Welsh language help requested

Hi, my Middangard universe uses what amounts to ex-pys of our own languages as equivalent to their own. Some are closer than others.

English, for example, is written with as few Latin/Greek/Asian, etc. influences as possible - it's only outside influences (aside from Old English) are from Germanic and Celtic sources, except for occasional words - usually to do with trade (silk, samite, crystal, etc.).

Welsh is known as High Cadaln, and is the native language of the northern half of Cadaln. It is also the language of the nobility and law (English - Cadaln Corani - being used as a trading tongue as well as those in the southern half of the country).

If anyone has any advice regarding language, grammar, syntax, etc., I would really appreciate it, as Crisiant - a character from our world thrown into the fantasy world of Middangard - is a half-Welsh polyglot. She is more North Wales Welsh than South Wales (her grandparents are Nain and Taid).

My grandmother is Welsh (known as Nain) and I was born in Wales, but I know little of the language beyond numbers, a few colours, thank you and cariad.

Specifically, I would appreciate translations for the following:
'my husband' (currently I have used mau gŵr, but I don't know if the grammar is right)
'my wife'
'my son'
'my daughter'

Also, your opinion on the use of the entirely created Mabbren for 'prince' - literally 'son of the king' from mab 'son' + brenin 'king' - and Merbren for 'princess' - literally 'daughter of the king' from merch 'daughter' + brenin 'king' - would be very much appreciated. I've tried to be clever, but as my linguistic knowledge is limited to high school French, the tiniest smattering of Welsh and how to say thank you in 6 languages, any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Tanydwr
(Yes, that was an attempt at Welsh too)

Medievalist said:

Prince -- why not use either tywysog or pendefig, both of which are early attested and native Welsh words? (i.e. Pwyll pendeuic Dyfed).

Tywysoges would be princess; also attested.

ETA: Welsh has a boat load of honorific titles by the way--no need to invent any of them.

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I don't actually remember why I didn't use either of those. At the time, I was steering clear of anything with a clear etymological root in 'prince' (from Latin princeps 'first'). Pendefig has a multiplicity of meanings (it can also mean 'aristocrat' and 'grandee'). I might have been steering clear of tywysog because it's tricky to imagine the correct pronunciation. Or because I couldn't find it when I was first looking. Been that long since I invented mabren and merbren that I honestly don't remember.

Of course, I could always use Tywysog for the eldest son, i.e. 'crown prince', and then use mabren for the others...

The other thing I need to know is the correct form of 'my' - I don't know if Welsh has feminine and masculine forms, not to mention differences before plurals and vowels!

Medievalist said:

Not if you want to use Welsh; that isn't how Welsh compounds are formed, for one thing.

Crown prince also exists; Tywysog corunawc.

Typically, rather than a title, pre-Norman era, the patronymic or matronymic gave away the status; i.e. Branwen uerch Lyr. "Branwen daughter of Lyr." Lyr is the king; Branwen is his daughter, the genitive mutation changes merch to uerch. Math uab Mathonwy; Math son of Mathonwy; mab in the genitive becomes uab.

You're going to have to watch the mutations, too, if you want proper Welsh.

There are native Welsh speakers here; you might also try posting in the International forum, with a link back to this thread. My Welsh is largely pre-1600; I'm a Celticist, not a native speaker.

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It isn't? Blast it.

Although I can excuse some stuff away as 'well the language developed slightly differently here', I do want to try and be as accurate as I can when I do actually use the Welsh-based 'High Cadaln'.

At present, I have developed the royal/noble titles as follows:

King - technically High King, as the title was first used when the thirteen kingdoms of Cadaln were bound as one by the Iron Sword (700 years before the current novels and probably going to get a novel of its own). This replaced the northern title of 'Cyn Blaennor' (from cyn 'chief' and blaenor 'leader) and the southern, Old English-based cyning (the origin of Modern English king).
Queen - wife of the king, from the Old English cwene.
First Mabbren - 'crown prince'
Mabbren - 'prince', literally 'son of the king'
Merbren - 'princess', literally 'daughter of the king'
Pennaeth - highest rank of nobility, from Welsh
Iarll - middle rank of nobility, Welsh for earl
Thain - lowest rank of nobility, from Old English thegn

Pennaeth, Iarll and Thain will stay, as I feel they work well in the current structure, as will king and queen. I do not object to suggestions to replace 'cyn blaennor' (yes, the double n was a deliberate attempt to keep it from being literally Welsh - there is room for alternatives), and tywysog and pendefig are growing on me.

One thing - Medievalist, you've used about three different spellings of pendefig. Is that due to mutations, and are there rules involved? I'm very willing to simplify my rules.

This royal/noble structure was technically invented 700 years before the current Cadaln novels, so it didn't evolve in the same way that other titles/structures might have done.

However, if you are a Celticist, I might pick your brains about other aspects of this universe, as I have some countries that use Irish, Manx and Scottish Gaelic too! I have probably spent far too long world-building and too little time writing.

I wish I'd realised how much I liked linguistics before uni.