Daughter / Girl

Words for daughter / girl in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *enigenā = daughter
Primitive Irish ᚔᚅᚔᚌᚓᚅᚐ (inigena) = daughter
Old Irish (Goídelc) ingen [ˈinʲɣʲen] = daughter, maiden, virgin, young woman
Irish (Gaeilge) iníon [ɪˈnʲiːnˠ / ˈɪnʲiːnʲ / n̠ʲiənˠ] = daughter, girl, maiden; (young) woman, Miss
gariníon = granddaughter
iníon deirféar = niece (sister’s daughter)
iníon dearthár = niece (brother’s daughter)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) nighean [ɲiː.an̪ˠ] = daughter, girl, lass
gar-inghean, nighean-mhic = granddaughter
nighean-pheathar = niece (sister’s daughter)
nighean-bhràthar = niece (brother’s daughter)
Manx (Gaelg) inneen [ɪnˈjiːn] = daughter, girl (also written ‘neen / ‘nneen)
oe ‘neen = granddaughter
inneen shayrey = niece (sister’s daughter)
inneen vraarey = niece (brother’s daughter)

Etymology
From the Proto-Indo-European *h₁én (in) + *ǵenh₁- (produce, give birth). [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary

Proto-Celtic *merkā = daughter
Proto-Brythonic *merx = daughter
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) smarach [smɛrəx] = lively person; lad, young man
Welsh (Cymraeg) merch [mɛrχ] = girl, lass; female, (young or unmarried) woman; daughter; female descendant
Cornish (Kernewek) myrgh [mɪrx] = daughter
mergh = daughter
Breton (Brezhoneg) merc’h = daughter, girl, maiden
merc’hig = little girl, daughterling

Etymology
From the Proto-Indo-European *méryos (boy, girl). [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *