7 NOVEMBER 1908, Page 13

The Latin Element in Welsh. By Samuel L. Evans, M.A.

(J. C. Southall, Newport. 6d. net.)—Mr. Evans furnishes, by way of introduction, an account of the phonetic changes which Latin words undergo in passing into the Welsh language, and then pro- ceeds to give a list of the "commonest Welsh words of • Latin origin." Of these there are about five hundred, making of them- selves no inconsiderable vocabulary. The average English peasant is content with about half the number ; but the Welshman is very different. Here are some specimens :—cog (coquus), cymum (communio), diacon (diaconus), dug (dux), esgob (spit:copes), gwenwyn (verienum), gwiber (vipera), Cierlleon• (castra Zegioiium). These illustrate the two sources of the admixture,—the Roman occupation and ecclesiastical usage.