Twrch Trwyth - Etymology and Irish Cognate

Etymology and Irish Cognate

As previously noted, the term "twrch" in Welsh, denotes "wild boar, hog, mole". So Twrch Twrch means "the boar Trwyth". Its Irish cognate may be "Triath, king of the Swine" (Old Irish: Triath ri torcraide) or the Torc Triath mentioned in the Lebor Gabála, also recorded as Old Irish Orc tréith "Triath's boar" in Cormac's Irish Glossary. Rachel Bromwich regards the form Trwyth as a late corruption. In the early text Historia Brittonum, the boar is called Troynt or Troit, a Latinisation likely from the Welsh Trwyd. Further evidence that Trwyd was the correct form appears in a reference in a later poem.

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