word). I note that there is a Glasier Road in Merthyr Tydfyl, but that's no help either. Sorry I can't be more helpful! Regards, Hogyn Lleol (talk) 09:18, 13 February 2016 (UTC)
- To editor Hogyn Lleol: Thanks very much for those insights. Curious. I think I'm on a mission now! All the best, Tony Holkham (Talk) 10:21, 13 February 2016 (UTC)
- To editor Tony Holkham: That's two of us, then! 20:11, 13 February 2016 (UTC)
- Just had a thought - I don't know how the 'glasier' in Pontyglasier is pronounced, but suspect it's pronounced like 'glacier', given that 'glazier' would be very un-Welsh. The only similar word in Welsh would be 'glasiau', a plural version of a (southern) word for glass. So we have Bridge of the glasses (not in specs, but glass vessels, e.g. hour-glass, weather-glass, barometer, drinking glass; mirror, looking-glass). But the search will continue. Hogyn Lleol (talk) 20:28, 13 February 2016 (UTC)
- To editor Hogyn Lleol: My Collins dictionary says: glasu - "become blue, green or grey; turn pale. On the other hand, glas in Google translate (I know, maybe not very reliable) gives a range of definitions: (nouns) blue, grey, break (of day) and bluebottles and (adjectives) blue, green, azure, level, scornful, young, complete, utmost, slate-grey, silver, raw and half. Maybe one of those comes from an archaic Welsh word. I'd say an adjective is more likely than a noun, yet bluebottle would be a great name for a bridge! I must go and see what the bridge and river actually look like. And if I'm there maybe I can find someone who maybe knows more. Tony Holkham (Talk) 21:35, 13 February 2016 (UTC)
- To editor Tony Holkham: p.s. Here's one of the best on-line dictionaries, should you have future cause for translation - http://welsh-dictionary.ac.uk/gpc/gpc.html It's got a fair bit of obscure stuff, and well, well - it gives 'glasier' (Welsh) as meaning 'glacier' !! (It's not the usual/current word, and not in any other dictionary.) Nevertheless, it seems quite clear now that Pontyglasier = "Bridge of the glacier" (Which glacier? Don't know the place!) Cheers, Hogyn Lleol (talk) 20:11, 14 February 2016 (UTC)
- To editor Hogyn Lleol: Diolch yn fawr - I've bookmarked it and will alter the article. Tony Holkham (Talk) 20:32, 14 February 2016 (UTC)