Category: Welsh (Cymraeg)

To Sing

By Simon

Words for to sing & to say in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *kaneti [ke̝ˈnɨːd] = to sing
Old Irish (Goídelc) canaid [ˈkaniðʲ] = to sing
Irish (Gaeilge) can [kanˠ] = to chant, sing; to speak, talk; to call, name
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) can [kan] = to sing, rehearse, say, name, call
Manx (Gaelg) caayn = bray, whine; song; (poetry) lay
Proto-Brythonic *kėnɨd [ke̝ˈnɨːd] = to sing
Old Welsh canam [ke̝ˈnɨːd] = to sing
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) canu [ke̝ˈnɨːd] = to sing
Welsh (Cymraeg) canu [ˈkanɨ̞] / ˈkaːni] = to sing; to intone, chant; to state, say; to produce musical sounds; to compose poetry, celebrate in song
Cornish (Kernewek) kana [‘kana / ‘kɒnɐ] = to sing
Middle Breton canaff = to sing
Breton (Brezhoneg) kanañ = to sing

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *keh₂n- / *kan- / *kana- (to sing) [source], which is also the root of the English word hen [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Teaglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Speech & Talking

By Simon

Words for speech & talk in Celtic languages.

Old Irish (Goídelc) cainnt [kan͈ʲtʲ] = speech, talk, conversation; act of speaking
Irish (Gaeilge) caint [kan̠ʲtʲ / kəin̠ʲtʲ] = speech, talking
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cainnt [kãĩn̠ʲdʲ] = to speak, talk, commune
Manx (Gaelg) caaynt = spoken language, spoken word, talk

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teaglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Cornish (Kernewek) kows [kɔʊz] = talk, speech
Breton (Brezhoneg) kaoz = speech, discussion, rumour
Welsh (Cymraeg) lleferydd [ɬɛˈvɛrɨ̞ð] / ɬɛˈvɛrɪð] = utterance, speech

Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Speaking

By Simon

Words for to speak and related words in Celtic languages.

Old Irish (Goídelc) labraithir = to speak, say
Irish (Gaeilge) labhair [l̪ˠəuɾʲ] = to speak, hail
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) labhair [l̪ˠau.ɪrʲ] = to speak, talk, commune
Manx (Gaelg) loayrt = to talk, utter, discourse, pipe up, express
Proto-Brythonic *laβar [laβaːr] = prone to talking, eloquent
Welsh (Cymraeg) llafaru [ɬɛˈvarɨ̞] / ɬɛˈvaːrɪ] = to speak (about), utter, say, tell, declare, express, use (language) in speech; cry out; sound, enunciate, pronounce; dictate
Cornish (Kernewek) leverel [lɛ’vɛrɛl / lə’vɛrɐl] = to say, tell, pronounce
Breton (Brezhoneg) lavaret = to speak

Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *ɸlabros = (talkative, arrogant, boastful) [source].

Old Irish (Goídelc) asbeir, [asˈbʲerʲ] = to say, utter, mention, speak
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) atbeir = to say, speak
Irish (Gaeilge) abair [ˈabˠəɾʲ] = to say, utter, speak, express, state, allege, give opinion, suppose, assume, mean, direct, report
abairt sentence, phrase
abartha given to repartee
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) abair [abɪrʲ] = to say, speak, utter, tell
abairt [abər̪ˠʃdʲ] expression, phrase, collocation, saying, comment
abartach [abər̪ˠʃdəx] talkative, bold. impudent
Manx (Gaelg) abbyr = to say, state, assume
abbyrt = sentence, dialect, phrase, expression, period

Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *ess (ex-, out) and *beirid (to carry, bring, bear, give) [source].

Proto-Celtic *komweps
Welsh (Cymraeg) comio = to talk converse
ymgomio, ymgoniaf = to chat, converse, mention, discuss, dispute, debate
Cornish (Kernewek) kows [kɔʊz] = to speak, talk
kewsel [ˈkɛʊzɛl] = to speak, talk
Middle Breton comps = to say, tell, pronounce
Breton (Brezhoneg) komz [ˈkɔ̃ms] = to speak, to express oneself

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ- = (to speak) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis

Talkative

By Simon

Words for talkative in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *ɸlabros = talkative
Old Irish (Goídelc) labar = talkative; arrogant, boastful
Irish (Gaeilge) labhar = talkative, arrogant, boastful
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) labhar [l̪ˠau.ər] = speaking loudly; loquacious; boastful; loud, noisy; boastful, clamorous
Proto-Brythonic *laβar [laβaːr] = prone to talking, eloquent
Welsh (Cymraeg) llafar = loud, clear, vociferous, resounding, resonant, sonorous; pertaining to the voice, vocal (of music, in contrast with instrumental); talkative, loquacious; spoken (language), oral, verbal
Old Cornish lauar = talkative
Cornish (Kernewek) lavar = expression
Old Breton labar = talkative
Breton (Brezhoneg) lavar = talkative

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Dictionary of the Irish Language, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Alive & Living

By Simon

Words for alive & living in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *biwos = alive, living, mortal
Old Irish (Goídelc) béo [bʲeːu̯] = alive, living
Irish (Gaeilge) beo [bʲoː / bʲɔː] = living, alive; live, active; living being; life; livelihood; quick; to live
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) beò [bjɔː] = alive, live, living; lively; vivid; vital; quick, lively, sprightly
Manx (Gaelg) bio [bʲoː] = alive, live, lifelike, bright, hot, activated, pictorial, afloat, live person, spring tide after neap
Proto-Brythonic *bɨw = alive, living
Welsh (Cymraeg) byw [bɨu̯ / bɪu̯] = alive, living, having life, animate, quick, existing, actual; lively, full of life, vivacious, vigorous, sprightly, spirited, eager, sparkling; vivid, graphic; susceptible to
byw (verb) = to live, lead one’s life, subsist, exist; dwell, inhabit, to animate, revive
Cornish (Kernewek) bew [beˑʊ] = active, agile, alive, lively, living,
switched on
bewa = to live, be alive
Breton (Brezhoneg) bev = alive, living, lively
bevañ = to live, feed

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós (alive, living) [source].

Old Irish (Goídelc) forig, fuirset = to remain, stay
Irish (Gaeilge) fuirigh = to hold back, delay, wait, stay
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) fuirich [fuɾʲɪç] = to stay, wait, delay, linger, abide
Manx (Gaelg) fariagh [bʲoː] = to stay
Old Irish (Goídelc) cómnuigim = I rest
congaib [konˈɡavʲ] = to contain, preserve, keep, uphold
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) cómnuigim = I rest
congaib [konˈɡavʲ] = to contain, preserve, keep, uphold
Irish (Gaeilge) cónaigh [ˈkoːn̪ˠɪɟ / ˈkoːnˠə / ˈkɔːnˠi] = living, alive; live, active; living being; life; livelihood; quick; to live
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cumail [kumal] = (act of) keeping, holding, retaining; witholding; celebrating, observing
còmhnaidh [kɔ̃ːnɪ] = (act of) occupying, inhabiting, dwelling, residing; occupancy, occupation, habitation, residence; (act of) abiding; abode
Manx (Gaelg) cummal = to grip, hold, keep, arrest, contain, retain, live, inhabit

Etymology: from the Old Irish com- (with) and gaibid (to hold, grasp, take, seize, capture) [source].

Old Irish (Goídelc) maraid [ˈma.rəðʲ] = to last, persist, remain; to survive, live
Irish (Gaeilge) mair = to live, to last
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) mair [marʲ] = to live, to exist, to continue

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *merh₂- (to seize, grip) [source].

Welsh (Cymraeg) trigio = to live (in), dwell, reside, lodge, stay, remain, delay, linger
godrig(af) = to stay, tarry, remain, abide, dwell, sojourn; stay or tarry for; rest upon, insist; linger, delay.
Middle Cornish trege, trega, tryga, tryge = to remain, stay, dwell
Cornish (Kernewek) triga = to remain, stay, dwell
Old Breton guotric = to stay

Etymology: from Latin trīcō (to delay) [source].

The word for to live in Breton, chom, comes from the Old French chômer (to be idle, to be out of work), from the Late Latin caumāre, from caumō (I rest during the heat), from the Ancient Greek καῦμα (kaûma – heat). [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Life

By Simon

Words for life in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *biwotūts = life
Old Irish (Goídelc) bethu = life
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) betha = life
Irish (Gaeilge) beatha [ˈbʲahə] = life, to be alive; living, livelihood; food sustenance
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) beatha [bɛhə] = life, existence; victuals, food; livelihood; welcome, salutation
Manx (Gaelg) beaghey = to feed, nourish, nurture, live, maintain, nourishment, foodstuffs, livelihood, nutrition, sustenance
Proto-Brythonic *bïwïd = life
Welsh (Cymraeg) bywyd [ˈbəu̯ɨ̞d / ˈbou̯ɪd] = life, existence; liveliness; lifetime, course of life; living, livelihood, sustenance; wealth, income; reward, gift
Cornish (Kernewek) bewnans [‘bɛʊnans] = life, living
Breton (Brezhoneg) buhez = life

Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *biwos (alive, living, mortal), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós (alive, living) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

To Do & To Make

By Simon

The verb to do & to make in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *gniyeti = to make, to do
Old Irish (Goídelc) dénai = to do
gníid [ɡʲnʲiː.iðʲ] = to do
Irish (Gaeilge) déan [dʲeːnˠ] = to do, to make
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) dèan [ʲian] = to do, to make, to act, to work, to perform
Manx (Gaelg) jean = to do, to make
Welsh (Cymraeg) geni [ˈɡɛnɪ / ˈɡeːni] = to be born, give birth to, bring forth; beget, produce

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- (to make) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru

Proto-Celtic *wregeti = to make, to do
Old Irish fairged = to make, to do
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) gwneuthur = to make, to do
Welsh (Cymraeg) gwneud [ɡwneɨ̯d / ɡwnei̯d] = to make, create, fashion, compose, construct, found, establish, pitch (a tent)
Cornish (Kernewek) gul [gy:l / gi:l ] = to do, to create, to make
Old Breton oper = to do, to make
Breton (Brezhoneg) ober = to do, to make

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- (to make), which is also the root of the English words work and wrought [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

To Be

By Simon

The verb to be in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *butā = to be
Old Irish (Goídelc) both = to be
Irish (Gaeilge) bí = to be, to exist
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) bì [bi] = to be, to exist
Manx (Gaelg) ve = to be
Welsh (Cymraeg) bod [boːd] = to be
Cornish (Kernewek) boz [bɔ:z] = to be, to become, to exist
Breton (Brezhoneg) bezañ = to be

Note: this verb is irregular in all the Celtic languages, and some of the different conjugations come from different roots.

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuh₂- (to become, grow, appear) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Elbows

By Simon

Words for elbow in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *olīnā = elbow, angle
Old Irish (Goídelc) uilen = elbow, forearm; angle, corner
Irish (Gaeilge) uillinn = elbow, angle
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) uileann [ulən̪ˠ] = elbow, angle
Manx (Gaelg) uillin = elbow, elbow joint, crook, angle, corner, nudge
Welsh (Cymraeg) elin [ˈɛlɪn / ˈeːlɪn] = elbow, forearm; angle, bend
Cornish (Kernewek) elin [‘ɛlɪn] = elbow, angle
Breton (Brezhoneg) ilin = elbow, bend

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *Heh₃l- (to bend). Cognate with the Latin ulna (elbow, arm), and the English ulna (one of the bones in the forearm) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Shoulders

By Simon

Words for shoulder in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *skēdos = shoulder
Middle Irish gúala = shoulder
Irish (Gaeilge) gualainn [ˈɡuˑəl̪ˠənʲ] = shoulder
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) gualainn [guəl̪ˠən̪ˠ] = shoulder
Manx (Gaelg) geaylin = corner (of house), shoulder
Proto-Brythonic *skuïð = shoulder
Welsh (Cymraeg) ysgwydd [ˈəsɡwɨ̞ð / ˈəsɡʊi̯ð] = shoulder
Cornish (Kernewek) skoodh [sko:ð / sku:ð] = shoulder
Breton (Brezhoneg) skoaz = shoulder; help

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau, English – Proto-Celtic Wordlist