Words for navel, centre, core and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | boilcsén = centre, middle |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | boilcsén, boillscén = middle, centre |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | boilsceann = bulging part (of sth), middle |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | buillsgean, boillsgean, builsgean [bɯil̪ʲʃgʲan] = middle, centre, focus, core, navel |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | bogel, bogail = navel |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bogail, bogel [ˈbɔɡai̯l / ˈboːɡai̯l] = navel, umbilicus, belly button, afterbirth; boss (on shielf), knob, stud, nave, hub (of wheel), middle, centre bogailsyllol = given to navel-gazing bogailsyllu = to contemplate one’s navel, to engage in navel-gazing or omphaloskepsis bogeil(i)aidd = umbilical, umbilicate bogeiliog = umbilical, umbilicate, having a navel, navel-baring, bossed bogeiliol = umbilical, navel-gazing, self-absorbed |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec / Kernuak) | begel = navel |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | begel = navel |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | becel = navel |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | begeul, begiel = navel |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | begel [ˈbeː.ɡɛl] = navel, umbilical cord, walnut husk begelet = umbilicate, umbilicated |
Etymology: possible related to words for belly or swelling such as bolg in Irish and Manx, and bol in Welsh, which come from Proto-Celtic *bolgos (sack, bag, stomach) from Proto-Indo-European *bʰólǵʰ-o-s (skin bag, bolster), from *bʰelǵʰ- (to swell) [source 1, source 2 source 3].
| Proto-Celtic | *ambelyon / *ambelyū = navel |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | imlecán, imliu = navel |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | imlecán, imblecán, imlicen = navel, middle, central point |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | imleacán = navel, central point, centre, hub imleacánach = umbilical sreang (an) imleacáin = umbilical cord |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | imleag [imilag] = navel putan-imleige = belly button, navel còrd-imleige = umbilical cord |
| Manx (Gaelg) | imleig = navel, belly button, hub imleigagh = umbilical streng ny himleig, snaie ny himleig = umbilical cord |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *h₃nóbʰōl (navel) [source]. Words from the same roots include navel, omphalos, umbilicus in English, Nabel (navel, belly button, centre, middle) in German, nafli (navel, bellybutton) in Icelandic, nombril (navel, belly button, middle) in French, ombligo (navel, belly button) in Spanish, and αφαλός (afalós – navel, hub) in Greek [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Teanglann.ie, Am Faclair Beag, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Gaelg Corpus, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, TermOfis
Simon; is ‘imleag’ (Gàidhlig) really pronounced [ilimag] ?
It is: https://www.faclair.com/ViewEntry.aspx?ID=1511F76B2EB5D2204ADD3893B418E258
Many thanks, Simon, but your weblink confirms that it’s ” iMiLag “, rather than ” iLiMag “, which is what the spelling suggests. I still greatly enjoy Celtiadur and Omniglot.