{"id":9204,"date":"2026-05-07T16:16:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T15:16:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=9204"},"modified":"2026-05-07T16:16:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T15:16:04","slug":"a-stack-of-heaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2026\/05\/07\/a-stack-of-heaps\/","title":{"rendered":"A Stack of Heaps"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In this post we&#8217;re looking at words for <strong>heap<\/strong>, <strong>pile<\/strong>, <strong>stack<\/strong> and related words, in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/kewing\/35294703686\/in\/photolist-TC73Jj-pkg75x-2FLP7x-8Xx2Ye-VQq8SD-VLSzKU-4z3Qg-6erBEJ-DQBPud-G8LwwC-coPUZJ-VhHo1M-coPNTN-ecosbo-9UEnxw-7abbGM-ecWy9i-6ySf4G-7z8uiP-mfLnU-dNSwdL-sbtAr-f5mVMz-SpCLCn-vgrDhG-dND6CY-6BbB4d-5gxz2b-59Ydd7-2hn7KXh-8nyoBP-dNMbqe-9WXTjV-coPFAG-9WXTGZ-ZtXnpk-2gCdFk6-8B4y9q-81fv-2pXstaD-dmeraB-8nABGJ-MouCi-2gCdFsa-dQcyNw-cbuYU-cbv8E-cbuCy-cbuNn-cbuv4\" title=\"Peat teepees\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/4229\/35294703686_9fe6544aef_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"354\" alt=\"Peat teepees\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Words marked with a * are reconstructions.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*dasti-<\/strong> = heap, pile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Gaulish<\/th>\n<td>Con<strong>date<\/strong> = Cond\u00e9 (<em>a place in France<\/em>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>daiss, daise, dassaib, daisib<\/strong> = heap, pile, rick, stack (<em>esp. of corn<\/em>)<br \/>\n<strong>tegdais, tegdas, techdais<\/strong> = house, dwelling, mansion, room, apartment, tabernacle, church<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>dais<\/strong> = heap, stack (<em>literary<\/em>)<br \/>\n<strong>teaghais, teaghdhais<\/strong> house, dwelling, tabernacle, church, room, apartment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>dais<\/strong> [da\u0283] = heap, pile, (bread loaf-shaped) rick, stack<br \/>\n<strong>dais-fhe\u00f2ir<\/strong> = haystack, hayrick<br \/>\n<strong>dais-e\u00f2rna<\/strong> = stack\/rick of barley<br \/>\n<strong>dasieadh<\/strong> [da\u0283\u0259\u0263] = (act of) heaping, piling up, making a rick or stack<br \/>\n<strong>taigheadas<\/strong> [t\u0264j\u0259d\u0259s] = residence, housing, housekeeping<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>dash<\/strong> = small pile, heap<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>das, dais<\/strong> = rick, stack, mow, heap, pile<br \/>\n<strong>das(s)wrn<\/strong> = heap, pile, rick<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>das<\/strong> = rick, stack, mow, heap, pile<br \/>\n<strong>das (o) wair<\/strong> = hayrick, haystack<br \/>\n<strong>das (o) fawn<\/strong> = peat stack, turf pile<br \/>\n<strong>dasag, dasu<\/strong> = to stack, rick, pile, heap up<br \/>\n<strong>dasiad<\/strong> = a ricking<br \/>\n<strong>daswl<\/strong> = pile, stack<br \/>\n<strong>daswr<\/strong> = one who stacks, ricks, piles up or heaps up<br \/>\n<strong>daswrn<\/strong> = heap, pile, rick<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec \/ Kernuak)<\/th>\n<td><strong>tasurn<\/strong> = a pile of wood, a wood-rick<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>das<\/strong> = stack, rick<br \/>\n<strong>das wora<\/strong> = haystack, hayrick<br \/>\n<strong>dasa<\/strong> = to stack<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Breton (Brethonoc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>desi<\/strong> = pile (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>tes<\/strong> = stacking, pile<br \/>\n<strong>tesa\u00f1<\/strong> = to pile up, stacking<br \/>\n<strong>tesenn<\/strong> = stack, pile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from the Proto-Indo-European <em>*d\u02b0eh\u2081-<\/em> (to do, put, place) [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic\/page\/n95\/mode\/2up\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same PIE root possibly include <strong>\u0434\u0435\u043b\u043e<\/strong> (delo &#8211; affair, matter) in Russian, <strong>d\u00e1il<\/strong> (tryst, betrothal, legislature) in Irish, <strong>Ort<\/strong> (place, location) in German, <strong>odd<\/strong>,  <strong>family<\/strong> and <strong>theme<\/strong> in English, and <strong>hacer<\/strong> (to do, make) in Spanish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/d%CA%B0eh%E2%82%81-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*karnos, *karnom<\/strong> = heap of stones, cairn, tomb, horn, antler<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Gaulish<\/th>\n<td><strong>karnon<\/strong> = horn<br \/>\n<strong>karnu\u0101tus<\/strong> = horned<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> = heap, pile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn, carnd<\/strong> = heap, mound, hillock<br \/>\n<strong>carna(ig)id, carnait, carnaigit<\/strong> = to heap up, pile up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> [k\u0251\u02d0\u027e\u02e0n\u032a\u02e0 \/ ka\u02d0\u027e\u02e0n\u032a\u02e0] = heap, pile, cairn, great amount<br \/>\n<strong>carnach<\/strong> = full of cairns, made up in heaps, cumulative<br \/>\n<strong>carnadh<\/strong> = accumulation<br \/>\n<strong>carn\u00e1n<\/strong> [\u02c8k\u0251\u02d0\u027e\u02e0n\u032a\u02e0\u0251\u02d0n\u032a\u02e0] = (small) heap, mound<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>c\u00e0rn<\/strong> [ka\u02d0r\u02e0n\u032a\u02e0] = cairn, heap of stones, pile (up), stack of corn<br \/>\n<strong>c\u00e0rnach<\/strong> [ka\u02d0r\u02e0n\u032a\u02e0\u0259x] = rocky, stony<br \/>\n<strong>c\u00e0rnadh<\/strong> [ka\u02d0r\u02e0n\u032a\u02e0\u0259\u0263] = (act of) heaping, piling (up), hoarding, heap, pile (up), accumulating, accumulation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> = heap, cairn, stack of stone<br \/>\n<strong>carnagh<\/strong> = cumulative<br \/>\n<strong>carnane<\/strong> = heap, mound, dump, cairn, rampart<br \/>\n<strong>carnaneagh<\/strong> = heaped, piled up, cumulus, cumuliform<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*karn<\/strong> = a pile of stones, a cairn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn, karn<\/strong> = cairn, barrow, tumulus, mound, rock, heap, pile<br \/>\n<strong>carned(d), karned<\/strong> = cairn, tumulus, mound, heap, pile, ruin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> [karn] = cairn, barrow, tumulus, mound, rock, heap, pile; drinking horn, handle<br \/>\n<strong>carnedd<\/strong> [\u02c8karn\u025b\u00f0] = cairn, tumulus, mound, heap, pile, ruin<br \/>\n<strong>carneddaf, carneddu<\/strong> = to heap, pile, amass, accumulate<br \/>\n<strong>carneddog, carneddol<\/strong> = abounding with heaps of stones, rocky<br \/>\n<strong>carnen<\/strong> = a small cairn or tumulus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Cornish<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> = <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> = a rock, a rocky place, a high rock, a shelf in the sea, a heap of stones, the hilt, handle of an instrument<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>karn<\/strong> = rock-pile, tor, carn, heap of rock<br \/>\n<strong>karnedh<\/strong> = cairn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Breton (Brethonoc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> = cairn, tumulus, horn (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carn<\/strong> = cairn, tumulus, horn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>karn<\/strong> = cairn, tumulus, horn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*\u1e31erh\u2082-<\/em> (head, top, horn) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/karnom\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same roots include <strong>cairn<\/strong> in English and Scots, <strong>procrastinate<\/strong>, <strong>cranium<\/strong> and <strong>giraffe<\/strong> in English, <strong>corne<\/strong> (horn) in French and <strong>krowa<\/strong> (cow) in Polish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/%E1%B8%B1erh%E2%82%82-\">source<\/a>]. <\/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<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:\/\/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<div align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/my.kualo.com\/uk\/go\/00572\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.kualo.com\/rewards\/uk-unlimited2-468x60.gif\" width=\"468\" height=\"60\" border=\"0\"\nalt=\"Unlimited Web Hosting - Kualo\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this post we&#8217;re looking at words for heap, pile, stack and related words, in Celtic languages. Words marked with a * are reconstructions. Proto-Celtic *dasti- = heap, pile Gaulish Condate = Cond\u00e9 (a place in France) Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) daiss, daise, dassaib, daisib = heap, pile, rick, stack (esp. of corn) tegdais, tegdas, techdais [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,16,26,19,44,25,61,21,3,22,5,6,37,7,27,8,9,10,105,11,12,13,106,97,23,82,43,18,14],"tags":[52,80,51,145,48,47,53,49,408,409,55,406,50],"class_list":["post-9204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adjectives","category-breton","category-kernewek-cornish","category-english","category-french","category-gaulish","category-german","category-gaeilge-irish","category-language","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-cornish","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-nouns","category-old-breton","category-old-cornish","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-polish-polski","category-proto-brythonic","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-indo-european","category-russian-","category-scots","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-spanish-espanol","category-verbs","category-cymraeg-welsh","category-words","tag-breton","tag-celtic","tag-cornish","tag-etymology","tag-gaelic","tag-irish","tag-language","tag-manx","tag-pile","tag-rick","tag-scottish-gaelic","tag-stack","tag-welsh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9204","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=9204"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9206,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9204\/revisions\/9206"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}