Narrow

2nd October 201824th September 2023 By Simon

Words for narrow and related things in Celtic languages.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Proto-Celtic	*koilos = thin
Old Irish (Goídelc)	cáel, cóel = thin, slender, narrow, fine, delicate, strait cáelán = intestine
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	cáel, cóel, cóil = thin slender, narrow, fine, nice, delicate, subtle, exact cáelán, caolan = intestine, gut cáelas = narrows, strait
Irish (Gaeilge)	caol [keːl̪ˠ / kiːlˠ] = thin, slender; fine; narrow; shrill; slender; palatalized; weak, dilute; slight; subtle caolach =osiers, twigs, wicker-/wattle-work caoladán = thin person, thing caoladóir = wicker-worker, basker-maker caolaigh = to become thin, narrow, reduce, dilute caolán = creek, small intestine, catgut caolas = strait, narrows, narrow place, bottleneck
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	caol [kɯːl̪ˠ] = narrow, slender; slim, thin, lean, skinny; lanky caolan = colon, intestine, entrail(s), gut(s) caolanach = colonic, intestinal caolraid = alley, vennel, wynd caolaich = make slender, slenderise caolachadh = (act of) narrowing, slenderisation caolas = narrow(s), strait caoladair = wickerworker
Manx (Gaelg)	keyl [keːl] = thin, fine, attenuated, lanky, lean, slim, slight, willowy, gracile, tapered, slender, hairline, narrow, spare, small, drawn out, watery (soup), weak (solution) keyllaghey = narrow (down), narrowing keyley = narrowing, slenderize, thin keylagh = to attenuate, attenuation, slenderize, thin, thinning
Proto-Brythonic	*kʉl = narrow
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	cul, kul = narrow, lean culaidd, culedd = narrowish, restricted culhau, kulhau = to become narrow, shrink
Welsh (Cymraeg)	cul [kɨːl / ˈkiːl] = narrow, lean, illibera,; bigoted, narrow-minded culaidd = narrowish, restricted culder, culdra = narrowness, leanness culdir = isthmus, narrow strip of land culfa = strait, narrow place, narrow passage culhaf, culhau = to become narrow, shrink, lose fat
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)	cul = narrow, strait culurionein, kylyrion = the bowel
Cornish (Kernewek)	kul [ky:l / ki:l] = narrow kuldremenva = corridor
Breton (Brezhoneg)	kul = narrow

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *koyHlo- or *skey- (to dissect, split) [source].

The word kyle, which appears in placenames such as Kyle of Lochalsh (Caol Loch Aillse) is an English version of the Scottish Gaelic caol [source].

Another word for narrow in Breton is strizh [ˈstriːs], which comes from the Latin strictus (tightened, compressed). The English words strict and strait come from the same root [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, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Low

1st October 201810th September 2023 By Simon

Words for low and related things in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic	*ɸīsselos = low
Old Irish (Goídelc)	ísel [ˈiːsʲel] = low ísle – lowness ísligidir = to lower, to humble
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	isil, ísel = low, low-laying, of low stature, hollow, the depths ísle – lowness, lowliness, humility, meanness, depression ísligidir = lower, brings, low, humbles
Irish (Gaeilge)	íseal [ˈiːʃəlˠ] = low, low-lying, lowly person ísealaicme = lower class, lower order ísealchéim = low step, low rank, low degree ísealchríoch = low land
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	ìosal [iəsəl̪ˠ] = low, humble, mean lowly os ìosal = secret, covert, quietly gu h-ìosal = below ìseal [iːʃəl̪ˠ] = low, commoner
Manx (Gaelg)	ishil = low injil = low, low-necked, low-lying, low-level, low down, low-built, low-pitched, low-grade, common (vulgar), depressed, subdued, subaltern inshley = lower, minimum, nether injilaghey = to change down, condescend, cut down, depress, humiliate
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	isel, issel = low iselir, isely, iselu = to make low, lower iselder = lowness, meekness, modesty, humility iselfryd, issel-fryd, isel-fryd = humble-minded, meek, lowly, modest
Welsh (Cymraeg)	isel [ˈɨ̞sɛl / ˈiːsɛl / ˈɪsɛl] = low, low down, low-lying, low-flying; lower than the average or usual level, running low, shallow (water, lake) iselaf, iselu = to make low, lower, debase, disparage, subdue iselder = lowness, meekness, modesty, humility; depth Iseldiroedd = the Netherlands Iseldiraidd = Dutch (adj) Iseldireg = Dutch (language) isel(-)fryd = humble-minded, meek, lowly, modest
Middle Cornish (CerneweC)	isel, yssel, ysel = low, humble, lowly iseldor = the lowest or deepest part, the bottom isella = lowest
Cornish (Kernewek)	isel [‘izɛl / ‘izɐl] = low, modest, vulgar; soft Iseldiryek = Dutch (language) iseldiryek = Dutch (adj) Iseldiryow = the Netherlands iselhe = to decrease, lower iselheans = decrease, lowering iselella = inferior, lower, lowest iselweyth = depression
Old Breton	isel = low
Middle Breton (Brezonec)	jsel, isel = low, humble izellât, iseléet, izelaat = to lower, go down izelec, izelleq = modest, poor, humble
Breton (Brezhoneg)	izel = low izelaat = to lower, go down izelder = baseness, base act izelegezh = humility, modesty izelek = modest izelenn = depression izelfenn = to imply

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European pedsú, from *pṓds (foot), from *ped- (to walk, step) [source].

Words from the same roots include síos (down, downwards) in Irish, shìos (down, below) in Scottish Gaelic, sheese (below, down, downward) in Manx, is (under, underneath, beneath, below, lower than) in Welsh, a-is (below, lower) in Cornish, is (under, below, inferior) in Breton, foot in English, and pied (foot) in French [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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Broad & Wide

29th September 201827th August 2023 By Simon

Words for broad, wide and related things in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic	*ɸlitanos = broad, wide
Gaulish	litana = broad, wide
Old Irish (Goídelc)	lethan [l͈ʲeθan] = broad, wide
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	lethan, = broad, wide, wide-spread leithet, leithne = breadth, width lethaid, lethad = speads out, extends
Irish (Gaeilge)	leathan [ˈl̠ʲahənˠ] = broad, wide, extensive leathanaigeanta = broad-minded leathanduilleach = broad-leaved, broad-brimmed leathanghiallach = square-jawed leathanghuailleach = broad- / square-shouldered leathanas = wide extent, wideness leathnú = widening, expension, extension
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	leathann [l̪ʲɛhən̪ˠ] = broad, wide, extensive bann-leathann = broadband aimhleathan [ãĩl̪ʲan] = narrow cas-leathann = broad-footed, webbed, web-footed
Manx (Gaelg)	lhean = wide, sheet, sweeping, flat of nose, extensive, broad, full (of chin) lheanagh = broad, flattening bann lhean = broadband beeal lhean = wide-mouthed, yawning (chasm) lhean cheeillagh = square-jawed
Proto-Brythonic	*lɨdan [lɨˈdan] = broad, wide
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	litan, lledan, llydan = broad, wide llydany = to widen llydander, lledander = breadth, width
Welsh (Cymraeg)	llydan [ˈɬədan] = broad, wide, long or wide (stride); sturdy, stout; extensive, spacious, plentiful, numerous llydanaf, llydanu = to widen, make/become wide(r), enlarge, dilate llydander, lledander = breadth, width, broadness, latitude, amplitude, extent, latitude llydanedd, lledanedd = breadth, broadness, extent llydan llydan
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)	ledan [‘lɛdan] = broad, wide, ample, spacious, extensive ledanles = plantain
Cornish (Kernewek)	ledan [‘lɛdan] = broad, wide, widely ledandewlel = broadcast ledanhe = to widen bond ledan = broadband
Old Breton	letan, litan = broad, wide
Middle Breton (Brezonec)	ledan = broad, wide ledañ, lediñ, ledek = to extend, spread, expand ledanaat = to enlarge ledanded = width, scope, calibre
Breton (Brezhoneg)	ledan [ˈleː.dãn] = wide, broad ledanded = width, scope, calibre ledander = width, breadth, wideness

Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *pl̥th₂-enos (wide, broad), from *pleth₂- (flat) [source].

The Welsh name for Brittany, Llydaw, comes from the same roots, via the Old Welsh Litau, the Proto-Brythonic *Llɨdaw (continent, mainland [Europe], Brittany), the Proto-Celtic *ɸlitawī (country, earth) and the PIE *pl̥th₂éwih₂ (country). The Old English word Lid-wiccas (Breton people, Brittany), as does the old French name for Brittany, Létavie [source].

Some English words from the same roots include field, flan, flat, plaza, plantain, plate, plateau [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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

Celtiadur

Exploring connections between Celtic languages

Category: Verbs

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Broad & Wide