Words for bridges and related words in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | drochet [ˈdroxʲed] = bridge |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | drochet, drochat, droichet = bridge, causeway drochetech, drochetóir = bridge-maker |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | droichead [ˈd̪ˠɾˠɛçəd̪ˠ] = bridge droichead crochta = suspension bridge droichead tógála = drawbridge droichead meáite = weigh bridge droichead veidhlín = bridge of a violin droichead sróine = bridge of the nose |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | drochaid [drɔxɪdʲ] = bridge drochaid air fleodradh = pontoon drochaid-thogalach, drochaid-thogail = drawbridge drochaid-choise = footbridge drochaid-rathaid = road bridge, viaduct drochaid-thionndain = swing bridge |
| Manx (Gaelg) | droghad = bridge, bridge of ship, arch, gantry droghad aae = viaduct droghad cassee = swing bridge droghad coshey = gangway, footbridge droghad croghit = suspension bridge droghad keesh = toll bridge droichead meihaghey = weigh bridge |
Etymology: from Old Irish droch (wheel, circlet) and sét (path) [source].
| Gaulish | ponto = bridge |
|---|---|
| Proto-Brythonic | *pont = bridge |
| Cumbric | *pont = bridge |
| Old Welsh (Kembraec) | pont = bridge |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | pont, pynt = bridge, drawbridge |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | pont [pɔnt] = bridge, drawbridge, viaduct, aqueduct pontio = to bridge (a gap), to transition pont godi = drawbridge pont grog = suspension bridge pont trwyn = bridge of the nose pont y glaw, pont law = rainbow pont ysgwydd = collar-bone, clavicle pontio = to bridge, span, arch pont(i)og = like a bridge, arched of the nature of a bridge pont(i)wr, pontydd = a bridge-builder pontyddiaeth = bridge-building |
| Old Cornish (Cernewec) | pons = bridge |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | pons = bridge |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | pons = bridge ponsfordh = viaduct pons travalya = travelling bridge |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | pont = bridge |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | pont [pɔ̃nt] = bridge, top of the furrow, culvert, trigger guard pontan, pontañ = to bridge, lay flat stones (on a ditch or stream) pont-tro = swing bridge pont hent-houarn = railway bridge pont dilestrañ = bridge, deck (of ship) pont kargañ = loading deck pont-tro = swing bridge |
Etymology: from Latin pōns (bridge, deck), from Proto-Indo-European *pónteh₁s (path, road), from *pent- (path). Words from the same roots include pont (bridge) in French, puente (bridge) in Spanish, път [pɤt] (road, way, path, journey, way) in Bulgarian source].
| Proto-Celtic | *brīwā = bridge |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | briua = bridge |
| Leptonic | 𐌐𐌓𐌖𐌉𐌀𐌌 (pruiam) = funerary construction (perhaps a grave) |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerw/*bʰrēw (wooden flooring, decking, bridge), which is also the root of the English words bridge and brig, and Brücke (bridge) in German [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
Simon, apparently the Menai is quite a famous, historical bridge. I am envious that you have so much history literally “right in your back yard” there in Wales.
I couldn’t let your article about bridges go unanswered, so here is some information about OUR famous bridge in Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge. It connects the Lower and Upper peninsulas of Michigan. It’s about 5 miles (8 km) long, and was at one time the longest suspension bridge in the world. When you drive across it, it feels like you are flying above an ocean, as Lake Michigan is on the west side of it, and Lake Huron is on the east side, and both lakes are enormous. The vistas are very dramatic and a little scary at the same time.
P.S. The name looks like MACK-IN-ACK but it’s pronounced like MACK-IN-AU (sort of). Don’t ask me why. I believe it’s a native American name for something.
Here are a couple of sites with information about our famous bridge:
https://www.mackinacbridge.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackinac_Bridge