Words for lament and related words in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *kiyeti = to fall, cry |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | caí = weeping, lamentation ciïd [ˈkʲi.ɨðʲ] = to cry, weep coínid = to lament, mourn, keen, regret, deplore |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | caí = weeping, wailing, lamentation ciïd = to cry, weep, lament, mourn caínid = lament |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | caí [ˈd̪ˠɪnʲə] = lament, lamentation caoin [kiːnʲ] = to keen, lament, cry, weep caígh = to weep, lament |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | caoidh [kɤj] = lamenting, bewailing, lamentation, mourning, grieving caoin [kɯːn̪ʲ] = to weep for, mourn, cry, lament, wail |
| Manx (Gaelg) | coe = weep, mourn, weeping, woe keayney = to cry, wail, weep, mourn, lament; mourning |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | cwyn, cŵyn, kwyn = complaint |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | cwyn [kuːɨ̯n / kʊi̯n] = complaint, plaint, grievance, lament, grief cwyno [ˈkʊɨ̯nɔ / ˈkʊi̯nɔ] = to complain, lament, bemoan, mourn, pity cwynawdr = complainant cwynddig = lamenting angrily cwynfa = lamentation cwynfanwr = whiner |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | cyny, kyny = to mourn, lament, weep |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | kynvan = lament, lamentation, moan, mourning kyni = to mourn, lament, wail, moan |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | keuziañ = to regret, miss, be sorry, deplore. lament |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- (to fall) [source], or *gʷey- (to lament, complain) [source].
The English word keen (to mourn, utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry) was borrowed from the Irish caoin [source].
The Icelandic word kveina (to wail, cry, lament) comes from the same PIE root (*gʷey-), via the Old Norse kvein(k)a (to whine, wail), and the Proto-Germanic *kwainōną (to lament) [source], as does the Scots word quink (a type of goose) [source]
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
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, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
