We'll call the language Peggo ( plural Zurm)
So, the happy learner of Peggo comes across the word Tuskyshins whilst doing a spot of reading and tries to look it up in her lovely new Peggo-English- English-Peggo dictionary.
Well, she can't find it can she ..... er, no ...... in fact, dictionaries generally don't list the plurals in the alphabetic sequence, so she's stuck. Eventually, one day in far far future, she might come across its singular, Grubbly, whilst looking up some other word .... Grubbo, perhaps, or Gruffertug.
Well readers, this is exactly where we are with quite a lot of Welsh plurals. Stuck. And it's a serious inconvenience because there are a lot of PECULIAR WELSH PLURALS.
I'll give you a jolly example or two ......
The plural of CAR ( a car ! ) = CHEIR ........ brilliant !
The plural of MANEG ( a glove) = MENIG .... smashing !!!!
Both of those plurals will leave you looking on entirely the wrong page. Arglwyd !
What I would suggest to all dictionary-makers is ( are you listening out there) is ........
At the back, have a special section listing loads and loads of these blasted things. In their correct alphabetic sequence. Or even better, just put them in the main body of the dictionary... but that ain't going to happen .
And to you, dear reader, I would suggest that whenever you come across a word you can't find anywhere in your dictionaries, consider the idea, mad though it may seem, that is is the peculiar plural of something else.
Anyhow, I've collected rather a lot of these little beggars whilst navigating the Rocky Road to Welsh, and I'm going to give you a list of them .... well ,all the ones I've kept a note of. I can't do them all at once, but I'll make a start and add to it during my odd moments of calm. If any.
Dyna ni ...... plural first, followed by the singular..... then what it means. I'll also put these plurals in alphabetical sequence ... so if you think that dail might be a peculiar plural, it should be easy to find in its correct alphabetical spot...
angylion - angel = angelblychau - blwch = box
bodiau - bawd = thumb
cacynen - cacwn = a wasp
cerrig - carreg = stone
clychiau - cloch = a bell
cyrff - corf = body
cheir - car = car
cychod - cwch = boat
cwr - cyrion = corner/edge
cyrsiau - cwrs = a course
dagrau - deigryn = tear
dail - deilen = leaf
esgyll - asgell = wing, fin
heidiau - haid = a swarm
lefydd - lle = place
meini - maen = a stone
menig- maneg = glove
merion - mêr = a marrow
meysydd - maes = field
myngau - mwng = mane
nadredd - neidr = snake
neiniau - nain = grandma
rhofiau - rhaw = spade
sodlau - sawdl = heel
straeon - stori = story
tlos - tlws = pretty
tyllau - twll = hole
plenty more to come ... it's hard work this ! And if you've got any personal favourites in the "mad plural" line, please send them in ... there's loads and loads I haven't noticed yet. What I've put up there so far is only a fraction of the honking great bloody rhestr I've got.
I know you had some music up at the top there... but I couldn't resist a little wander down the strange and wonderful byways of Welsh Pop Music ... I give you Malcolm Neon, the Welsh reply to Gary Numan ... I've no idea what this song is called....