Ferns and Bracken

8th July 20228th July 2022 By Simon

Today we’re looking at the words for fern, bracken and related things in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic	ɸratis, frati- = fern, bracken
Gaulish	ratis = fern, bracken
Old Irish (Goídelc)	raithnech [ˈr͈aθʲnʲex] = fern, bracken
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	raith = fern, bracken
Irish (Gaeilge)	raithneach = fern, bracken raithneachán = ferny place raithneachúil = ferny
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	raineach [r̪ˠan̪ʲəx] = fern, bracken; hashish, weed raith [r̪ˠɛ] = fern, bracken raineachail = abounding in fern, ferny, like fern
Manx (Gaelg)	renniagh = fern, bracken renniaghoil = ferny
Proto-Brythonic	*rrėdɨn = ferns, bracken
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	rhedyn = ferns, bracken retinoc, redinauc, rhydynog = ferny
Welsh (Cymraeg)	rhedyn [ˈr̥ɛdɨ̞n / ˈr̥eːdɪn] = ferns, bracken rhedynen = fern rhedyn eryraidd = bracken rhedyna = to gather ferms rhedynaidd = ferny rhedyneg = ferny ground rhedynog = ferny (land), abounding with ferns, fern-like, made of fern
Old Cornish	reden = ferns, bracken redenen = fern
Middle Cornish	reden = ferns, bracken redenen, redanen = fern
Cornish (Kernewek)	reden = ferns, bracken redenen = fern
Middle Breton	reden = ferns, bracken radenenn = fern
Breton (Brezhoneg)	raden = ferns, bracken radenenn = fern

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *p(t)erH- (fern) [source].

The English word fern comes from the same PIE root, via the Old English fearn and the Proto-West-Germanic *farn [source].

Other words from the same PIE root include paparde (fern) in Latvian, paproć (fern) in Polish, and папрат (fern) in Bulgarian [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

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, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Mind Sense

14th May 202214th May 2022 By Simon

Today we’re looking at the words for mind, sense and related things in Celtic languages.

Mind, Sense, Widom, Intelligence, Meaning

Proto-Celtic	*kʷēslā = mind; sense, wisdom, intelligence; meaning
Old Irish (Goídelc)	cíall [kʲiːa̯l͈] = sense, intelligence, mind; wisdom, good sense, skill; intention, cause, reason, idea; signification, meaning, function
Irish (Gaeilge)	ciall [kiəl̪ˠ/kʲal̪ˠ] = sense, sanity; normal state of mind; common sense; perception; meaning; reason, cause ciallaigh = to mean, signify; explain, interpret ciallchogar = confidential whisper ciallmhaireacht = sensibleness, reasonableness ciallmhar = sensible, reasonable, common sense aingiall = unreason fochiall = secondary meaning, connotation gan chiall = meaningless, misguided, unmeaning, callow, lunatic, senseless, silly
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	ciall [kʲiəl̪ˠ] = meaning, sense, significance, connotation, implication, understanding, reason ciallach = prudent, sensible, sane, tame ciallaich = to mean, signify, imply gun chiall = without sense, senseless, insane eu-céillidheachd = insanity, madness, irrationality, foolishness
Manx (Gaelg)	keeall = sense, significance keeaylagh = eloquent, prudent meecheeall = senselessness meecheeallagh = senseless, unadvisedly bun-cheeal = moral gyn keeall = unmeaning, senseless
Proto-Brythonic	*puɨll = mind; sense, wisdom, intelligence; meaning
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	puil, puilh = deliberation, consideration, care, caution
Welsh (Cymraeg)	pwyll [puːɨ̯ɬ / pʊi̯ɬ] = deliberation, consideration, care, caution; discretion, prudence, wisdom, patience, understanding, intelligence, perception, judgement; nature, disposition; meaning, significance, sense pwyll(i)ad = intention, intent, goal, aim, design pwyllaf, pwyllo = to exercise discretion, deliberate, consider, contemplate pwyllgor = committee, meeting pwyllog = discreet, wise, intelligent, sane, rational, reasonable pwyllwr, pwyllwraig = discreet, sensible or wise person gan bwyll = gently, gradually, carefully, slowly iawnbwyll = sanity, saneness, sane, sensible o’i bwyll = out of one’s mind, beside oneself, insane
Cornish (Kernewek)	poll = intelligence, reason pollek = brainy, intelligent
Breton (Brezhoneg)	poell = logical, logic poellata = to reason, argue poellakaat = to rationalize poellel = logical, logic poellelour = rationalist poellgor = committee

Etymology from the Proto-Indo-European *kʷeyt- (to notice) [source].

Words from the same PIE root include číst (to read) and čítat (to count) in Czech, šķist (to seem, appear) and skaitīt (to count) in Latvian, skaitýti (to read) in Lithuanian, and चित्त [t͡ʃɪt̪t̪] (mind, heart) in Hindi [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Old

7th October 201823rd December 2023 By Simon

Words for old and related things in Celtic languages.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Proto-Celtic	*senos = old
Gaulish	*senos = old
Old Irish (Goídelc)	sen = old, ancester, old person, sendatu = longevity, old age senóir = elder, old person, senior senórdacht = elderliness, old age sentonn = old woman sentu = old age
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	sen = old, ancient, long-standing, ancestor sendatu = old age, long life senóir, seanóir = senior, elder, old person senórdacht, senordacht = old age, seniority sentonn, sentuinne, sentain = old woman sentu = old age
Irish (Gaeilge)	sean [ʃanˠ] = old, aged, mature; senior, ancestor; long-established, old fashioned; great, exceeding seanaimsir = old times seanaois = old age seanársa = primitive seanda = old, aged, ancient, antique, stale seanóir = old person, senior, elder
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	sean [ʃɛn] = old, aged, elderly; former seanachd [ʃɛnəxg] = ancientness, oldness seanair [ʃɛnɪrʲ] = grandfather, elder, ancestor seanmhair [ʃɛnɛvɪrʲ] = grandmother, grandma seannda [ʃãũndə] = ancient, old-fashioned seanndaidh [ʃãũn̪ˠdɪ] = ancient, old-fashioned, infirm, frail seantaidh [ʃan̪ˠdɪ] = primeval, primitive, shanty
Manx (Gaelg)	shenn = old, stale, aged, former, time-fusty, inveterate, ancient, vintage, veteran, old-established, olden, antiquarian, worn, elderly, consecrated, archaic, ex, senile, long-standing shennaghys = annals, antiquity, history, story-telling, tradition shennayr, shaner = ancestor, father, forebear, grandfather shenndeeagh = ancient, historical
Proto-Brythonic	*hen = old
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	hen = old henadur, henadûr = alderman, elder, presbyter, (church) father, senior in rank henv, henu, hena = to grow old or decrepit, weaken, deteriorate, fail henaidd = oldish, old, aged, ancient, archaic, antiquated heneint, henaint = old age, oldness, antiquity, the aged
Welsh (Cymraeg)	hen [heːn] = old, aged; ancient, antique, pristine, former; inveterate, chronic; original; senior, elder; stale, mouldy, musty, fusty henadur = alderman, elder, presbyter, (church) father, senior in rank henaf, henu = to grow old or decrepit, weaken, deteriorate, fail henaidd = oldish, old, aged, ancient, archaic, antiquated henaint = old age, oldness, antiquity, the aged
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)	hen, hén, hên = old, ancient, antique hendas = grandfather hengog = great great grandfather
Cornish (Kernewek)	hen [hɛ:n / he:n] = old, archaic, long-standing henavek, henavoges = elder(ly), senior, older hendas = ancestor, forefather hendedhyow = the olden days hendheskonieth = archaeology henedh = generation hengov = tradition henlavar = proverb
Middle Breton (Brezonec)	hen = old, ancient henaff = elder, senior henavelezh = birthright, right of primogeniture
Breton (Brezhoneg)	hen = old, ancient henadur = = archaism henamzer = antiquity henañ = elder, senior henanded = primogeniture henavelezh = birthright, right of primogeniture

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *sénos (old) [source]. Words from the same PIE roots include senate and senior in English, sens (ancient, old) in Latvian, sẽnas (old) in Lithuanian [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, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Celtiadur

Exploring connections between Celtic languages

Category: Latvian (latviešu valoda)

Ferns and Bracken

Mind Sense

Old