Today we’re looking at the words for special, particular, different and related things in Celtic languages.

Words marked with an * are reconstructions.
Proto-Celtic |
*ɸarekʷennom = extremity, end |
Old Irish (Goídelc) |
airchenn = certain, definite |
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) |
airchenn, airchend = certain, fixed, definite, prominent, leading, chaste, leader, chief |
Irish (Gaeilge) |
airchinneach = hereditary steward of church lands |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
airchinneach = erenagh (monastic role) |
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
arpennic, arbennyc, arbennig, arbennic = principal, chief, main, foremost, supreme, excellent, wonderful, splendid, sacred, solemn, serious, chief, prince, leader, head
arbenhicrỽyd = specialness, particularity, peculiarity
arbennigyaỽl, arbenygaul = lord, chieftain, sovereign
arbennedic = generous, noble |
Welsh (Cymraeg) |
arbennig [arˈbɛnɪɡ] = principal, chief, main, foremost, supreme, excellent, wonderful, splendid, sacred, solemn, serious, special, particular, peculiar, distinctive, specific, characteristic
arbenig(i)aeth = speciality, expertise
arbenigo = to make special, specify, denote, specialize
arbenig(i)ol = special, particular, specific, distinct
arbenigrwydd = specialness, particularity, peculiarity
arbenigwr, arbenigydd = specialist, expert, authority |
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) |
arbennec, arbednec = usual, customary |
Cornish (Kernewek) |
arbennik, arbednik = distinctive, particular, special
arbenigel = specialist
arbeniger, arbenigores specialist
arbenikter = specialism, speciality
yn arbennik = especially |
Middle Breton (Brezonec) |
arbennik = soft, tender |
Breton (Brezhoneg) |
arbennik [ar.ˈbɛ.nːik] = special, specialized, expert
arbennigour = specialist, expert
arbennikaat = to specialize
arbennikaat = specialization, expertise, specializing
arbennikaet = specialized, competent
arbennikadur = specialization, expertise, specializing |
Etymology: from Proto-Celtic ɸare- (for(e)-) and *kʷennom (head) [source]. Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots include arpent (acre, arpent – an old French unit of area or length) in French [source].
Irish (Gaeilge) |
ar leith, faoi leith [ɛɾʲˈl̠ʲɛh / fˠiːˈl̠ʲɛh] = apart, separate(ly), several, distinct, remarkable, special |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
air leth = particular(ly), separate(ly), discrete(ly), individual(ly), apart, exceptional(ly) |
Manx (Gaelg) |
er lheh = special, specific, certain, distinctive, aloof, separate |
Etymology: from Old Irish leth (side), from Proto-Celtic *letos or from Proto-Celtic *ɸletos (breadth, side). Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots include lled (breadth, width, part, half) in Welsh, led (wide, large, broad) in Breton, and les (breadth, width) in Cornish [source]. See the Halves and Sides Celtiadur post for more details.
Irish (Gaeilge) |
speisialta [ˈsˠpʲɛʃiəl̪ˠt̪ˠə] = special
speisialtacht = speciality
speisialtóir = specialist
speisialtóireacht = specializing, specialization |
Welsh (Cymraeg) |
sbesial = special, especially good |
Etymology: from Middle English special(e) (exceptional, extraordinary, particular), from Old French especial (special, powerful, mighty), from Latin speciālis (specific), from speci(ēs) (kind, type, seeing, spectacle, appearance, display), from speciō (to observe, watch, look at), from Proto-Italic *spekjō (to observe, see), from Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti (to be looking at) [source].
Proto-Celtic |
*sani = apart from
*sanis = different |
Old Irish (Goídelc) |
sainredach = characteristic, peculiar |
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) |
sainredach, sainredaig, sunnarthach = peculiar or belonging to, particular, special, set apart, specific, definite |
Irish (Gaeilge) |
sonrach = particular, specific
sonraigh = particularize, specify, define; to perceive, distinguish
sonraíoch = noticeable, remarkable, peculiar, extraordinary, abnormal,grotesque
sonraíocht = specification
sonrú = specification, notice, perception |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
sònraichte [sɔːnrɪçdʲə] = specific, specified, stipulated, certain, special, defined, allocated, assigned, excellent, noted |
Manx (Gaelg) |
sonraghey = to specify |
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
han = separation, divorce, different, other, (out) of, from |
Welsh (Cymraeg) |
hân = separation, divorce, different, other, (out) of, from |
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) |
hanys = from thee |
Cornish (Kernewek) |
ahanav = from me
ahanas = from you (sg)
ahanodho = from him
ahanedhi = from her
ahanan = from us
ahanowgh = from you (pl)
anedha = from them |
Old Breton (Brethonoc) |
han = outside of, other than, different from |
Middle Breton (Brezonec) |
han = outside of, other than, different from |
Breton (Brezhoneg) |
han = outside of, other than, different from |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *senH- (apart, without, for oneself). Words from the same roots possibly include sunder in English, zonder (without) in Dutch, sondern (to separate, sunder) in German, sönder (broken, out of order) in Swedish, senza (without) in Italian, sans (without) in French, sin (without) in Spanish [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Teanglann.ie, Am Faclair Beag, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Gaelg Corpus, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, TermOfis