Resources > Dictionaries
A dictionary is not the be all and end all. Even though there is more to translating and interpreting than dictionaries (as opposed to the general consensus), they are however an important resource for any translator/interpreter.
It's important to remember that the first word is not always the most appropriate and that it's worth searching through more than one dictionary. This is true even if the word is known to you as it can spur you on to find an alternative and better word or phrase. Thesauruses or a list of synonyms can be invaluable for a good style.
Listed below are English-Welsh as well as monolingual dictionaries and also a few specialized ones.
English and Welsh dictionaries
Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary |
Collins English Dictionary |
Geiriadur Gomer i’r Ifanc D.Geraint Lewis, Gwasg Gomer, 1994 |
Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru There is also an on-line version |
Geiriadur Saesneg a Chymraeg: Spurrell’s English – Welsh Dictionary J.Bodvan Annwyl |
Geiriadur Termau/Dictionary of Terms Jac L. Williams, Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1973 |
Geiriadur yr Academi (The Welsh Academy English - Welsh Dictionary) Bruce Griffiths and Dafydd Glyn Jones (ed.), Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1995 |
The Oxford English Dictionary |
Y Geiriadur Mawr H.Meurig Evans and W.O. Thomas, Llyfrau’r Dryw a Gwasg Aberystwyth, 1958 |
Y Termiadur Delyth Prys (hard copy and CD), ACCAC, 2006 |
On-line dictionaries
Listed are the most frequently used: Porth Termau Cenedlaethol Cymru (Welsh National Terminology Portal) Geiriadur yr Academi (The Welsh Academy English - Welsh Dictionary) Geiriadur y Brifysgol (A Dictionary of the Welsh Language) |
Welsh/Foreign languages Dictionaries
Geiriadur Almaeneg – Cymraeg / Cymraeg – Almaeneg (Welsh-German) Wolfgang Greller, Canolfan Astudiaethau Addysg, 1999 |
Geiriadur Cymraeg – Lladin / Lladin – Cymraeg (Welsh-Latin) Huw Thomas, Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru |
Geiriadur Ffrangeg - Cymraeg / Cymraeg – Ffrangeg (Welsh - French) Meirion Davies, Canolfan Astudiaethau Addysg, 2000 |
Specialized Dictionaries
Geiriadur Newydd y Gyfraith - The New Legal Dictionary Robyn Léwis, Gwasg Gomer, 2003 |
Rhestr o Enwau Lleoedd/ Gazetteer of Welsh Place Names Elwyn Davies (ed.), Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1967 |
List of Standardised Welsh Place-names |
Yr Atlas Cymraeg Newydd - the new Welsh atlas CBAC, 1999 |
Personal Vocabularies
Some translators add to their dictionaries by keeping their own vocabulary lists. Here we include Berwyn Prys Jones' (ex-Chairman Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru) personal vocabulary. Should you wish to add your vocabulary to our resource library then please contact us.