Cwtch
An Entry for Penny Fuller's The A-Z of Unusual Words Challenge
Cwtch (like butch but with a slightly longer "oo" sound)
My chosen word is Welsh and is a word which I never used at home, as despite being Welsh, my parents never spoke the Welsh language. I would imagine that ancestors of mine did but I only learnt very basic Welsh at school as was required by the curriculum and I wish I knew more. It is something that I have always regretted. I know a smattering but nothing that would enable me to hold a conversation and it is a notoriously difficult language to learn. However, despite my lack of proficiency in it, I have a connectedness to it that I feel in my blood with its harsh sounds and its sing-song rhythm. Indeed, when I hear it especially in the national anthem of Wales, I feel it like a cwtch, which means a cuddle or embrace, with a sense of offering warmth and safety.
I have decided to do a microfiction this time for the challenge as I am writing a series at the moment and miss writing snippets and scenes, like a snapshot of a life.
Cwtch - a memory
I love my mam. She makes me feel super safe. When she pulls me to her, her cariad, and I'm buried in her body, with the smell of her face cream and the light fruitiness of her, I'm snug, warm with the person I know will always want me there, close; with her. I like it when she's been baking and her fingers leave trails of powdered silver in my hair, from the flour left eagerly clinging to her hands' strong capableness. She kneads and provides and comforts and cwtches and her arms are railings to keep me from falling.
100 words exactly
*
"Cariad" is also Welsh and means love or darling; an endearment.
You can find out about Penny's challenge here:
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Comments (16)
I am not Welsh but I have always loved Welsh since I first heard it and wish I could have learned it. I loved this little prose poem (micro fiction) and I loved hearing your experience about it.
Gorgeous choice and evocation too. I am too far behind on the series, I'd spend all morning catching up, and I dont got all morning!
What a great word and such a beautiful feeling of being wrapped in true love
Really cool history/connection to the word! Such beautiful imagery in the micro, really brought the word to life
Hats off to all those fluent in Welsh, the language full of words that are impossible to pronounce using a standard issue vocal apparatus (like mine).
I thought you made a typo in your title hahahaha. Then I started reading and thought that cwtch with a long oo sounded like a cooch and it reminded me of coochie. Cwtch means a warm embrace, just what a dick would feel when it goes into the coochie. I'll let myself out now 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Deftly done! Each language is a world, and it was gracious of you to map this warm part of Welsh for all and sundry!
This was simply beautiful. My mum’s family is all Welsh (it’s something I try to keep quiet 😉) but she could speak Welsh fluently when she was a kid - forgotten it all now.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful memory with us Rachel, it made me smile!
This is wonderful, warm and fuzzy as my wife and I like to say, Rachel! Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful. I swear I started tearing up within a couple lines.
I’m relieved that you gave the pronunciation, a word devoid of vowels was disconcerting 😳. Lovely reading about your connection with the word. Sweet, tender story.💙.
ahhh I know the word cos of Gavin and Stacey and we've spoken bout your connection to Welsh! loved this, chum! Im the same with Gaelic tho know even less but have a deep love for it!
I love the Welsh word you've chosen and your piece is so lovely and heartfelt.
The first time I went to Wales and saw the street signs I thought somebody pasted scrabble letters minus the vowels before they were arranged. I find it amazing the way humans can construct sounds and get others to mimic them eventually forming a language.
That was lovely. And thank for the pronunciation. I was ready to buy a vowel.