Words for poets, seers & bards in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *weless = seer, poet |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | uelets = seer, poet |
| Primitive Irish | ᚃᚓᚂᚔᚈᚐᚄ (velitas) = seer, poet |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | fili [ˈfʲilʲi] = poet, seer |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | file = poet; satirist, scold filíocht = poetry |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | filidh [filɪ] = poet, bard, minstrel, warbler, songster, philosopher, orator filidheachd [filɪjəxg] = poetry of a filidh; versification |
| Manx (Gaelg) | feelee = poet feeleeaght = poetry |
Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *weleti (to see), from the Proto-Indo-European *wel- (to see) [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *wātis = soothsayer, prophet |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | οὐάτεις (uatis) = seer |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | fáíth [faːθʲ] = seer, soothsayer, prophet fáíthsine = prophecy, augury |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | fáigh = seer, prophet, wise man, sage fáighbhean = prophetess, wise woman fáidheadóir = prophet, predictor, soothsayer; profound, sage fáidheadóireacht = prophecy, prediction; wise, sagacious, speech fáidhiúil = prophetic, wise, sagacious fáidhiúilacht = prophetic quality, sagaciousness |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | fàidh [faːj] = prophet, seer; soothsayer fàidheadair [faːjədɛrʲ] = prophet fàisneachd = prophecy, prediction, foretelling fàidheadaireachd = prophesying, prophecy, prediction, divination |
| Manx (Gaelg) | fadeyr = prophet |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | guant, gwaud, gwawt = song of praise |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gwawd = song of praise, panegyric, eulogy, praise, exaltation; mockery, derision, ridicule, lampoon, scorn, satire gwawdaidd = scornful, jeering, satirical gwawdair = poem, eulogy, praise, commendation gwawdawr = poet gwawdio = to mock deride gwawdlun = caricature gwawdlyd = mocking, scornful |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *weh₂t- (excited, inspired, possessed, excited) [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *bardos = poet, bard |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | bard [bar͈d] = bard, poet |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bard [bˠɑːɾˠd̪ˠ / bˠæːɾˠd̪ˠ] = poet, bard, scold |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bàrd [baːr̪ˠd] = poet, versifier (traditionally ranked below the seven grades of filidh), bard, rhymer |
| Manx (Gaelg) | bard = poet, bard |
| Proto-Brythonic | *barð [ˈbarð] = poet, bard |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | bart, bard, bardd = poet, bard |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bardd [barð] = poet, bard, literary person, author, prophet, philosopher, priest |
| Old Cornish | barth = poet, bard |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | bardh [barð / bærð] = (male) bard, poet |
| Middle Breton | barz = bard, poet |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | barzh = bard, poet |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (to approve, praise) [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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF)
