Omniglot Blog

Word of the day – billey

billey (BILL-ya) = tree, plural = biljyn (BILL-jin)

Examples of usage:
Vel biljyn sy gharey? (Are there trees in the garden?)
Ta. Tree biljyn mooarey as un villey beg (Yes. Three big trees and a small tree)

This word came up in today’s Manx lesson. While many Manx words are the same as or similiar to words in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, this particular word caught my eye because it’s completely different. In Irish the word for tree is crann (pl. crainn), while in Scottish Gaelic it’s craobh (pl. craoibhe) or crann . The Welsh words for tree are coeden (pl. coed) and prenn (pl. prennau) – also means wood/timber.