{"id":4331,"date":"2019-04-26T17:41:14","date_gmt":"2019-04-26T16:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=4331"},"modified":"2026-01-07T13:50:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:50:44","slug":"rivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2019\/04\/26\/rivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Rivers &#038; Stars"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Words for <strong>rivers &amp; stars<\/strong> in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/omniglot\/33401156775\/in\/album-72157695351587362\/\" title=\"Cwm Idwal\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/3798\/33401156775_2094a79ee2_z.jpg\" alt=\"Cwm Idwal\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\"><\/a><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*abon\u0101 \/ *ab\u016b<\/strong> = river<br \/>\n<strong>*abonko-<\/strong> = beaver<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Gaulish<\/th>\n<td><strong>ambe<\/strong> = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ab<\/strong> [au\u032fv] = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ab<\/strong> = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>abhainn<\/strong> [\u0259un\u02b2 \/ \u0259un\u0320\u02b2 \/ o\u02d0n\u0320\u02b2] = river<br \/>\n<strong>craobh-abhainn<\/strong> = affluent, tributary<br \/>\n<strong>tr\u00e9ig-abhainn<\/strong> = distributary<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>abhainn<\/strong> [a.\u026an\u032a\u02b2] = river, stream<br \/>\n<strong>abhainneach<\/strong> = fluvial, pertaining to or abounding in rivers<br \/>\n<strong>abhainn-deighe<\/strong> = river of ice, glacier<br \/>\n<strong>capall-aibhne<\/strong> = hippopotamus<br \/>\n<strong>con-abhainn<\/strong> = confluence<br \/>\n<strong>leas-abhainn<\/strong> = tributary<br \/>\n<strong>tur-abhainn<\/strong> = seasonally dry river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>awin<\/strong> [aun\u02b2 \/ \u02c8aw\u0259n\u02b2] = river<br \/>\n<strong>awiney<\/strong> = freshwater, riverside; of a river<br \/>\n<strong>broogh awin<\/strong> = river bank, riverside<br \/>\n<strong>beeal\/cass awin<\/strong> = estuary, river mouth<br \/>\n<strong>crouw-awin<\/strong> = confluence<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*a\u03b2on<\/strong> [a\u02c8\u03b2o\u02d0n] = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>afon, avon, auon<\/strong> = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>afon<\/strong> [\u02c8a\u02d0v\u0254n \/ \u02c8av\u0254n] = river, stream, brook<br \/>\n<strong>afonfarch<\/strong> = hippopotamus<br \/>\n<strong>afonig<\/strong> = rivulet, stream, book<br \/>\n<strong>afonog<\/strong> = having (many) rivers or streams; fluvial<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Cornish<\/th>\n<td><strong>auon<\/strong> = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>avon<\/strong> = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>avon, awon<\/strong> [\u02c8av\u0254n] = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton<\/th>\n<td><strong>aven, avon<\/strong> = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>aven<\/strong> [\u02c8\u0251\u02d0.ven] = river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from the Proto-Indo-European <em>*h\u2082ep-h\u2083\u014dn-<\/em>, from <em>*h\u2082ep-<\/em> (water, body of water) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/h%E2%82%82ep-\">source<\/a>]. The names of the river Avon in England and the river A\u2019an (Avon) in Scotland were borrowed from Proto-Brythonic [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/ab%C5%AB\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same PIE roots include <strong>aven<\/strong> (sinkhole, pot hole) in French, <strong>avenc<\/strong> (chasm, gulf sinkhole) in Catalan, <strong>abeneiro<\/strong> (black alder tree) in Galician, <strong>amieiro<\/strong> (alder) in Portuguese, <strong>\u0905\u092a\u094d<\/strong> (ap &#8211; water, Virgo) in Sanskrit, and possibly words for <strong>ape<\/strong> in English and other Germanic languages [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic\/ap%C3%B4\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*r\u0113nos<\/strong> = river, waterway<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Gaulish<\/th>\n<td><strong>R\u0113nos<\/strong> = River Rhein (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>r\u00edan<\/strong> [r\u0348\u02b2i\u02d0a\u032fn] = sea, ocean, path, course, way, manner<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>r\u00edan<\/strong> = sea, ocean (poetic\/archaic); course, route, path, way, manner, state<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>rian<\/strong> = course, path, mark, trace, track, vigour<br \/>\n<strong>rianach<\/strong> = having tracks, paths<br \/>\n<strong>riana\u00ed<\/strong> = wayfarer, wanderer, tracker, tracer, genealogist<br \/>\n<strong>rianaigh<\/strong> = to mark out, trace, indent, chart, track<br \/>\n<strong>riana\u00edocht<\/strong> = wayfaring, wandering<br \/>\n<strong>comhrian<\/strong> = corresponding course, contour<br \/>\n<strong>trasrian<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>rian<\/strong> [r\u032a\u02b2ian] = method, mode, system, arrangement, control, management, order, sense<br \/>\n<strong>rianachd<\/strong> = administration<br \/>\n<strong>rianadair<\/strong> = arranger, controller, governor<br \/>\n<strong>rianail<\/strong> = orderly, methodical<br \/>\n<strong>rianaire<\/strong> = administrator<br \/>\n<strong>co-rian<\/strong> = system<br \/>\n<strong>m\u00ec-rian<\/strong> = confusion, disorder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>rane<\/strong> = stanza, track, verse<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from the Proto-Indo-European <em>*h\u2083reyH-n\u00f3s<\/em>, from <em>*h\u2083reyH-<\/em> (to flow, stream) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/r%C4%93nos\">source<\/a>]. Names for the river Rhine in many languages come from the same roots, via the Latin <em>Rh\u0113nus<\/em> and Gaulish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Rhenus#Latin\">source<\/a>]<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*ster\u0101<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ser<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*ster<\/strong> = stars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>s\u00ear<\/strong> [se\u02d0r] = stars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ster<\/strong> = stars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ster<\/strong> [\u02c8ste\u02d0r] = stars, river<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from the Proto-Indo-European <em>*h\u2082st\u1e17r<\/em> (star), from <em>*h\u2082eh\u2081s-<\/em> (to burn) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/h%E2%82%82st%E1%B8%97r\">source<\/a>]. It&#8217;s possible that the Breton word for <strong>ster<\/strong> comes from two different roots, and the river one is not cognate with words for star in other Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p>Words marked with a * are reconstructions.<\/p>\n<p>Sources: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/\">Wiktionary<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.faclair.com\/\">Am Faclair Beag<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mannin.info\/Mannin\/fockleyr\/m2e.php\">Online Manx Dictionary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teanglann.ie\/en\/fgb\/ceann\">Teanglann.ie<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/dil.ie\/\">eDIL &#8211; Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www3.smo.uhi.ac.uk\/sengoidelc\/duil-belrai\/english.html\">In D\u00fail B\u00e9lrai English &#8211; Old Irish glossary<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/geiriadur.ac.uk\/gpc\/gpc.html\">Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cornishdictionary.org.uk\/browse?field_word_value=penn\">Gerlyver Kernewek<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.arkaevraz.net\/dicobzh\/index.php\">Dictionaire Favereau<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brezhoneg.bzh\/87-termofis.htm\">TermOfis<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/dictionnairedelal00dela\">Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wales.ac.uk\/Resources\/Documents\/Research\/CelticLanguages\/EnglishProtoCelticWordList.pdf\">English &#8211; ProtoCeltic WordList<\/a> (PDF), <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/embed\/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic\">Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesepod101.com\/member\/go.php?r=759259&amp;i=b0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/banners\/banner_japanesepod.jpg\" alt=\"The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com\" width=\"630\" height=\"83\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Words for rivers &amp; stars in Celtic languages. Proto-Celtic *abon\u0101 \/ *ab\u016b = river *abonko- = beaver Gaulish ambe = river Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) ab [au\u032fv] = river Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) ab = river Irish (Gaeilge) abhainn [\u0259un\u02b2 \/ \u0259un\u0320\u02b2 \/ o\u02d0n\u0320\u02b2] = river craobh-abhainn = affluent, tributary tr\u00e9ig-abhainn = distributary Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig) abhainn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,101,19,20,44,24,25,21,3,22,5,37,7,27,10,93,11,12,13,23,18,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breton","category-catalan-catala","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-galician","category-gaulish","category-gaeilge-irish","category-language","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-nouns","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-portuguese-portugues","category-proto-brythonic","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-indo-european","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-cymraeg-welsh","category-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4331"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9081,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4331\/revisions\/9081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}