EDERN DAFOD AUR ('Edern of the Golden Tongue'), the person who, according to some manuscripts of the 16th century, made a small dosbarth (arrangement or grammar) of the orthography of the Welsh language and of the form of words

Many copies of this are extant. The copyists claimed, sometimes, that he was Edern, son of Padarn Beisrudd, that is, that he was the father of Cunedda Wledig. On the other hand, John Davies of Mallwyd said that he flourished c. 1280. EDWARD WILLIAMS (Iolo Morganwg) was the first to state categorically that Edern's work was the grammar which is associated with the names of Einion Offeiriad and Dafydd Ddu o Hiraddug, and as Iolo Morganwg's copy was the source which was used by John Williams (Ab Ithel, 1811 - 1862) when he edited that grammar for publication he, the editor, gave the published work the title of Dosparth Edeyrn Davod Aur, 1856. Sir John Morris-Jones tried to prove that the grammar attributed to Edern Dafod Aur in the manuscripts was a pseudo-antique work belonging to the 16th century, and that the forger (whoever he may have been) called the author ' Edern ' because that name was similar to ' Herodian,' the name of a grammarian of the second century A.D. Nor is ' Dafod Aur ' anything but a translation of the Greek surname ' Chrysostom.' In spite of this it may be held that the grammar is older than is suggested by Sir John Morris-Jones, because there is a reference to 'Dull Edern Dafod Aur' in the elegy written upon the death of Tudur Aled by Siôn ap Hywel ap Llywelyn Fychan. It is obvious that the work had become recognized as one of the ancient authorities by 1525; it is more than probable, therefore, that it belongs to the preceding century. But more research is necessary before the problem can be solved.

Author

• Emeritus Professor Griffith John Williams, (1892 - 1963)

Sources

• The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1923-4, 1-8

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Edern Dafod Aur

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q5242064

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/