Yn y bennod hon trafodwn gamp ryfeddol William Morgan, Beibl Cymraeg 1588. Bid a fo am ei harwyddocâd crefyddol amlwg, canolbwyntiwn ar arwyddocâd y garreg filltir hon o safbwynt hanes yr iaith Gymraeg a’i llenyddiaeth.

Un o’r pethau sy’n gwneud y Gymraeg yn iaith mor anhygoel o gyfoethog yw’r amrywiaeth o gyweiriau sydd ar gael i awduron, a Bebil 1588 yn anad dim a sicrhaodd fod ganddi gywair llenyddol aruchel arhosol. Mae’r undod ieithyddol hwn wedi profi’n hynod bwysig o safbwynt hunaniaeth Gymreig hefyd. Cawn gyfle hefyd i nodi ymateb rhai Cymry cyfoes, gan gynnwys cywydd mawl gan y bardd Rhys Cain sy’n tynnu sylw mewn modd cofiadwy at gamp ieithyddol William Morgan.

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‘Proper Welsh for all of the Welsh People’: The 1588 Bible

In this chapter we discuss William Morgan’s amazing achievement, the 1588 Welsh Bible. Not ignoring its obvious religious significance, we concentrate on the significance of this milestone from the point of view of the history of the Welsh language and its literature.

One of the things which makes Welsh such an incredibly rich language is the variety of registers available to authors writing in Welsh, and it was the 1588 Bible above all else which ensured that it has an enduring elevated literary register. This linguistic unity has proven to be extremely important in the context of Welsh identity as well. We all get a chance to note the reactions of some contemporary Welsh people, include a poem of praise by the bard Rhys Cain which draws attention in a memorable fashion to William Morgan’s linguistic feat.

Cyflwynwyd gan: Yr Athro Jerry Hunter a'r Athro Richard Wyn Jones

Cynhyrchwyd gan: Richard Martin

Cerddoriaeth: Might Have Done gan The Molenes

Darllen Pellach / Further Reading:

- Prys Morgan, Beibl i Gymru (1988).