Category: Proto-Brythonic

Bald & bare

By Simon

Words for bald / bare in Celtic languages:

Proto-Celtic *mailos = bald, bare
Primitive Irish ᚋᚐᚔᚂᚐᚌᚅᚔ (mailagni) = bald, bare
Old Irish (Goídelc) máel [maːi̯l] = bald, bare, shaved, shorn, tonsured; (of cattle) hornless; blunt, flattened, obtuse, pointless, exposed, defenceless
Irish (Gaeilge) maol [mˠeːl̪ˠ / mˠiːlˠ] = bald, bare, unprotected; flat (in music)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) maol [mɯːl̪ˠ] = bare, blunt, hornless, polled; easily deceived; dense, dull; flat (in music)
Manx (Gaelg) meayl = bald, hairless, bleak (place), hornless, obtuse; flat (in music)
Proto-Brythonic *moɨl = bold
Old Welsh mail = sea
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) moel = sea
Welsh (Cymraeg) moel [moːɨ̯l / mɔi̯l] = bald, bald-headed, crop-haired, tonsured, beardless; bare, barren, mere; unadorned, plain, discourteous, barefaced; empty (hands); hornless, earless; lacking a tower (of a castle), defective; (bare) mountain, (treeless) hill, top of a hill or mountain, summit, mound; heap
Cornish (Kernewek) mool = bald, bare
Middle Breton moel = bald, bare
Breton (Brezhoneg) moal = bald, bare, naked

Etymology: uncertain, possibly related to the Proto-Germanic *maitaną (cut) [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Sumburgh Head

Seas

By Simon

Words for sea in Celtic languages:

Proto-Celtic *mori = sea
Primitive Irish *ᚋᚑᚏᚔᚅ (*morin) = sea
Old Irish (Goídelc) muir = sea
Irish (Gaeilge) muir = sea
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) muir [murʲ] = sea
Manx (Gaelg) mooir = sea
Proto-Brythonic *mor = sea
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) mor = sea
Welsh (Cymraeg) môr [moːr] = sea, ocean, the deep; plenty, abundance, copiousness
Old/Middle Cornish mor = sea
Cornish (Kernewek) mor = sea
Old/Middle Breton mor = sea
Breton (Brezhoneg) mor = sea

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European móri (sea, standing water), from *mer- (sea, lake, wetland), which is also the root for the English word mere, as in Windermere [source].

In Welsh there is another word for sea: gweilgi, which also means ocean, the deep, flood or torrent. It comes from gwae (woe, great misery, affliction, distress, anguish, trouble, adversity) and ci (dog).

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Newquay

Floor / Ground

By Simon

Words for floor / ground in Celtic languages:

Proto-Celtic *ɸlārom = floor
Old Irish (Goídelc) lár = floor / ground
Irish (Gaeilge) lár [l̪ˠɑːɾˠ / l̪ˠæːɾˠ] = floor, ground, middle, centre
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) làr [l̪ˠaːɾ] = floor, ground, storey, middle, centre
Manx (Gaelg) laare = storey, deck, floor, bottom, flat, set, sill, level
Proto-Brythonic *lọr [ˈlɔːr] = floor
Old Welsh laur = floor
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) llawr, llaur = floor
Welsh (Cymraeg) llawr [ɬau̯r] = floor, deck, gallery, stage, platform, cellar, basement, ground, bottom (of sea)
Old Cornish lor = floor
Cornish (Kernewek) leur = floor, ground
Old Breton lor = floor
Breton (Brezhoneg) leur = floor, ground, area

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European word *pleh₂- (to be flat), which is also the root of the English word floor [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Flooring

Whistling Winds

By Simon

Words for wind and whistle in Celtic languages.

Windy

Proto-Celtic *gaytā = wind
Old Irish (Goídelc) gaíth = wind
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) gáeth [ɡaːi̯θ] = wind
Irish (Gaeilge) gaoth [ɡeːh / ɡiːh] = wind, breeze, flatulence
gaothach = windy
gaothaire = vent, ventilator
gaothraigh = to fan, flutter (in breeze)
gaothráil = fanning, waving, fluttering
gaothscáth = windscreen
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) gaoth [gɯː] = wind, breeze, flatulence
gaoth-chuairtlein = whirlwind
gaoth-mhór = gale, strong wind
gaoth-sgàth = windscreen
gaothach = windy, flatulent, pneumatic
gaothmhor = gusty, windy, blustering, blustery, flatulent
Manx (Gaelg) geay [ɡiː] = wind, flatulence
geayeeagh = windy, blowy, breezy

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *ghai / *ghei / *ghi (drive, storm) [source].

Proto-Celtic *wintos = wind
Old Irish (Goídelc) fet [fʲed] = whistling, hissing, the sound of a sword cleaving the air; pipe (musical intrument)
Irish (Gaeilge) fead [fʲad̪ˠ] = whistle
feadáíl = whistling
feadaire = whistler
feadánacht = whistling, piping, wheezing
feadóg = (tin) whistle, plover, tall thin woman
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) fead [fed] = whistle, hiss
feadag = whistle
feadaire = whistler
feadalaich = whistling
Manx (Gaelg) fed [ɡiː] = toot, blast on whistle, zip, swish
feddagh = whistler
feddanagh = whistle
feddanys = whistling
Proto-Brythonic *gwɨnt [ˈɡwɨnt] = wind
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) gwynt = wind
Welsh (Cymraeg) gwynt [ɡwɨ̞nt / ɡwɪnt] = wind, blast, gale, stiff breeze, current of air, air, bellows, bombast, pride; empty talk, mere words
gwyntio = to blow, blast, breathe, sniff, snort, fart
gwynt(i)og = windy, breezy, stormy, wind-swept, wind-tossed, wind-blown, flatulent
Old Cornish guins = wind
Cornish (Kernewek) gwyns = wind
gwyns skav = breezy
gwynsek = windy
gwynsell = fan
gwynsella = to fan
melin wyns = windmill
Middle Breton guent = wind
Breton (Brezhoneg) gwent = wind (literary / archaic), gas, flatulence
gwentadur ventilation

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂wéh₁n̥ts (blowing) [source], which is also the root of words for wind in Germanic, Romance and Indo-Iranian languages.

Proto-Celtic *awelā = breeze, wind, breath
Proto-Brythonic *awel = breeze, wind
Gaulish aurarum = wind
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) avel / awel = wind, air, weather
Welsh (Cymraeg) awel = (light) wind, breeze, air, weather
awelu = to blow, flow, breathe
awelaidd = breezy, fresh (wind)
awelan = (gentle) wind
awelig (light) breeze
awelog = breezy, windy, squally, airy, flatulent
Old Cornish auhel = wind
Cornish (Kernewek) awel = gale, weather wind
awel glor = breeze
hager awel = bad weather, squall, storm, tempest
Old Breton auelou / auel = wind
Breton (Brezhoneg) avel [ˈɑːvɛl / ˈɑːwɛl] = wind

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewh₁eleh₂ from *h₂weh₁- (to blow) [source], which is also the root of English words such as fan, vent, weather and wind.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Here’s a tune I wrote a few years ago that seems approiate for this post: The Whistling Windows / Y Ffenstri Sïo

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), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Blubrry podcast hosting

Elm (trees)

By Simon

Words for elm tree (ulmus) in Celtic languages:

Proto-Celtic *lēmos / *limos = elm (tree)
Old Irish (Goídelc) lem [lʲɛmˠ] = elm (tree)
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealgh) lemán = elm (tree)
Irish (Gaeilge) leamhán = elm (tree)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) leamhan [l̪ʲɛvan] = elm (tree)
Manx (Gaelg) lhiouan = elm (tree)
Proto-Brythonic *lēm- = elm (tree)
Welsh (Cymraeg) llwyf = elm (tree), elm-bark, made of elm or elm-bark, platform, loft, lime-tree, linden
Cornish (Kernewek) elow = elm (tree)
Breton (Brezhoneg) evlec’h = elm (tree)

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁élem from *h₃es (mountain elm).

Sources: Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Elm Tree

Alder (trees)

By Simon

Words for alder (tree) (Alnus glutinosa) in Celtic languages:

Proto-Celtic *wernā = alder (tree)
Gaulish uerna = alder (tree)
Old Irish (Goídelc) fern [fʲer͈n͈] = alder (tree), shield, pole, stake
fernóc = alder (tree)
Irish (Gaeilge) fearnóg = alder (tree)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) feàrna [fʲaːr͈n͈ə] = alder (tree), shield, mast
Manx (Gaelg) farney = alder (tree)
Proto-Brythonic *gwern = alder (tree)
Welsh (Cymraeg) gwern [ɡwɛrn] = alder (tree), made of alder; mast of a ship; (alder) stick, stave, shaft of lance; alder-grove, alder-marsh, swamp, quagmire; damp meadow; hell
Old Cornish guern = alder (tree)
Cornish (Kernewek) gwern [ɡwɛrn] = alder (tree), alders, mast, swamp, marshland
Old Breton guern / guaern = alder (tree)
Middle Breton guern = alder (tree)
Breton (Brezhoneg) gwern [ɡwɛrn] = alder (tree)

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Hiking Through The Alders - Explore #315 6/23/12

Birch (trees)

By Simon

Words for birch (tree) (Betula) in Celtic languages:

Proto-Celtic *betwiyos / *betuyā = birch (tree)
Old Irish (Goídelc) beithe = birch (tree)
Irish (Gaeilge) beith = birch (tree)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) beith [beh] = birch
Manx (Gaelg) beih = birch (tree)
Proto-Brythonic *bedu = birch (tree)
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) bedw = birch
Welsh (Cymraeg) bedw [ˈbɛdʊ / ˈbeːdu] = birch, birch grove; maypole; birch-rod
Old Cornish bedewen = birch
Cornish (Kernewek) besewen = birch
Middle Breton bezu = birch
Breton (Brezhoneg) bezv = birch

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *gʷet- (resin, gum) [source], which is also the root of the English words cud and quid.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Birch Trees

Oak (trees)

By Simon

Words for oak (Quercus) in Celtic languages:

Proto-Celtic *daru [d̪ˠaɾʲ] = oak
Gaulish Dervo = used in placenames
Old Irish (Goídelc) dair [d̪ˠaɾʲ] = oak
Irish (Gaeilge) dair [d̪ˠuːnˠ] = oak
doire [ˈd̪ˠɛɾʲə] = oak-wood; wood, grove, thicket
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) dair [darʲ] = oak (archaic)
darach [darəx] = oak, oaken, made of oak; ship (poetic)
Manx (Gaelg) darragh = oak, oaken, oak grove, oak wood
darrag = oak, beam, cast (fishing), snood, hairline
darree = oak
Proto-Brythonic *dar [ˈdar] = oak tree
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) dar = oak
Welsh (Cymraeg) dâr [ˈdaːr] = oak tree, foremost warrior, leader, mighty lord
derwen [ˈdɛrwɛn] = oak tree
derw = oak trees
Old Cornish dar = oak
Cornish (Kernewek) dar [daːr / dæːr] = oak
derwen = oak tree
derw = oak trees
Old Breton dar / daeru = oak
Breton (Brezhoneg) derv = oak

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *dóru (tree) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

oak

Fields, Meadows and Pastures

By Simon

There are a number of words for fields in Celtic languages. Some appear only or mainly in placenames. Here’s a selection:

Roman Camp

Old Irish (Goídelc) achad = expanse of ground; pasture, field; field of battle
Irish (Gaeilge) achadh [d̪ˠuːnˠ] = field (archaic, used mainly in placenames)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) achadh [axəɣ] = field, plain, meadow; cornfield newly cut or ready for reaping

Etymology: unknown

Proto-Celtic *gortos = fence, enclosure, pen
Old Irish (Goídelc) gort = field, orchard, crop
Irish (Gaeilge) gort [ɡɔɾˠt̪ˠ] = (cultivated) field, orchard, (standing) crop
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) gort [gɔrˠʃd] = standing corn; enclosure; small field
Proto-Brythonic *gorθ = field
Welsh (Cymraeg) garth = field, close, enclosure, fold, pen, yard; fort
Cornish (Kernewek) gorth = field
Old Breton orth = field
Breton (Brezhoneg) garz = field

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰortós (enclosure, hedge) [source], which is also the root of words yard and garden in English, via the Proto-Germanic *gardaz (enclosure, court, yard, garden) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Irish (Gaeilge) machaire = plain; stretch of level ground, links, course; field
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) machair [maxɪrʲ] = extensive low-lying fertile plain, level country; extensive beach; ow and level part of a farm
Manx (Gaelg) magher = field, fertile land, campaign, chase, machar, sphere

Etymology: unknown

Proto-Celtic *rowesyā- = (field, open ground)
Old Irish (Goídelc) róe [r͈oːi̯] = battle-field, level piece of ground, fight, battle
Irish (Gaeilge) ré [rˠeː] = stretch of ground, level ground, field
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) raon [rˠɯːn] = field, (piece of) ground; plain; zone, area; field (of expertise); ambit
Manx (Gaelg) rheam = gamut, range, field, monarchy
Old Breton runt = mound
Breton (Brezhoneg) run = mound, hill

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *Hrew(H)os (open space, field). The English words rustic and rural come from the same root, via Latin [source].

Proto-Celtic *kagyom = pen, enclosure
Gaulish cagiíun / *kagyom = enclosure
Old Irish (Goídelc) cai = field, orchard, crop
Proto-Brythonic *kaɨ = animal pen, enclosure, field
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) kay / kae = field, enclosure
Welsh (Cymraeg) cae [kaːɨ̯ / kai̯] = hedge, hedgerow, fence; field, enclosure; circle, sphere; barrier, obstruction
Cornish (Kernewek) ke = hedge, fence
Old Breton cai = hedge
Middle Breton quae = hedge
Breton (Brezhoneg) kae = hedge

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *kagʰyóm (enclosure, hedge) [source], which is also the root of word hedge in English, via the Proto-Germanic *hagjō (hedge) [source].

Proto-Celtic *magos = plain, field
Gaulish *magos = field
Old Irish (Goídelc) mag [maɣ] = plain, field
ármag, árbach, ármach = field of slaughter, battlefield
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) magh = plain
Irish (Gaeilge) má [mˠɑː / mˠæː] = plain
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) magh [mɤɣ] = level country, plain
Magh Meala = Land of (Milk and) Honey (in mythology)
Magh Meall = elysium
magh na bàire = the plain of battle
Manx (Gaelg) magh = plain
Welsh (Cymraeg) maes [maːɨ̯s / mai̯s] = field, open country
Cornish (Kernewek) mes = open country
Old Breton maes = countryside, outside
Breton (Brezhoneg) maez = countryside, open field, outside, wide

Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *meǵh- (great) [source].

Proto-Celtic *klowni = meadow
Old Irish (Goídelc) clúain = meadow
Irish (Gaeilge) cluain = meadow
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cluain [kl̪uən̪ʲ] = green field, pasture, meadow
Old Welsh clun = meadow, moor
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) clun = meadow, moor
Welsh (Cymraeg) clun [klɨːn / kliːn] = meadow, moor; brake, brushwood

Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *klopni (wet).

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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

World & Existence

By Simon

Words for world, existence and life in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *bitus = world
Old Irish (Goídelc) bith [bʲiθ] = world
Irish (Gaeilge) bith [bʲɪh / bʲɪ] = world, existence
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) bith [bih] = life, existence, being, living; the world
Manx (Gaelg) beays = being, existence
Proto-Brythonic *bɨd [ˈbɨːd] = world
Old Welsh bid = world
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) byd = world
Welsh (Cymraeg) byd [bɨːd / biːd] = world
Old Cornish bit, bys= world
Cornish (Kernewek) bys [bɪːz] = world
Old Breton bit, bet = world
Breton (Brezhoneg) bed = world

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

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

Old Irish (Goídelc) saegul = lifetime, world
Irish (Gaeilge) saol [sˠeːlˠ / sˠiːlˠ] = life, lifetime; time; world
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) saoghal [sɯː.əl̪ˠ] = world, life(span), lifetime
Manx (Gaelg) seihll [seːl / sɯːl / siːl] = age, existence, life, lifetime, span; public, world

Etymology: from the Latin saeculum (race, breed; generation, lifetime; age, time; century; worldliness; the world) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

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

NASA Blue Marble 2007 West