Words for to read and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | légaid = to read, study, read aloud, recite |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | légad = reading, studying légaid = to read, study, recite légthóracht = reading, perusal, learning, study |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | léigh [lʲeːɟ] = to read léamh = reading léitheoir = reader léitheoireacht = reading |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | leugh [l̪ːev] = to read leughadair, leughamh = reader leughadh, leughamh = reading, perusing, perusal leughair [l̪ʲeːvər] = reader (person) |
| Manx (Gaelg) | lhaih = to read lhait, lhaiht = read lhaihagh = bookish, legible, studious lhaihder = reader, lector lhaihderys = art of reading, perusal lhaihoil = legible, readable |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | lleir, lleu, lleawr = to read |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | lleaf, lleu [ˈɬeav/ɬei̯] = to read |
Etymology: from Latin legō (to choose, appoint, collect, extract, read), from the Proto-Italic *legō (to gather, collect) , from the Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (to gather, collect) [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | léigenn = education, learning, reading, study léignid = scholar |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | léigenn = studying, reading, learning, doctrine léigaid = to read, study, recite léigenta = learned léignid = learned man, scholar |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | léann [l̠ʲeːn̪ˠ] = learning, education, study léannta = learned, erudite, scholarly léanntacht = learnedness, erudition |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | léigheann [l̪ʲeː.ən̪] = (act of ) reading |
| Proto-Brythonic | *lleɣenn = literature, learning |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | llen, llên = literature, lore darllein, darllain= to read |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | llên [ɬeːn] = literature, lore, scholar, priest, cleric, ecclesiastic, clerical, learned llenyddiaeth = literature, scholarship darllen(af) [ˈdarɬɛn(av) / ˈdarɬɛn(av)] = to read (aloud), peruse; learn; discern by observation, understand a person’s character; scrutinize |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | lyen = literature, learning, erudition, scholarship lenn = to read lenner = reader |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | lien [ˈliːɛn] = literature liennek = literary lenna [‘lɛn:a / ‘lɛnɐ] = to read lenner, lenores = reader |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | lenn, leenn, leen = reading. to read lenniff = to read |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | lenn [lɛnː] = to read lennadur [lɛˈnɑː.dyr] = reading lennañ = to read lennegezh = literature lenner [ˈlɛnː.ɛr] = reader lennus [ˈlɛ.nːys] = legible lennusted [ˈlɛ.nːys] = legibility, readability |
Etymology: from Latin legendum/legendā, from Latin legō (to choose, appoint, collect, extract, read), from the Proto-Italic *legō (to gather, collect) , from the Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (to gather, collect) [source].
English words from the same roots include collect, dialect, dyslexia, elect, intellect, lectern, lection and legion [source].
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | redi, redyé = to read redyans = reading redior, rediores = reader |
|---|---|
| Cornish (Kernewek) | redya = to read redyans = reading redyer, redyores = reader |
Etymology: from English read, from Middle English reden (to counsel, advise, study, read), from Old English rǣdan (to read, advise, guess), from Proto-West Germanic *rādan, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaną (to advise, counsel), from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (to think, arrange [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic