Today we’re looking at words for sticks, rods and related things in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *slattā = staff, stalk |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | slat = rod, lath, twig; ceremonial rod, staff; branch of a tree; scion, youth, stripling; yard (measure of length) |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | slat [sˠl̪ˠɑt̪ˠ/sˠlˠat̪ˠ] = rod, slender stick, cane, switch, wand, yard, outskirts slatach = rodlike, made of rods, wickered slatáil = beat with a switch or birch slataire = slip (of a person), sapling, tall supple youth slatamáil = (act of) birching slatfhear = slender supple man slatóg = small rod, twig |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | slat [sl̪ˠahd] = long stick, rod, yard (measure), penis slatag = small branch, twig slat Ghàidhealach = Highland yard (8′) slat-tomhais = standard, yardstick slatan-draoidheachd = magic wand, fairy wand |
| Manx (Gaelg) | slat(t) = batten, birch, cane, mace, rail, rod, slat, stem, switch, verge, wand slat hendreil = lightning-rod slat hows(h)e = criterion, yardstick slat hummee = dipper, dipstick slattag = perch, small rod, small stick, stripe, swizzle stick, twig |
| Proto-Brythonic | *llaθ = rod, staff, stick, spear, beam, rafter, pole |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | lath = rod, staff, wand, stick |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | llath [ɬaːθ] = rod, staff, wand, stick, lath, spear, lance, spar, rafter, beam, offshoot, descendant llath Gymreig = Welsh yard (about 40 inches) llathaid = yard’s length, yardstick, length of rod, pole or perch, square yard lathen = rod, wand, staff, stick, lath llathennaf, llathennu = to measure, be critical (of) hudlath = magic wand |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | lath = hook, hinge |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | lath = stick, staff, yard |
| Old Breton | lath = pole, rod |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | lazh, laz, lah = pole, rod |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | lazh = slat (of a plough), board, batten |
Etymology: unknown – possibly from a substrate language of northwestern Europe [source].
Words that may be related include lath (a thin, narrow strip, fastened to the rafters) in English, Latte (batten, lath, slat) in German, lat (slate, lath, ruler, yardstick) in Dutch, and lata (can, tin, plate) in Spanish [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
