Words for voice, word, sound and related things in Celtic languages.
Bangor Community Choir singing at Bodnant Garden / Côr Cymunedol Bangor yn canu yng Ngardd Bodnant
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic |
*gutus = voice |
| Gaulish |
*gutus = voice (?)
GVTVATER / *gutuater = priest / druid |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
guth [ɡʊθ] = voice, word, sound |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) |
guth, gotha, gotho = voice, sound, word, vowel, aspersion, blame, censure, slander |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
guth [ɡɯh/ɡʊ(h)] = voice, human voice, blame, reproach, censure
guta = vowel
guthach = vocal, vocalic
guthaigh = to voice, vocalize, sing, censure, reproach
guthaíl = voicing, calling
guthaíocht = vocalization, voice, vote
gutháire = yell(ing), shout(ing)
guthán = telephone |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
guth [guh] = voice, tone of voice, mention, word
guth-cheòl = intonation
guthach [guhəx] = vocal, vocalic, vocied
guathachadh [guhəxəɣ] = (act of) calling, vocalizing, vocalization, voicing (in linguistics)
guthaich [guhɪç] = call, vocalize, voice
guthlag [guhl̪ˠag] = larynx
guthlagail [guhl̪ˠagal] = laryngeal |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
goo = voice, word, utterance, reputation, fame
gooagh = loquacious, sonant, vocal, vocalic, voiced, wordy
goolag = larynx |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰuH-tu-s (to call on, invoke), from *ǵʰewH- (to call on, invoke) [source]. Words from the same PIE roots include zavêt (to cast a spell) in Latvian, զավեշտ (zavešt – joke, farce) in Armenia, звать (zvatʹ – to call, invite) in Russian, and зова (zova – to call, summon, name) in Bulgarian [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
glór [ɡloːr] = voice, sound
glórach = noisy |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) |
glór, glóir, glár = voice, sound, noise
glórach = loud-voiced, noisy, vociferous
glórda = loud, resonant
glúarda = noisy, vociferous |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
glór [ɡl̪ˠoːɾˠ/ɡl̪ˠɔːɾˠ] = voice, human voice, speech, utterance, sound, noise
glórach = loud-voiced, sonorous, noisy, vociferous, voiced (consonant, etc)
glórachán = loud-voiced, vociferous person
glóraí = loudness, sonorousness
glóraigh = to voice, vocalize
glóraíl = sound of voices, vociferation, noisiness
glórmhach = tumult of voice, commotion, clamour |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
glòr [gl̪ˠɔːrʲ] = speech, utterance |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
glare [ɡlɛːr] = voice, utterance, speech, language
glaraghey = voice
glareydagh = linguistic, linguist |
Etymology: possibly from Latin glōria (glory, renown, fame, honour) [source], from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (to know, recognize). Words from the same roots include canny, cunning, glory and know in English; gloria (glory, praise) in Italian; and glorie (glory, great beauty, renown, splendour) in Dutch [source].
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
lew, llef = shout, cry, wail, roar, yell, sound, voice, speech, utterance
llevein, lleuein, llefain = to cry (out), exclaim, shout, lament, call, entreat, weep, shout
leuan = (loud) shout, cry, scream
leueir, lawaraw, llafaro = to speak, utter, say, tell |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
llef [ɬɛv] = shout, cry, wail, roar, yell, sound, voice, speech, utterance
llefaf, llefain = to cry (out), exclaim, shout, lament, call, entreat, weep, shout
llefair = enunciation, spoken word, speech, talkative
adlef [ˈadlɛv] = echo, reverberation |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) |
lef, lêf = voice, sound, cry
lefa = to cry aloud, shout |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
lev = voice
dre lev = vocal
levbost = voicemail |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) |
lem = complaint, groan, wail |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) |
leff = complaint, groan, wail
leuaff = to cry, moan |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
leñv, leñ = groan, complaint, plaintive cry, moaning; voice, cry (archaic)
leñvañ [ˈlẽː.vã] = to cry, scream, groan, bleat
leñver = to cry
leñverez = crying |
Etymology: from Proto-Brythonic *laβar (eloquent), from Proto-Celtic *ɸlabros (talkative) [source]. For more related words, see the Celtiadur post Talkative
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
lleis = voice
lleisiaf, lleisiaw, lleisio = to use the voice, vocalize, sing |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
llais [ɬai̯s/ɬai̯ʃ] = voice, vocal capacity, talk, report, tidings, rumour, vote
lleisgar = vociferous, loud-mouthed, resonant
lleisiad = voicing, sounding, tone, intonation
lleisio [ˈɬei̯ʃɔ] = to use the voice, vocalize, sing
lleisiol [ˈɬei̯ʃɔl] = vocal, spoken, oral, voiced
lleisydd [ˈɬei̯sɨ̞ð/ˈɬei̯sɪð] = vocalist, loud hailer, loudspeaker |
Etymology: maybe from Welsh llafar (loud, vociferous, sonorous, speech, voice, sound) [source], from Proto-Brythonic *laβar (eloquent), from Proto-Celtic *ɸlabros (talkative), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥b-ró-s, from *pleb- (to babble) [source]. See also the Celtiadur post Talkative
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) |
*voes = voice |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) |
moez = voice |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
mouezh = voice, vote
mouezhian = to express oneself, vote
mouezhierezh = election, electorate |
Etymology: from Old French voiz (voice), from Latin vōcem (), from vōx (voice, accent, speech, word), from Proto-Italic *wōks, from Proto-Indo-European *wṓkʷs (speech, voice), from wekʷ- (to speak, sound out) [source]. Words from the same roots include vocal, voice and vowel in English, and voix (voice, vote) in French [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
son = sound, word |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) |
son, soun, són = sound, word, name |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
son = sound; word, name (literary)
sonach = sonic
sonarach = ringing sound, clangour
sonda = sonant, sonorous
sondáil = to sound
sondas = sonorousness, sonority |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
sòn† = sound, voice, word |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
sonn = sound
sonnagh = sonic |
| Proto-Brythonic |
*son = sound (?) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
son, sson = report, rumour, mention, word, message, talk, fame, sound, noise, clamour
sonfawr, sonuaỽr, sonuawr = sonorous, noisy, audible, loquacious
sonyo, sonio = to mention, rumour, proclaim, talk, speak, say, utter
|
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
sôn [soːn] = report, rumour, mention, word, message, talk, fame, sound, noise, clamour
sonfawr = sonorous, noisy, audible, loquacious
soniaf, sôn, sonio = to mention, rumour, proclaim, talk, speak, say, utter
soniarus = sonorous, resounat, vibrant
sŵn [sʊːn] = sound, noise, clmour, din, report, rumour, talk |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) |
son, sôn = sound, noise, report, speech |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
son = noise, sound
sonek = sonic
sonlergh = soundtrack
sononieth = acoustics
sononiethel = acoutic
sonskrif = recording
sonskrifa = to record |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) |
soun, son = sound
sounaff = to ring, resound |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
son [sɔ̃ːn] = sound, song
seniñ [ˈsẽːnĩ] = to ring, resound, honk, sing, rustle (water), play (an instrument)
soner = to ring, say, pronounce
sonerez [sɔ̃.ˈneː.res] = doorbell, bell, horn
sonerezh = music, sound system |
Etymology: from Latin sonus (sound, noise, pitch, speech, tone, voice), from Proto-Indo-European *swónh₂os, from *swenh₂- (to sound) [source]. Words from the same roots include resound, sonnet, sonic, sound and swan in English, sonner (to sound, ring) in French, sonar (to sound, ring, play) in Spanish, honni (to allege, claim, assert) in Welsh, and seinn (to sing, play an instrument) in Irish and Scottish Gaelic [source].
The Welsh word sŵn was borrowed from Middle English soun (sound), while sôn comes from Latin via Middle Welsh and Proto-Brythonic. They both ultimately come from the same PIE roots.
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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis
