-fa

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Welsh

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Etymology

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From Proto-Celtic *magos (field). Compare Cornish -va, Old Irish mag, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s.[1]

According to Morris-Jones,[2] in some cases (such as lladdfa) instead from the verbnoun ending -fan (as in hedfan), from Proto-Celtic *-man.

Pronunciation

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Suffix

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-fa f (plural -feydd or -faoedd or -fâu)

  1. Used to derive places from verbs and nouns.
    Synonym: -le
    swydd (job) + ‎-fa → ‎swyddfa (office)
    meddyg (doctor) + ‎-fa → ‎meddygfa (doctor's surgery)
    myned (to go) + ‎-fa → ‎mynedfa (entrance)
    amlosgi (to cremate) + ‎-fa → ‎amlosgfa (crematorium)
  2. Used to derive actions and states from verbs and nouns.
    cyboli (to jumble) + ‎-fa → ‎cybolfa (hotchpotch, jumble)
    cosi (to itch; to beat) + ‎-fa → ‎cosfa (itch; beating, hiding)
    dal (to catch, to seize) + ‎-fa → ‎dalfa (custody)

Derived terms

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References

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  1. ^ R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “-fa”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
  2. ^ Morris Jones, John (1913) A Welsh Grammar, Historical and Comparative, Oxford: Clarendon Press, § 143 iii 16