Tuesday, October 5, 2010

L is for Ll (chl)

L is for Ll  pronounced 'Chl' which is, tho' not too accurate, the best we crazy English can do.
First there is Llandudno:
This beautiful, sunny little town is on the north coast of Wales and is where my mother and father -in-law lived a good number of their later years, in a small but cozy flat on the third floor of an apartment building (no elevator!) and only one block from the beach.

Then there is Llanberis:


 The small town in Snowdonia, North Wales, at the foot of Mount Snowdon. There is the magnificent Llanberis Pass that winds it way through the mountains.  Beautiful scenery.


And finally there is:
LLanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiligogogoch

which means:

"St. Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool of Llantysilio of the red cave."

Yes, it really is a place but usually it is referred to as Llanfair P.G.
Sorry no picture of this, but if you take the train to Anglesey you will pass through this town and see the whole name on the station platform.  In any case, this name has FOUR 'L's in the middle so that should make up for no photo.

I have had the most excellent cream teas in each of these places.  Oh! What I would give for one right now!

I find it hard to believe that no other ABC-er hasn't already gone this route for the letter L in other years, but I don't know how to find out.  So forgive me if it has been done before. I'm sure all my other friendly Welsh bloggers must have considered this, but there can never be too muchof Wales -- or cream teas!

24 comments:

Cheryl said...

What a great Ll post! I've always wondered how it was pronounced. That last one? Does anyone actually say it out loud or just read it and pretend to pronounce it in their heads?

Wanda said...

What a great LLLL post.... Just absolutely the most interesting ABC post around!!! You are so good at this. Makes mine feel so generic... but I'm have no history in Wales, but love yours!!!!

Gigi Ann said...

This is all new to me. But, this is my first year of doing ABC Wednesday. It was a different and interesting L post today. I enjoyed it.

Roger Owen Green said...

Nah, I haven't done it; can't SPELL those Welsh locales.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

ChrisJ said...

Cheryl: Yes, it can be pronounced and often is, by Welsh people. I can do the first two syllables and the last three. The last of which, the 'ch' is pronounced like the 'ch' in the Scottish word, Loch.

Verna Luga said...

Chris.. I can't even pronounce it.. but what I know is that this is a beautiful scene .. thanks for sharing.

ABC Wednesday Here

kat said...

haha..I can't read the last L and i don't know how to pronounce the first L haha..but the scenery is absolutely gorgeous.

Tumblewords: said...

What a fun post - I'm not even trying to pronounce the names, but surely enjoyed your photos and narrative!

kaybee said...

Hey, ChrisJ - that's a great post, but I bet not all of your readers know what a 'cream tea" is, and since it will be a long time before the letter C comes around again, I think you should do a post on some British specialties, yes, cream teas, and also Battenburg cake, and fish and chips with mushy peas, and Yorkshire Pudding and ...well I am sure you could come up with many more.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Wales looks a little like New Zealand.

Bovey Belle said...

My children, being bi-lingual, can all say the Llanfair-word! I, sadly, cannot! Only the last couple of syllables can I ever remember . . .

One or two Llans in my neck of the woods!

Rune Eide said...

If it has been done before - no matter. It deserves being done for every L!

I regret never having got further than Cardiff...

snafu said...

Nice idea, especially as it is not pronounced as L normally is in English.
Kaybee forgot the traditional English Jam Butty and the chip butty, these are both reet gradely. In the USA a chip is called a fry and a crisp is a chip. As someone once said, two great nations divided by a single language.

MorningAJ said...

I love the Welsh names that apparently have no vowels in them.
We're off to Wales this weekend - but we're going to Newport. I can pronounce that!

Croeso i Gymru

jabblog said...

Llovely post! I used to be able to say the whole name but nowadays I realise I leave out a couple of syllables. I love Welsh Wet Wales :-)

Carver said...

Great take on the letter L. Beautiful shots of Wales and this is all new to me.

Kay L. Davies said...

LLanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiligogogoch was in someone else's blog yesterday but of course I forget whose, but always fun to see the word and I do pretend to pronounce it in my head, despite being born with a Welsh name.

Thank you for visiting my blog for Lindy's birthday pictures. Lindy and I both love visitors, and my husband loves compliments about "his" dog!!

Kay, Alberta

The Weaver of Grass said...

Oh yes - been to all three places but pronouncing that LL is tricky unless you are born and brought up Welsh - it is a sort of phlegmy sound at the back of one's throat.

Gillian Mowbray said...

Hey you forgot Llandrindod Wells near where I live! You'd be welcome to a cream tea here any time. x

ChrisJ said...

Oh Gillian! Don't tempt me! I LOVE cream teas with the emphasis on the 'cream'.

Granny Smith said...

What beautiful places! Otto and I have only driven through Wales once, but I remember the lovely scenery and the voices of the Welsh choirs.

photowannabe said...

Whew, I'm glad I wasn't asked to spell or pronounce that last name. I'll settle for Llanfair thank you!

Martha said...

Wow! I'd like to hear someone tell me how to say that last one! It's a mouthful.

Jose said...

I barely understand English but this??? lol Nice post.