Today we’re looking at the words for sleep and related things in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *sounos [ˈsow.nos] = sleep |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *sounos = sleep *Kissōnyos = Gaulish god associated with Mercury |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | súan [suːa̯n] = slumber, sleep súanaid = to sleep |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | suan [sˠuən̪ˠ] = sleep, slumber sunach = lethargic, sluggish, apathetic, dormant sunacht = dormancy suanaí = sleeper, lethargic, sluggish, apathetic person suanaíocht = dozing, torport, lethargy suanán = doze, nap suanchógas, suanlaíoch = soporific suanlios = dormitory suanmhar = sleepy, drowsy, somnolent suansiúl = sleep-walking, somnambulism suansiúlaí = sleep-walker, somnambulist suantraí = lullaby |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | suain [suən̪ʲ] = deep/sound sleep, slumber suain-lann = dormitory suaineach = drowsy, sleepy suainealeach = hypnotic suainealas = hypnosis, hypnotism suainealachadh = hypnotising, hypnotism |
| Manx (Gaelg) | saveen = doze, nap, slumber saveeney = to doze saveeney, saveenaghey = slumber saveen-hooyl = somnambulism saveen-hooyleyder = somnambulist |
| Proto-Brythonic | *hʉn [hʉn] = sleep |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | hun = sleep hunav, hunaw, hunaf = to sleep |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | hun [hɨːn/hiːn] = sleep, slumber, nap, drowsiness, rest, death hunaint = lethargy, sleeping-sickness, coma, apathy, torpor huniad = a sleeping, sleep huno = to sleep, slumber, nap, fall asleep, die, fall into a state of apathy, indifference or unconcern hunog, hunol = slumbering, sleepy, drowsy, sleeper, drowsy person hun-gân = lullaby |
| Old Cornish | hun = sleep |
| Middle Cornish | hun = sleep |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | hun = sleep hungan = lullaby |
| Middle Breton | hun = sleep |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | hun = sleep, nap hunva = dormitory hunvaleer = somnambulist, sleep walker hunvre = dream hunwezher = sleeping pill hun don = deep sleep |
Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *supnós (sleep, death), from *swep- (to sleep) [source].
From the same PIE root we get the Latin word cancer (crab, tumor, cancer, lattice, grid), and related words in other languages, such as cancer, canker and incarcerate in English, cangrejo (crab) and cáncer (cancer) in Spanish [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *toleyo- = sleep |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | cotlud = sleeping, sleep |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | codail [ˈkɔd̪ˠɪlʲ / ˈkʌd̪ˠɪlʲ] = to sleep codlatach = sleepy, drowsy, dormant codlatacht = sleepiness, drowsiness codlatán = sleeper, sleepy-head, hibernating creature codlatóir = sleeper |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | caidil [kadʲɪl] = to sleep, slumber, repose, delay cadal = sleeping, slumbering, sleep, slumber codaltach = dozy, drowsy, sleepy, soporific |
| Manx (Gaelg) | caddil [ˈkaːðəl] = to sleep cadley = sleep, sleepiness, asleep, dormant, unawakened |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)tel- (to be still) [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Teaglann.ie
| Proto-Celtic | *kuɸsketi, *kuf-sko- = to sleep |
|---|---|
| Proto-Brythonic | *kuskɨd = to sleep |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | kesku, kyscwyt = to sleep cwsg, cwsc = sleep |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | cysgu [ˈkəsɡɨ̞ / ˈkəsɡi] = to sleep, slumber, fall asleep; to fall into the sleep of death, to die; to be or become numb, to be torpid; to fall into a state of apathy, indifference or unconcern cwsg = sleep, slumber, rest, dormancy, numbness, insensitiveness cysgadur = sleeper, lazy and drowsy person, sleepy-head, hibernating animal |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | koska [‘kɔska / ‘kʊskɐ] = to sleep kosk = sleep yn kosk = asleep sagh-koska = sleeping bag |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | kousket = to sleep kousked = sleep kouskerez = sleeping sac’h-kousket = sleeping bag, duvet |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- (to bend, turn) [source]. The English word hip comes from the same PIE root, as does the Albanian word sup (shoulder) [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
