Talk:Arawn

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Wasn't [Gwyn ap Nudd] the ruler of Annwn? - July 19, 2006

"This theonym may be derived from Proto-Celtic *Arjo-man-es meaning "free-thinking masculine [spirit]:"" -- Isn't the "masculine" here simply the gender of the hypothetical form -- not part of the actual semantics of it? 24.159.255.29 21:22, 5 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Yes, this is a type specimen for a do-it-yourself etymology with high pretensions and very little value. Even taking User:GeoffMGleadall's purported etymology at its word, his alleged forms would both have probably become Ariawn rather than Arawn in Welsh, unless I'm much mistaken. The argument for metathesis was very contrived. All in all, I don't see any value is these purported etymologies (unlike some of GeoffMGleadall's speculations, which occasionally seem plausible). Q·L·1968 ☿ 19:34, 5 October 2006 (UTC)

You know I think we should do two seperate articles, one on the God of Death in Welsh mythology, one on the villain of The Chronicles of Prydain. Who agrees? Am I right? Furthermore I think we should call the one on the character either Arawn (Lloyd Alexander) or Arawn - Death Lord. But I'm not sure which. Any suggestions?

Anon

I agree. The Arawn in the Chronicles of Prydain is significantly different from the actual god. There should be a different article. There's probably already an article on the Chronicles of Prydain, isn't there?Celsiana 16:37, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

There is indeed. I'm glad you agree. Arawn is freqently maligned in the media due to his status as a death god. Anubis is given much the same treatment however this would be less annoying if Anubis were actually the god of death as opposed to the god of embalming.

Anon

Death god??? Where does that come from? Afaik, Arawn only turns up in the First Branch of the Mabinogi, where after an initial misunderstanding, he becomes the best of friends with Pwyll, the earthly ruler of Dyfed, and is instrumental in the introduction of pigs to Britain. Arawn is from the 'other world' i.e. a "fairy", but not in any way a baddie. There is no association with death, except that in later times Christians sometimes used the name of the Otherworld -- Annwfn/Annwn -- as meaning 'Hell'. There are several possible etymologies for Annwfn, the first element may mean 'not' or 'very', and the second either 'world' or 'deep'. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.84.120.9 (talk) 03:15, 23 November 2009 (UTC)