Welsh Journals

APPENDIX Location of bera responses in Breconshire, placename followed by location point number on map. Merthyr Cynog (10) Cwm-wysg (20) Ystradgynlais (31) Cwm Cilieni (11) Cwm-crai (21) Caehopcyn (32) Landeilo'r-fan (12) Crai (22) Y Coelbren (33) Llanfihangel Nant Bran (13) Senni(23) Ystradfellte (35) Pont-faen (14) Defynnog (24) Penderyn (36) Pen-pont (15) Libanus (26) Cefncoedycymer (37) Pontsenni (16) Pen-y-cae (28) Cwm-taf (38) Trecastell (17) Aber-craf (29) Llanfihangel Cwm Du (4) Llywel (18) Cwm-twrch (30) REFERENCES Tapes nos. 187, 188, 194, 195 in the Welsh Folk Museum Archive. 2 Alan R. Thomas, The Linguistic Geography of Wales, Univ. of Wales Press, Cardiff 1973, p. 80; the restricted occurrence of the word is referred to on p.21, ibid. and mapped on Fig. 13 and Fig. 212, ibid. 3 On the early documents containing the accounts of the founding of Brycheiniog by Brychan, see A.W. Wade-Evans, 'The Brychan Documents', Y Cymmrodor XIX, 1906, 18-50; P.C. Bartrum, Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts, Univ. of Wales Press, Cardiff 1966, pp. 14-19; see also E. G. Bowen's remarks in The Settlements of the Celtic Saints in Wales, Univ. of Wales Press, Cardiff 1956, p. 14. 4 William Rees, An Historical Atlas of Wales, Faber and Faber, 1951, p. 15 and see Plate 17. 5Brychan's dynasty seems to have extended its authority to include Dyfed in the C5th, see Bruce Coplestone-Crow, 'The Dual Nature of the Irish Colonization of Dyfed in the Dark Ages', Studia Cellica XVI/XVII, 1981/1982, pp. 16-23. In the C9th and later in the Cllth Brycheiniog came under the overlordship of Deheubarth, see William Rees, An Historical Atlas of Wales, p.20; J. E. Lloyd, A History of Carmarthenshire, Cardiff 1935, Vol, 1, p. 128. 7 As well as in the two studies referred to in notes 8 and 9 below, the word has been recorded in the following studies, all unpublished M.A. dissertations of the University of Wales: Mary Middleton, 'Astudiaeth seinyddol gan gynnwys geirfa, o Gymraeg llafar ardal Tafarnau Bach, Sir Fynwy', Caerdydd 1965; Lynn Davies. 'Astudiaeth seinyddol gan gynnwys geirfa o dafodiaith Merthyr Tudful a'r cylch', Caerdydd 1969; Gilbert E. Ruddock, 'Astudiaeth seinyddol ynghyd a geirfa o dafodiaith Hirwaun,' Caerdydd 1969. It has not been recorded in the following studies, again all unpublished M.A. dissertations of the University of Wales: D. G. Evans, 'TafodiaithCwmTawe,' Abertawe 1930; T. I. Phillips, 'The spoken dialect of the Ogwr basin, Glamorgan', Abertawe 1933; T. A. Watkins, Tafodiaith Plwyf Llansamlet, Abertawe 1951; V. H. Phillips, 'Astudiaeth o Gymraeg llafar Dyffryn Elai a'r cyffiniau', Caerdydd 1955; E. C. Rees, 'Tafodiaith rhan isaf Dyffryn Llwchwr', 1958; John Bevan, 'Astudiaeth seinyddol o Gymraeg llafar Coety Walia a Rhuthun ym Mro Morgannwg', Caerdydd 1971. 'Cyril B. H. Lewis; 'Tafodiaith hen blwyf Llangatwg(Castellnedd)', Traethawd M. A. Prifysgol Cymru, Abertawe, 1932, 'Geirfa Amaethyddol', t. 5. Lewis's study area extended right up to the Breconshire border and in fact included Y Coelbren which is in Breconshire. 'Olwen Samuel, 'Astudiaeth o dafodiaith Gymraeg cylch y Rhigos', Traethawd M.A. Prifysgol Cymru, Caerdydd 1971, t. 38. 10I am deeply indebted to Ann Jones for drawing the map and plotting the bera responses. "Within the gwlad of Brycheiniog itself there were 3 cantref s, Cantref Talgarth to the east, Cantref Selyf to the north and Cantref Mawr to the south. 1 2This clarifies a point not clear in Alan R. THomas's delimitation of the distribution of the word in Fig. 13 in The Linguistic Geography of Wales (see note 2 above). Since there were no points of inquiry located in the territory of Cantref Buellt in The Linguistic Geography of Wales, it could not be shown that bera did not occur in that part of Breconshire. nHelem and tas (as well ar ric) are also known and used in the bera distribution area.