{"id":5747,"date":"2021-02-06T15:24:08","date_gmt":"2021-02-06T15:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=5747"},"modified":"2025-10-29T13:51:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T13:51:10","slug":"life-and-soul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2021\/02\/06\/life-and-soul\/","title":{"rendered":"Life and Soul"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Words for <strong>soul \/ spirit \/ life<\/strong> in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p>Words marked with a * are reconstructions.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/124767190@N07\/22846434283\/in\/photolist-pqx2N8-7UAxRi-6DN2zH-UdLN2g-ANRWXn-68XjMD-HwYKu2-2ikfmHU-N8Uvnu-2kxmeVm-VfrfqR-oF7cSd-2iy6CUs-QV12CJ-2iP1FG6-bCq9AU-CXTpbR-dmcd7d-bRjR7x-gj1GoH-6cdZ8C-2hwmMwf-2n7C8Sr-6xESDn-PhQyLp-dTBoNe-VdLYMy-4bxXAe-2m5hQnH-6XcNju-2jXqT3n-3szQg-8t2Eh7-j6FneW-5div5m-KLa8fv-akADAu-2iGn5uc-8VBZfc-2kWWKNa-N8UKoW-cjeN9A-2nKaS8k-2enKmMy-4oyb2b-8nPEjv-dPTK5w-8hvyUQ-agRWNS-3FQkV\" title=\"Soul\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/609\/22846434283_67cdaec8f0_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"507\" alt=\"Soul\"\/><\/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>*anaman<\/strong> = soul, spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ainimm<\/strong> [\u02c8an\u02b2im\u02b2], <strong>anim<\/strong> [\u02c8an\u02b2im], <strong>ainim, anaim, anaimm<\/strong> = soul, life, living creature, animal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/celtiadur\/soul_ge.mp3\"><strong>anam<\/strong><\/a> [\u02c8\u0251n\u032a\u02e0\u0259m\u02e0 \/ \u02c8an\u02e0\u0259m\u02e0] = soul, life, liveliness, spirt, breath<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/celtiadur\/soul_ga.mp3\"><strong>anam<\/strong><\/a> [anam] = soul, mind, spirit, life, breath<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>annym<\/strong> = soul, psyche, spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*anati\u032fo-<\/strong> = soul, spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>eneid, eneit<\/strong> = soul, spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/celtiadur\/soul_cy.mp3\"><strong>enaid<\/strong><\/a> [ha\u02d0v \/ ha\u02d0] = soul, spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>enev \/ ena<\/strong> = soul<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton<\/th>\n<td><strong>eneff<\/strong> = spring<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg<\/th>\n<td><strong>ene<\/strong> = soul<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from the Proto-Indo-European <em>*h\u2082enh\u2081mos<\/em> (soul, spirit), or from the Latin <em>anima<\/em> (soul, spirt, life) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/anaman\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/51_UE_HRSF8\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples of how these words are used:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Irish<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>anam an duine = the human soul<\/li>\n<li>duine gan anam = unfeeling\/lifeless person<\/li>\n<li>T\u00e1 a hanam istigh ann = she is devoted to him<\/li>\n<li>Dia le m\u2019anam! = God bless my soul!<\/li>\n<li>Dar m\u2019anam! = Upon my soul!<\/li>\n<li>L\u00e1n d\u2019anam = in high spirits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Scottish Gaelic<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a Dhia m\u2019anam! = God preserve us!<\/li>\n<li>m\u2019anam = (my) goodness!<\/li>\n<li>anam caillte = a lost soul<\/li>\n<li>na gabh d\u2019 anam &#8230; = don\u2019t you dare to &#8230;<\/li>\n<li>air m\u2019anam! = upon my soul!<\/li>\n<li>cha robh anam be\u00f2 ann = there wasn not a living soul there<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Manx<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>annym-charrey = spiritual adviser<\/li>\n<li>corp as annym = body and soul<\/li>\n<li>Dar m\u2019annym = Upon my soul!<\/li>\n<li>gyn annym = spiritless, flat (mood), inanimate, soulless<\/li>\n<li>M&#8217;annym da&#8217;n jouyll! = Well, I&#8217;m damned!<\/li>\n<li>Cha row annym vio ayn = there wasn not a living soul there<\/li>\n<li>Shee Yee da&#8217;n annym echey = may he rest in peace<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Welsh<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ymroi i rywbeth gorff ac enaid = to throw oneself body\/heart and soul into sth<\/li>\n<li>\u00e2\u2019m holl enaid = with my whole soul<\/li>\n<li>hi oedd enaid y parti = she was the life and soul of the party<\/li>\n<li>enaid hoff cyt\u00fbn = soul mate<\/li>\n<li>miwsig yr enaid \/ canu\u2019r enaid = soul music<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cornish<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>daskor y enev = to give up one\u2019s ghost<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Breton<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>peoc&#8217;h d&#8217;e ene = may he rest in peace<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RpTwv6GuzKA\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>spiurt \/ spirut<\/strong> [\u02c8sp\u02b2irud] = spirit, incorporeal being, angel, ghost, apparition, soul, life<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/celtiadur\/spirit_ge.mp3\"><strong>spiorad<\/strong><\/a> = spirit, spiritedness, courage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/celtiadur\/spirit_ga.mp3\"><strong>spiorad<\/strong><\/a> [sbir\u0259d] = spirit (of mind, ghost, liqueur), mind, vigour, heart<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>spyrryd<\/strong> = esprit, ghost, morale, spirit, psyche<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*sp\u00efr\u00efd<\/strong> = spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>yspryt \/ yspryd<\/strong> = spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/celtiadur\/spirit_cy.mp3\"><strong>ysbryd<\/strong><\/a> [\u02c8\u0259sbr\u0268\u031ed \/ \u02c8\u0259sbr\u026ad] = spirit, soul; ghost, spectre, genius, temperament, disposition, mood, emotion, feeling, liveliness, vivacity, breath<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Cornish<\/th>\n<td><strong>spirit<\/strong> = spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>sperys \/ spyrys<\/strong> = spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton<\/th>\n<td><strong>speret<\/strong> = spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg<\/th>\n<td><strong>spered<\/strong> = spirit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>, from the Latin <em>sp\u012britus<\/em> (air, breath, spirit), from Proto-Indo-European <em>*(s)peys-<\/em> (to blow, breathe) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/spiritus#Latin\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NghDt5oJ0gU\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples of how these words are used:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Irish<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An Spiorad Naomh = the Holy Spirit<\/li>\n<li>spiorad an duine = the human spirit<\/li>\n<li>spiorad na haoise = the spirit of the age<\/li>\n<li>t\u00e1 an spiorad ullamh = the spirit is willing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Scottish Gaelic<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An Spiorad Naomh = The Holy Spirit<\/li>\n<li>deagh-spiorad = good spirit<\/li>\n<li>droch-spiorad = evil spirit, the Devil<\/li>\n<li>spiorad-i\u00f9il = guiding spirit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Manx<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>drogh spyrryd = demon<\/li>\n<li>gyn spyrryd = feckless, craven, boneless<\/li>\n<li>Spyrryd Noo = Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost<\/li>\n<li>spyrryd parteeagh = party spirit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Welsh<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ysbryd Gl\u00e2n, Gl\u00e2n Ysbryd = Holy Spirit\/Ghost<\/li>\n<li>gwendid ysbryd = melancholy, depression<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Breton<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spered Santel = Holy Spirit\/Ghost<\/li>\n<li>droukspered = evil spirit, demon<\/li>\n<li>spered-kroui\u00f1 = creativity<\/li>\n<li>spered a gevezerez = spirit of competition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sources: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/\">Wiktionary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/embed\/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic\">Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic<\/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:\/\/dil.ie\/\">eDIL &#8211; Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teanglann.ie\/en\/fgb\/ceann\">Teanglann.ie<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.faclair.com\/\">Am Faclair Beag<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikisource.org\/wiki\/An_Etymological_Dictionary_of_the_Gaelic_Language\">An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionaryq.com\/gaelg\/\">Fockleyreen: Manx &#8211; English Dictionary<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mannin.info\/Mannin\/fockleyr\/m2e.php\">Online Manx Dictionary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/corpus.gaelg.im\/\">Gaelg Corpus<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/geiriadur.ac.uk\/gpc\/gpc.html\">Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/lexiconcornubrit00willuoft\/page\/n5\/mode\/2up\">Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cornishdictionary.org.uk\/\">Gerlyver Kernewek<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/devri.bzh\/\">Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/geriafurch.bzh\/fr\">Geriafurch<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brezhoneg.bzh\/87-termofis.htm\">TermOfis<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Words for soul \/ spirit \/ life in Celtic languages. Words marked with a * are reconstructions. Proto-Celtic *anaman = soul, spirit Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) ainimm [\u02c8an\u02b2im\u02b2], anim [\u02c8an\u02b2im], ainim, anaim, anaimm = soul, life, living creature, animal Irish (Gaeilge) anam [\u02c8\u0251n\u032a\u02e0\u0259m\u02e0 \/ \u02c8an\u02e0\u0259m\u02e0] = soul, life, liveliness, spirt, breath Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig) anam [anam] [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,26,19,20,21,3,36,22,5,7,27,9,10,11,12,13,23,18,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breton","category-kernewek-cornish","category-english","category-etymology","category-gaeilge-irish","category-language","category-latin","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-nouns","category-old-cornish","category-old-irish-goidelc","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\/5747","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=5747"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5747\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9017,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5747\/revisions\/9017"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}