helyg

Welsh

Helygen

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *hėlɨg, from Proto-Celtic *salixs, from Proto-Indo-European *sl̥H-ik- (“willow”). Cognate with Cornish helyk, Breton halegen, Irish saileach, Scottish Gaelic seileach, Manx shellagh, Latin salix, Old English sealh and English sallow.

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛlɪɡ/, /ˈhɛlɨ̞ɡ/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈheːlɪɡ/, /ˈhɛlɪɡ/

Pronunciation notes

Despite being spelled with y, the second vowel here is generally pronounced /ɪ/ in the north as tends to be the case when y precedes g.

Noun

helyg f (collective, singulative helygen, not mutable)

1. willows

Derived terms

• helyg deilgrwn, helyg crynddail (“goat-willows”)
• helyglys (“willowherb”)

References

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “helyg”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies