Language is more than just a way of communicating about the world – it is a way of understanding it. Often words don’t map neatly onto each other from one language to another. I find that this is particularly the case for adjectives.
Parhaol is a great example of this, as it can mean lasting, permanent, perpetual, continuous, durable, or perennial, all depending on the context. Similarly, if we were to try translating any one of these six English words back into Welsh, we’d probably find six different options staring back at us!
parhaol
permanent
Here’s how it mutates:
Soft mutation
barhaol
Nasal mutation
mharhaol
Aspirate mutation
pharhaol
So for example, you would have an etifeddiaeth barhaol (lasting legacy), because etifeddiaeth is a feminine noun and mutates adjectives following it. But a strong and lasting legacy would be etifeddiaeth gref a pharhaol, because aspirate mutations occur after the word a (and).
The nasal mutation is less likely to apply to adjectives, but I’ve still included it above because it’s important to learn the patterns that are consistent across all words that start with the same letter. It could also apply to other words in the same family.
Parhaol can be difficult to pronounce because it includes a vowel pair, ao, that we don’t see in English except in loanwords. But don’t overthink it – the trick is to try and say both letters as we normally would if they were on their own.
Some Welsh speakers in the South of Wales actually say it as parhau–ol. You may end up saying it like this too if you’re living and learning in South Wales. Though colloquial, this is considered a completely acceptable pronunciation. I would recommend still practising it the standard way too, though, because there are other words featuring ao that have to be pronounced like this, such as brogaod (frogs).
So why does parhaol have such a strange ending? It’s because of the word’s etymology. It comes from combining the word parhau (to last or to continue) with the adjective-forming suffix –ol. This is also why we hear the parhau–ol pronunciation in South Wales.
Parhau has produced other words, too, like parhad (continuation), dyfalbarhad (perseverance), parhauster (lastingness / permanence), para (an alternative form of parhau or synonym of parhauster), and parhaus (a synonym of parhaol).
Mae hi’n chwilio am swydd barhaol.
She’s looking for a permanent job.
Does parhaol have any other synonyms? Yes, it does, though there are subtle nuances in meaning. Hirhoedlog means long-lasting, and is often used to refer to something (or someone!) which has lasted a long time. Cadwrol is used to refer to a defnydd (material) which has the capacity to last for a long time.
The words sefydlog and safadwy, which both literally mean something like fixed, are also found in some contexts where the English permanent would be used. Lastly, there is arhosol, which is used most prominently in the phrase atwrneiaeth arhosol (lasting power of attorney). Arhosol comes from aros, meaning to wait or to stay.
Parhaol is the preferred choice for a very many useful terms, though, particularly ones that you’d find in administrative, official, or political contexts. Some examples are:
- Ysgrifennydd Parhaol = permanent secretary, as in government
- Cynrychiolydd Parhaol = Permanent Representative, as in government
- cartrefi parhaol = permanent housing
- (ail)sefydlu parhaol = permanent (re)settlement
- cadoediad parhaol = permanent ceasefire
- porfa barhaol = permanent pasture
- addysg barhaol = continuing education
- effaith barhaol = a lasting effect
- gwelliannau parhaol = lasting improvement
- newid parhaol = lasting change
- niwed parhaol = permanent damage
Note that newid parhaol and niwed parhaol look very similar, but should definitely not be mixed up!
