Ladles and Jellyspoons, or if you prefer, Ladies and Gentlemen, today we are look at words for spoon, ladle and related words in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *lēgā = spoon |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | líach [l͈ʲiːa̯x] = spoon, laddle |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | liach [l̠ʲiəx] = laddle, ladleful, measure liachlán = ladleful |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | liogh [l̪ʲɤɣ] = blade (of an oar, helicopter), vane (of a mill), ladle, hero liogh ràimh = oar blade |
| Manx (Gaelg) | lheegh = ladle lheegh awree = soup ladle |
| Proto-Brythonic | *lluɨɣ = spoon, scoop, ladle, trowel |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | llwy = spoon, ladle, trowel |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | llwy [ɬuːɨ̯] = spoon, ladle, scoop, trowel, spatula, bucket, float, paddle (of a water-wheel) llwy de = teaspoon llwy fwrdd = tablespoon llwy gawl = soup spoon llwy grochan, llwy droetir = ladle llwy bren = wooden spoon llwy serch = love-spoon llwyaid = spoonful, shovelful llwyar(n) = trowel, fire-shovel, slive, scoop, corer, spatula llwyar(n)u = to spread and smooth with a trowel or shovel llwyo = to spoon or ladle (out) llwywr = spoon-maker |
| Old Cornish | loe = spoon |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | lo = spoon lo balas = trowel lo de = teaspoon lo ledan = ladle lo vras = tablespoon |
| Old Breton | loi = spoon |
| Middle Breton | loa = spoon |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | loa = spoon, striker, gouge, trowel, pliers loa-dizourañ = slotted spoon loa goad = wooden spoon loa-gafe = teaspoon loa-voued = soup spoon |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *leyǵʰ- (lick) [source]. The English word lick comes from the same PIE root via the Middle English likken (to lick), the Old English liccian (to lick), the Proto-West Germanic *likkōn (to lick), and the Proto-Germanic *likkōną (to lick) [source]
| Irish (Gaeilge) | spúnóg [sˠpˠuːˈn̪ˠoːɡ / ˈsˠpˠuːnˠaɡ] = spoon, spoonful spúnóg tae / spúnóg bheag / taespúnóg = teaspoon spúnóg mhór / spúnóg bhoird = tablespoon |
|---|---|
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | spàin [sbaːn̪ʲ] = spoon, blade (of an oar) spàin-bhùird = tablespoon spàin-fhiodha = wooden spoon spàin-teatha, spàin-tì = teaspoon spàinach = like or pertaining to spoons spàineag = small spoon, small spoonful |
| Manx (Gaelg) | spein = spoon spein ambee = dessert spoon spein ooh = egg spoon |
Etymology (Irish): from the English spoon, from the Middle English spo(u)ne/spo(o)n (spoon, chip of wood), from the Old English spōn (sliver, chip of wood, shaving), from the Proto-West Germanic *spānu (chip, shaving, spoon), from the Proto-Germanic *spēnuz (chip, flake, shaving), from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)peh₂- (chip, shaving, log, length of wood) [source].
Etymology (Scottish Gaelic and Manx): from the Old Norse spánn/spónn (chip, shaving, spoon), from the Proto-Germanic *spēnuz [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, logainm.ie, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
