Cynghanedd

Cynghanedd is a traditional Welsh system of prosody that governs the internal sound pattern of a line of poetry. It combines alliteration, consonance, and assonance with the line’s ictus, the principal beat or stressed syllable, to create a distinctive musical harmony. The rules require precise echoing of consonants and vowels across the line, often within and across half-lines, producing intricate patterns that define the poem’s sound.

Originating in medieval Wales as part of the bardic tradition, cynghanedd is central to many Welsh poetic forms, particularly the awdl and various englyn metres. It was developed and refined by professional poets for centuries and remains a defining feature of traditional Welsh verse. Although most strongly associated with historical poetry, the technique continues to be taught and practiced by contemporary Welsh poets and scholars.

Forms and patterns within cynghanedd are numerous, with several well-known types. Cynghanedd sain (sound) emphasizes sustained alliteration and assonance as the line unfolds. Cynghanedd groes (cross) involves a crosswise alignment of consonants and stresses across a caesura, creating a symmetrical relation between the two halves of the line. There are additional patterns and subpatterns that govern how initial consonants and vowels relate to those in the rest of the line. Mastery of cynghanedd requires careful placement of the ictus and a disciplined arrangement of phonetic echoes.

In modern usage, cynghanedd remains a topic of study and appreciation within Welsh literature. It is often cited as a hallmark of traditional Welsh poetic craft and continues to inform both scholarly analysis and poetic practice.