Life and Soul

Words for soul / spirit / life in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *anaman = soul, spirit
Old Irish (Goídelc) ainimm [ˈanʲimʲ], anim [ˈanʲim], ainim, anaim, anaimm = soul, life, living creature, animal
Irish (Gaeilge) anam [ˈɑn̪ˠəmˠ / ˈanˠəmˠ] = soul, life, liveliness, spirt, breath
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) anam [anam] = soul, mind, spirit, life, breath
Manx (Gaelg) annym = soul, psyche, spirit
Proto-Brythonic *anati̯o- = soul, spirit
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) eneid, eneit = soul, spirit
Welsh (Cymraeg) enaid [haːv / haː] = soul, spirit
Cornish (Kernewek) enev / ena = soul
Middle Breton eneff = spring
Breton (Brezhoneg ene = soul

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁mos (soul, spirit), or from the Latin anima (soul, spirt, life) [source].

Here are some examples of how these words are used:

Irish

  • anam an duine = the human soul
  • duine gan anam = unfeeling/lifeless person
  • Tá a hanam istigh ann = she is devoted to him
  • Dia le m’anam! = God bless my soul!
  • Dar m’anam! = Upon my soul!
  • Lán d’anam = in high spirits

Scottish Gaelic

  • a Dhia m’anam! = God preserve us!
  • m’anam = (my) goodness!
  • anam caillte = a lost soul
  • na gabh d’ anam … = don’t you dare to …
  • air m’anam! = upon my soul!
  • cha robh anam beò ann = there wasn not a living soul there

Manx

  • annym-charrey = spiritual adviser
  • corp as annym = body and soul
  • Dar m’annym = Upon my soul!
  • gyn annym = spiritless, flat (mood), inanimate, soulless
  • M’annym da’n jouyll! = Well, I’m damned!
  • Cha row annym vio ayn = there wasn not a living soul there
  • Shee Yee da’n annym echey = may he rest in peace

Welsh

  • ymroi i rywbeth gorff ac enaid = to throw oneself body/heart and soul into sth
  • â’m holl enaid = with my whole soul
  • hi oedd enaid y parti = she was the life and soul of the party
  • enaid hoff cytûn = soul mate
  • miwsig yr enaid / canu’r enaid = soul music

Cornish

  • daskor y enev = to give up one’s ghost

Breton

  • peoc’h d’e ene = may he rest in peace

Old Irish (Goídelc) spiurt / spirut [ˈspʲirud] = spirit, incorporeal being, angel, ghost, apparition, soul, life
Irish (Gaeilge) spiorad = spirit, spiritedness, courage
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) spiorad [sbirəd] = spirit (of mind, ghost, liqueur), mind, vigour, heart
Manx (Gaelg) spyrryd = esprit, ghost, morale, spirit, psyche
Proto-Brythonic *spïrïd = spirit
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) yspryt / yspryd = spirit
Welsh (Cymraeg) ysbryd [ˈəsbrɨ̞d / ˈəsbrɪd] = spirit, soul; ghost, spectre, genius, temperament, disposition, mood, emotion, feeling, liveliness, vivacity, breath
Old Cornish spirit = spirit
Cornish (Kernewek) sperys / spyrys = spirit
Middle Breton speret = spirit
Breton (Brezhoneg spered = spirit

Etymology, from the Latin spīritus (air, breath, spirit), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (to blow, breathe) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Here are some examples of how these words are used:

Irish

  • An Spiorad Naomh = the Holy Spirit
  • spiorad an duine = the human spirit
  • spiorad na haoise = the spirit of the age
  • tá an spiorad ullamh = the spirit is willing

Scottish Gaelic

  • An Spiorad Naomh = The Holy Spirit
  • deagh-spiorad = good spirit
  • droch-spiorad = evil spirit, the Devil
  • spiorad-iùil = guiding spirit

Manx

  • drogh spyrryd = demon
  • gyn spyrryd = feckless, craven, boneless
  • Spyrryd Noo = Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost
  • spyrryd parteeagh = party spirit

Welsh

  • Ysbryd Glân, Glân Ysbryd = Holy Spirit/Ghost
  • gwendid ysbryd = melancholy, depression

Breton

  • Spered Santel = Holy Spirit/Ghost
  • droukspered = evil spirit, demon
  • spered-krouiñ = creativity
  • spered a gevezerez = spirit of competition

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek

One thought on “Life and Soul

  1. Simon, I’m afraid a couple of bits of Gàidhlig have been copied down into the Gaelg section of the first set of examples. “There was not a living soul there” should be Cha row annym vio ayn instead of “Cha robh anam beò ann”. Secondly, “Na gabh d’ anam …” appears for “Don’t you dare to …” : transposing word-for-word, this should be Ny gow dt’ annym …, although I’ve not heard this used. I would tend to say Ny cur y lane foyd dy … or Ny bee cho daaney dy … (“Don’t be so bold as to …”)

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