Words for cowherd, shepherd, boy, child in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *boukolyos = cowherd |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | búachaill [ˈbuːa̯xil͈ʲ] = cowherd, herdsman |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | buachaill [ˈbˠuəxɪlʲ] = boy, young unmarried; herdboy, herdsman; man-servant, male employee; lad |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | buachaill, buachaille [buəçɪlʲə] = herder, herdsman, cowherd, shepherd, youth |
| Manx (Gaelg) | bochilley = shepherd, herdsman |
| Proto-Brythonic | *bʉgöl [bʉˈɡøːl] = herdsman |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | bugeil = son |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bugail [ˈbɪɡai̯l / ˈbiːɡai̯l] = herdsman, shepherd, guardian, keeper, leader, defender; bishop, priest, pastor, minister |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | bugel [‘bʏgɛl / ‘bɪgɐl] = shepherd, pastor |
| Middle Breton | buguel, bugel = child |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | bugel = child, pastor, priest |
Etymology
From the Proto-Indo-European gʷowkólos, from *gʷṓws (cow) and *kʷel- (to revolve, move around, sojourn) [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau
