In this post we’re looking into words meaning to suck, to absorb and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *dinīti = to suck |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | denaid, dinid [ˈd̠ʲe.nəðʲ] = to suck |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | denaid, dinid, denand, denait = to suck |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | diúl [dʲuːlˠ] = sucking, suck diúl = to suck diúlaí = sucker diúlcach = suckling, baby diúlfaíoch = alimentary canal, throat diúlfhiacail = milk-tooth leanbh (an) diúl = suckling |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | deoghail [dʲo.al] = suck, suckle deòlagan [dʲɔːl̪ˠagan̪ˠ] = sucker, sth or sb who sucks |
| Manx (Gaelg) | jiole = to suck, nurse, nourish, draw; sucking jioleyder = sucker, sponger, swab, mop |
| Proto-Brythonic | *denad = to suck (?) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | dener, dennv, denu, devnv = to allure, attract, entice, cajole, inveigle, beguile, decoy denawl = attractive, alluring denwr = enticer, seducer, inveigler, persuader |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | denaf, denu [ˈdɛnɨ / ˈdeːni] = to allure, attract, entice, cajole, inveigle, beguile, decoy dengar = alluring, attractive, enticing, winning, charming dengarwch = allurement, winsomeness, enticement, attractiveness deniad = allurement, enticement, attraction, lure, bait, temptation deniadol = attractive, alluring, enticing, engaging, winning denol = attractive, alluring denwr = enticer, seducer, inveigler, persuader |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec / Kernuak) | dena, dené, deny = to suck, to draw, to absorb, to withdraw |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | dena [ˈdɛna / ˈdɛnɐ] = to absorb, to suck denus = absorbing omdhenans = absorbtion |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | denaff = to suckle |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | dena = to suck denañ [ˈdẽː.nã] = to suckle dener = sucker, teat cup |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (to suckle, to nurse) [source]. Words from the same roots include dia (to suckle) in Swedish, doić (to milk, gulp down) in Polish, femmina (female) in Italian, femme (woman, wife) in French, and female and feminine in English [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *sowkno- = to suck |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | súigid = to absorb, suck |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | súigid, súgad = to suck, to draw in, to absorb, to attract, act of sucking, absorbing, attracting |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | sú = absorption, suction súigh = to absorb, suck |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | sùigh [suːj] = suck, absorb, lap sùg [suːg] = suck, imbibe |
| Manx (Gaelg) | soo (stiagh) = to suck (in), to soak (up), to imbibe, to sip; sucking, suction; sap, juice sooder = sucker, soaker, sipper, absorber, tippler, exhaust soolagh = juice, sauce, juicy |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | sugyn, sugn, svgn = suction, suck, a suckling; juice, sap, liquid, moisture svgney, sugyn, sugnav, sugn = to suck, drink, suckle sugndraeth, sugyndraeth, svgvndraeth = quicksand |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | sugn = suction, suck, a suckling, pull, attraction, undertow; juice, sap, liquid, moisture sugnaf, sugno [ˈsɨ̞ɡnɔ / ˈsɪɡnɔ] = to suck, drink, suckle, absorb, draw (out), engulf, attract sugndraeth = quicksand sugnog = sucking amsugno [amˈsɨ̞ɡnɔ / amˈsɪɡnɔ] = to absorb |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | sugna = to suck sugnans = suction sugnek = succulent, juicy sugnell = juicer sugnus = succulent |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | sunaff = to suck |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | sunañ [ˈsỹː.nã] = to suck, to drink, to aspire, to hoover, to deceive sunek = juicy sunell = lollipop, dummy, pacifier suner = nozzle, sucker sunerezh = suction, vacuum cleaner |
Etymology: from PIE *sewg- / *sewk- (to suck) [source]. Words from the same PIE root include suck and soak in English, zuigen (to suck, vacuum, suckle, pester) in Dutch, saugen (to suck, download) in German, and sucer (to suck) in French [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 Kernehe, itk, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
Nice to see the Proto-Brythonic *denad branch sitting beside the Goidelic one, and the slide from ‘suck’ into dener ‘to allure, entice’ is the kind of drift Chinese does too — 吸 is to inhale or absorb, 吸引 is to attract, and 吮 is specifically to suck. Languages reach for the mouth for attraction as readily as for eating. Thanks for keeping the reconstructed forms in the table.