[Spellyans] worthy

[nicholas williams]

The SWF for 'worthy' writes either gwiw or RLC gwew. In so doing it uses two spellings neither of which is attested, though guew of BK is close to gwew.

In the texts this word is spelt:

gwyw x 1; guyu x 1; gvyw x 4; guyv x 5; gyw x 3;
guew x 7 (all in BK); gweve x 1;  gweff x1; gwef x 1.

Lhuyd has no form *guiu or *guiw. 

I cannot see what reason there is for spelling this word with <iw> in the SWF, apart
from gwiw in Common Cornish. This is based upon Welsh gwiw and Breton gwiv.
Everybody pronounces gwyw to rhyme with 'alive', which the SWF spells byw and bew.

Would it not be sensible therefore to spell 'worthy' gwyw and gwew?

Nicholas


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