All Things Blue Online Trivia | Languages

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Upon arriving at my brother's house, I am immediately met by an excited Owain, who is eager to show me the next blue thing he has found. This time, he seems to have found more than one, as he is manically yelling 'Y Smyrffs! Mae nhw ar y teledu!' What exactly is 'Y Smyrffs'?

Answer: An animated television show for children

'Y Smyrffs' is the literal translation of 'The Smurfs', which is what Owain is telling us he is watching on the television ('teledu'). As they are little, blue, gnome-like creatures, Owain is extremely excited by their colour, and is eager to show them to me.

The Welsh language version of the series includes Welsh actors, and therefore the voices of the characters sound completely different to those in the English version. The Welsh accent is really quite distinctive, and it is often quite humorous to hear it coming out of the mouth of a little, blue gnome.

2. It is really turning out to be a beautiful day, and I am more than happy to babysit Owain while my brother is at work. We decide to play a game, which involves making shapes out of the clouds above, but as we both look up, a puzzled Owain asks me, 'Pam mae'r awyr yn las?' What is my inquisitive, little nephew asking now?

Answer: 'Why is the sky blue?'

'Pam mae'r awyr yn las?' literally translates to 'Why is the sky blue?", though in this instance, the Welsh word for 'blue', which is 'glas', is affected by a certain type of mutation, which results in the 'g' being dropped. Such mutations are a prominent part of the Welsh language, and can be extremely difficult for learners to master. Known as 'treigladau' in Welsh, this system of mutations is surprisingly complicated, despite only affecting the initial letters of words.

3. As Owain and I play in the front garden, my best friend, Mali, pops in to say hello. Having never met her before, Owain is rather shy, that is until something about her face draws his attention. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he yells 'llygaid glas' at the top of his lungs, apparently extremely proud to have spotted something else that is blue. What part of Mali's face is it that has caught his attention?

Answer: Her eyes

It is, of course, Mali's bright, blue eyes that have caught Owain's attention, as 'llygaid' is the Welsh word for 'eyes'. 'Trwyn' is the Welsh word for 'nose', while 'aeliau' is the word used for 'eyebrows'. Finally, 'gwefusau' is the Welsh word for 'lips'.

4. Taking a break from the garden for an hour, Owain and I settle down to watch some television. The image of an extremely large mammal fills the screen, causing him to tug on my sleeve before pointing wildly at the television, shouting 'Y Morfil Glas! Y Morfil Glas!' He looks very pleased with himself, but what exactly is 'Y Morfil Glas'?

Answer: Blue whale

The magnificent blue whale is the world's largest animal, and its blue hue has certainly caught Owain's attention. As for the incorrect answers, the English word 'penguin' is surprisingly similar to the Welsh one, which is 'pengwin'. Moreover the 'Oxford English Dictionary' lists the English word as deriving from two Welsh ones - 'pen', meaning 'head', and 'gwyn', meaning 'white'. Finally, the 'bluebell' is referred to as 'bwtsiasen y gog' in Welsh, while the 'bluebottle' is called 'cleren las'.

5. While making lunch in the kitchen, I realise that Owain, who is upstairs, is being suspiciously quiet. When I go to investigate, I am amused to find that he has emptied his dad's wardrobe and is enjoying playing dress-up with his clothes. Displaying an adorable toothy-grin, he then announces, 'Mae gen i j�ns newydd', before adding that they are also blue. Which wardrobe staple of his dad's is Owain referring to here?

Answer: Jeans

His dad's blue denim jeans certainly are helping Owain to remember the Welsh word for the colour blue. Moreover the Welsh word for 'jeans', which is 'jins', is another example of a Welsh word that is very similar to its English counterpart. However the word 'shirt' is 'crys' in Welsh, and 'jacket' translates to 'siaced'. Finally, 'socks' are referred to as 'sanau' or 'hosanau' in Welsh.

6. As the sun is shining brightly, I have decided to take Owain to the beach for the afternoon, so he can make sandcastles and survey rock pools to his heart's content. However as soon as we arrive he makes a beeline for the sea, which is as blue as can be on this glorious, summer's day. What is the sea called in Welsh?

Answer: Y m�r

'Y m�r' is the correct way to refer to 'the sea' in Welsh, while 'ar lan y m�r' is the correct way to say 'by the seaside'. 'Nant' is the Welsh word for 'stream' or 'creek', while 'gwiwer' is the word used for 'squirrel'. Finally, 'llong' is the Welsh word that is usually used for 'ship', 'boat, or 'vessel'.

7. On our way home from the beach, a tired Owain catches sight of my new ring, which he points out is partly blue. However this time, he is literally lost for words, and needs me to tell him that the stone in the middle is something called 'saffir'. What gemstone is it that decorates my ring?

Answer: Sapphire

A sapphire stone makes up the centre of my ring, and the word 'sapphire' does bear some similarity to the Welsh word for it, if only in sound, which is 'saffir'. As there is no 'z' in the Welsh alphabet, 'topaz' becomes 'topas', while 'ruby' is 'rhuddem'. Finally, 'diamond' is 'diemwnt' in Welsh.

8. Having recently finished our tea, Owain and I are lounging on the sofa, while I read to him from one of his favourite books. Giggling throughout at the (blue) main character's antics, Owain then exclaims that 'Mr. Hergwd yw'r gorau', before then begging me to reread the entire thing again. Who is this 'Mr. Hergwd'?

Answer: Mr. Bump

Owain absolutely adores everything to do with the 'Mr. Men', but his all-time favourite character is Mr. Bump, who is known as 'Mr. Hergwd' in Welsh. As Owain declares in the question above, he is the best. Meanwhile 'Mr. Happy' is known as 'Mr. Hapus', while 'Mr. Daydream' is referred to as 'Mr. Breuddwyd'. Finally, 'Mr. Nosey' has a Welsh name that is considerably longer than its English counterpart - 'Mr. Trwyn-Ym-Mhopeth', which literally translates to 'Mr. Nose-in-Everything'.

9. It is quite late, and Owain and I are sitting on the porch sipping mugs of hot chocolate. I am feeling sleepy, but Owain, who has found a new blue thing to look at, cannot stop staring up at the beautiful night sky. What is the Welsh word for 'moon', which Owain has noticed is particularly blue tonight?

Answer: Lleuad

'Lleuad' is one of two Welsh words used for 'moon', the other being 'lloer', and is the one that is generally taught to children learning Welsh as a first language in South Wales. 'Seren' means 'star', and is also a popular girl's name in Wales, while 'cwmwl' is the word used for 'cloud'. Finally, 'afon' is the Welsh word for 'river'.

10. Just before I leave for the night, Owain begs for a quick test on colours, so I list four different things, but only one of them is the correct colour. Can you help Owain with this, by identifying which of the following items is blue?

Answer: Wyau'r brongoch

The correct answer is 'wyau'r brongoch', which translates to 'robin's eggs'. Yet each of the incorrect answers are distinctive in colour, as 'mefus' means 'strawberries', while 'oren' is the Welsh word for 'orange'. 'Llaeth' is the Welsh word for 'milk', and is commonly used in South Wales, while 'llefrith' (which also means milk) is more commonly used in North Wales.

Source: Author poshprice

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trident before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

All Things Blue Trivia Quiz

I have been busy teaching my little nephew his colours in Welsh, and we have arrived at his favourite colour, which is blue, or 'glas' in Welsh. Come and learn with us, as we investigate (in Welsh of course) the many things in the world that are blue.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>