Words for willow tree (salix) in Celtic languages:
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | sail = willow (tree), plank, beam |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | saileach = willow (tree), sallow |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | seileach [ʃeləx] = willow (tree) |
| Manx (Gaelg) | shellagh = willow (tree), proliferous, sallow, salivary, withy |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | helyg [ˈhɛlɪɡ / ˈheːlɪɡ] = willow (tree), osier |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | helygk [ˈhɛlɪk] = willow (tree) |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | haleg = willow (tree) |
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European salək- (willow).
Sources: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/salix#Latin, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau
I’m in Brittany at the moment but am from the Welsh border so I have a little knowledge. Many of the “cognates” intrigue me, some just amuse me.
Two I’ve come across, where we’re staying are “hent” and “park”. Any idea what they may mean?
I’d be really interested, when I get back to look into themes that run through Celtic art, specifically in representing people.
Thanks for the site it’s given an extra dimension to travelling round here. It’ll certainly look a things in Welsh I take for granted, anew, please keep the site going, it’s great!
The Breton “hent” means a path or road, see: https://www.omniglot.com/celtiadur/2019/05/25/tracks-paths/
The Breton “park” means field, and is borrowed from the French parc.
So, Park Road, literally!
I know that there’s as much divergence as continuity but it’s exciting to see the bones of old, ‘skeletons’ of language held in common across the British Isles.
Thanks for replying.