Today we’re looking at words for likeness, similarity and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *samalis = likeness, similarity |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | samalo- = similar, like |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | samail [ˈsaβ̃ɨlʲ] = likeness, similarity, description cosmail [ˈkosβ̃ɨl] = like, alike, similar maccsamla = equal, match |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | samail, samhail = likeness, similarity, description, simile, metaphor; like, as cosmail = like, similar, likely, probable, fitting, proper, becoming, likeness, similarity mac(c)samla = an equal, match, the like (of) |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | samhail = likeness, semblance, similitude, image, effigy, represetation, model, phantom, spectre samhailchomhartha = symbol samhailchomharthaigh = to symbolize, typify samhailteach = imaginary samhalta = visionary, fanciful, unreal, virtual samhaltach = symbolic samhaltas = symbolism cosúil [kəˈsˠuːlʲ / ˈkɔsˠuːlʲ] = resembling like macasamhail = like, equal, counterpart, reproduction, copy |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | samhail, samhla [sãũ.al / sãũl̪ˠə] = figure, sign, symbol, shape, form, allegory, metaphor, likeness, (re)semblance, like, as similar to samhailt [sãũ.aldʲ] = figure, sign, symbol, shape, form, example, apparition samhlach = emblematical, typical, ghostly samhlachas = analogy, symbolism samhlachdainn = comparing, likening, symbolising samhlaidheachd = symbolism cosail [kɔsal] = similar, (a)like mac-samhail = likeness, replica, duplicate, facsimile, equal, like |
| Manx (Gaelg) | soyl = model cosoyley = semblance, simile, symbol, analogy cosoylagh = alike, allegoric(al), likely, symbolic macsoyley = instance, metaphor |
| Proto-Brythonic | *haβ̃al [haˈβ̃aːlˑ] = like, similar, as |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | haval, haual, hafal = like, similar val, fal = as, like, similar cyhaual, kyhafal, cyhafal = (very) similar, like, resembling, alike, even, equal dyfaly, dyfalu = to guess, suppose euylychv, euelychu = to imitate, copy |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | hafal [ˈhaval] = like, similar, resembling, equal, fellow hafalu = to equal(ize), equate hafaledd = equality hafaliad = equation fel, fal [vɛl, val] = as, like, similar cyhafal = (very) similar, like, resembling, alike, even, equal dyfalu = to guess, suppose, fancy, imagine efelychu = to imitate, copy |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | haval = like, similar, resembling havalder = likeness, similitude, resemblance avel = like, similar cehafal = equal, like, similar |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | haval = alike, resembling, similar avel, vel = as, like kehaval = alike, equal kehavalen = equation |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | amal, hamal, hemel = similar, thus, like, similarly |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | haual, haffual, hânvel = similar, likely haualder = resemblance, likeness haualier = to compare, seem, resemble dishaval = dissimilar, different |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | hañval [ˈhã.val] = similar, likely heñval [ˈhɛ̃ː.vɛl] = similar, same hañvalat = apparent, seeming hañvalder = resemblance, likeness hañvalidigezh = appearance, aspect, resemblance hañvalout = to compare, seem, resemble dishañval = dissimilar, different, extra, great, super |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *sem-h₂-lo-, from *sem- (together, one) [source]. Words from the same roots include mile, same, seem, simple, some, similar and system in English [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
