Words for soul / spirit / life in Celtic languages.
Proto-Celtic | *anaman = soul, spirit |
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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 |
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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
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 …”)