Words for day in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *dīyos = day *gdijes = yesterday *noxt-yēr- = yesterday evening, last night *se-diwos = today *sindai noxtē = tonight |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | día [dʲiːa̯] = day indé = yesterday irráir [əˈɾʲeːɾʲ] = yesterday evening, last night indiu = today innocht = tonight i mbárach = tomorrow |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | dia [dʲiə] = day inné [əˈn̠ʲeː] = yesterday aréir [əˈɾʲeːɾʲ] = yesterday evening, last night inniu [əˈn̠ʲʊ / ɪˈn̠ʲʊv] = today anocht [əˈn̪ˠɔxt̪ˠ] = tonight amárach [əˈmˠaːɾˠəx] = tomorrow |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | dia [dʲiə] = day an-dè [ən̠ʲ’dʲeː] = yesterday a-raoir [əˈrɤirʲ] = yesterday evening, last night an-diugh [əɲˈdʲu] = today a-nochd [əˈn̠ˠɔ̃xg] = tonight a-màireach [əˈmaːrʲəx] = tomorrow |
| Manx (Gaelg) | je/jy = day jea = yesterday riyr = yesterday evening, last night jiu = today, nowadays noght = tonight mairagh = tomorrow |
| Proto-Brythonic | *dið = day, daytime *hanoɨθ = tonight |
| Old Welsh | did = day heddiw = today henoid = tonight yfory = tomorrow |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | dyð [dɨːð] = day doe = yesterday neithuir / neithwyr = yesterday evening, last night heddiw / hediw / hetiv = today heno = tonight auory = tomorrow |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | dydd [dɨːð / diːð] = day, time of daylight, light ddoe [ðoːɨ̯ / ðɔi̯] = yesterday neithiwr [ˈnei̯θjʊr / ˈnei̯θjʊr] = yesterday evening, last night heddiw [ˈhɛðɪu̯ / ˈheːðɪu̯] = today heno [ˈhɛnɔ / ˈheːnɔ] = tonight yfory [əˈvɔrɨ / əˈvoːri] = tomorrow |
| Old Cornish | det = day doy = yesterday hetheu = today aurorou = tomorrow |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | dydh [diːð] = day de = yesterday nyhewer = yesterday evening, last night hedhyw = today haneth = tonight a-vorow [əˈvɔɾoʊ] = tomorrow |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | deiz [ˈdɛj / ˈdɛjs / ˈdeː] = day dec’h = yesterday neizheur / dec’h da noz = yesterday evening, last night hiziv = today fenoz = tonight (w)arc’hoazh [war.ˈɣwɑːs] = tomorrow |
Etymology (day): from the Proto-Indo-European *dyew- (to be bright, sky, heaven) [source].
Etymology (tomorrow): from the Proto-Celtic bāregos (morning), either from *bā-rigos (cow-tying), or from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-h₃reǵos (light-extending) [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *latyom = day |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | lá [l̪ˠaː] / laithe = day |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | lá [l̪ˠɑː / l̪ˠæː] = day, daytime; current time; lifetime; point of time |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | latha [l̠ˠa.a] = day |
| Manx (Gaelg) | laa [leː / laː] = day, daytime |
Etymology from the Proto-Indo-European *leh₁t- (warm part of the year) [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
The names of the months (and days and seasons) in Celtic languages
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Globse
In Gaelg (Manx Gaelic), the normal word for ‘day’ is indeed laa, when used alone. However, je- (never jee-, but sometimes spelled jy-) is used only as a prefix in the names of the days, such as Jelune- [Monday]).
Also in Welsh you have ‘trennydd’ (the day after tomorrow), and ‘tradwy’ (in three days time).