{"id":9249,"date":"2026-07-17T16:14:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T15:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=9249"},"modified":"2026-07-17T16:14:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T15:14:21","slug":"bushy-hedges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2026\/07\/17\/bushy-hedges\/","title":{"rendered":"Bushy Hedges"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In this post we&#8217;re looking at words for <strong>hedge<\/strong>, <strong>bush<\/strong> and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/fivetilnoon\/38118943182\/in\/photolist-215rxLj-KQc8vw-cYiLHA-Gg8ACZ-2hrbCkW-2pNB7F4-2hW7RWJ-2k7oZPx-NxWhY5-2guG52H-2pmXwDj-BsRmXw-2gxuQki-2h4r7uE-2gfLtnm-E4harq-26dzEzh-G1NDkJ-QQxGRR-2hPXpFL-2oaL4dD-U1Mgrb-2hUrbMf-8qJhLX-2s4uEBs-2n2dP4h-2jepB8z-s1pPuK-g5E22H-RFzVxd-s4gmCk-HnGa85-tWAK6J-oHJipH-2Kjghu-Yc7WDM-2r8Pjxs-YgfxYq-fZa8x-RJkKt7-DgbA6A-2kkaoZL-BNCevt-2nrGEiD-nwNDyc-2gB3jc5-ctmXP1-ctmZtW-2i9kQjL-ctmYrW\" title=\"2017 UK Trip -- Day 6 -- Northern Ireland\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/4462\/38118943182_ae306256d5_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"425\" alt=\"2017 UK Trip -- Day 6 -- Northern Ireland\"\/><\/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>*k\u02b7erst\u0101, *k\u02b7erkus, *k\u02b7erxt-<\/strong> = hedge, bush<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Gaulish<\/th>\n<td><strong>perth<\/strong> [p\u025br\u03b8] = bush, hedge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt<\/strong> = apple tree, Ogham letter \u168a (q) [kw]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt, cert<\/strong> = apple tree, Ogham letter \u168a (q) [kw]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt<\/strong> [c\u025b\u027e\u02e0t\u02b2] = apple tree, Ogham letter \u168a (q) [kw]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt<\/strong> [k\u02b2er\u032a\u0283d\u02b2] = Ogham letter \u168a (q) [kw], crab \/ wild apple (<em>archaic<\/em>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*per\u03b8<\/strong> [p\u025br\u03b8] = bush, thicket<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Pictish<\/th>\n<td><strong>*\u169a\u1693\u168f\u1688<\/strong> (pert) = wood, grove<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>perth<\/strong> = hedge, (thorn) bush, brake, thicket, copse<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>perth<\/strong> [p\u025br\u03b8] = hedge, (thorn) bush, brake, thicket, copse, coppice, bush, countryside, jungle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec \/ Kernuak)<\/th>\n<td><strong>perth<\/strong> = a bush<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>perth<\/strong> = thicket<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*p\u00e9rkus<\/em> (oak) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/perth#Welsh\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><strong>Perth<\/strong>, the city in Scotland, gets it&#8217;s name from the Pictish word <em>*\u169a\u1693\u168f\u1688 (pert)<\/em>. The Scottish Gaelic version of the name: <strong>Peairt<\/strong> comes from the same roots, as does the city of <strong>Perth<\/strong> in Australia [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Pictish\/%E1%9A%9A%E1%9A%93%E1%9A%8F%E1%9A%88\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Other words from the same roots include <strong>fj\u00f6r<\/strong> (vitality, sprightliness, vigour, energy, fun, merriment, life) in Icelandic, <strong>fur<\/strong> (pinewood) in Swedish, <strong>quercia<\/strong> (oak) in Italian, <strong>p\u0113rkons<\/strong> (thunder) in Latvian, and <strong>fir<\/strong> and  <strong>cork<\/strong> in English, and possibly the words below [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/p%C3%A9rkus\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*k\u02b7erk\u02b7t\u0101<\/strong> = (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt<\/strong> = rag<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt, cert<\/strong> = rag, piece of cloth<br \/>\n<strong>ceirt\u00edn<\/strong> = tatters<br \/>\n<strong>cert\u00e1n<\/strong> = an item of clothing (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt<\/strong> [c\u025b\u027e\u02e0t\u02b2] = piece of clothing, rag, clout<br \/>\n<strong>ceirtach\u00e1n<\/strong> = ragged person<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ceirt\u2020<\/strong> [k\u02b2er\u032a\u0283d\u02b2] = rag<br \/>\n<strong>ceirteach\u2020<\/strong> [k\u02b2er\u032a\u0283d\u02b2\u0259x] = rag, ragged, pertaining to or abounding in rags<br \/>\n<strong>ceirteachd\u2020<\/strong> = tawdriness, raggedness<br \/>\n<strong>ceirteag\u2020<\/strong> = ragged girl<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: possibly from Proto-Indo-European <em>*perk\u02b7-t\u00e9h\u2082,<\/em> from <em>*perk\u02b7-<\/em> (oak) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/k%CA%B7erst%C4%81\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garrda<\/strong> = garden, yard<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garrda, garrga<\/strong> = a plot, yard, enclosure, court, garden<br \/>\n<strong>garrdad\u00f3ir<\/strong> = gardener<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garra\u00ed<\/strong> [\u02c8\u0261\u0251\u027e\u02e0i\u02d0] = garden, yard, enclosure, ring, halo<br \/>\n<strong>garrda\u00edod\u00f3ir<\/strong> = gardener<br \/>\n<strong>garra\u00edod\u00f3ireacht<\/strong> = gardening<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>g\u00e0rradh<\/strong> [ga\u02d0r\u032a\u02e0\u0259\u0263] = dyke, wall, garden, enclosure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garey<\/strong> = garden, allotment, arbour<br \/>\n<strong>gareyder<\/strong> = gardener, horticulturalist<br \/>\n<strong>garagh, gareydys<\/strong> = gardening<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>gard, gart, gardd<\/strong> = garden, enclosure<br \/>\n<strong>gard(d)wr<\/strong> = gardener<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>gardd<\/strong> = garden, enclosure<br \/>\n<strong>garddio<\/strong> = to garden, cultivate a garden<br \/>\n<strong>garddlan<\/strong> = garden, nursery<br \/>\n<strong>garddol<\/strong> = garden, horticultural<br \/>\n<strong>garddoriaeth<\/strong> = horticulture<br \/>\n<strong>garddwr<\/strong> = gardener<br \/>\n<strong>garddwriaeth<\/strong> = gardening, horticulture<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec \/ Kernuak)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garth<\/strong> = a garden<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garth<\/strong> = courtyard, enclosure, yard<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garz<\/strong> = bush, hedge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>garzh<\/strong> [\u0261ars] = hedge, wooded embankment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Old Norse <em>gar\u00f0r<\/em> (enclosed space, yard), from Proto-Germanic <em>*gardaz<\/em> (court, yard, enclosure), from PIE <em>*g\u02b0\u00f3rd\u02b0os<\/em> (hedge, fence), from <em>*g\u02b0erd\u02b0-<\/em> (to enclose, encircle, enclosure, fence, belt). Words from the same roots include <strong>yard<\/strong>, <strong>garth<\/strong>, <strong>girth<\/strong>, <strong>girdle<\/strong>,  <strong>garden<\/strong> and <strong>horticulture<\/strong> in English, <strong>jardin<\/strong> (garden) in French,  <strong>g\u00e5rd<\/strong> (farm, estate, land, court, yard) in Danish, <strong>g\u00e5rd<\/strong> (estate, farmstead, ranch, yard) in Swedish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/gar%C3%B0r#Old_Norse\">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=\"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=\"http:\/\/www.arkaevraz.net\/dicobzh\/index.php\">Dictionnaires bilingues de Francis Favereau \/ Edition Skol Vreizh<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brezhoneg.bzh\/87-termofis.htm\">TermOfis<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Blog horizontal --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"1685480124\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this post we&#8217;re looking at words for hedge, bush and related things in Celtic languages. Words marked with a * are reconstructions. Proto-Celtic *k\u02b7erst\u0101, *k\u02b7erkus, *k\u02b7erxt- = hedge, bush Gaulish perth [p\u025br\u03b8] = bush, hedge Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) ceirt = apple tree, Ogham letter \u168a (q) [kw] Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) ceirt, cert = apple [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,16,26,63,19,20,44,25,65,21,83,3,109,22,5,6,37,7,27,10,69,11,12,67,13,23,82,64,72,43,18,14],"tags":[52,433,80,51,145,48,435,56,434,47,53,49,432,55,50],"class_list":["post-9249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adjectives","category-breton","category-kernewek-cornish","category-danish-dansk","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-gaulish","category-icelandic-islenska","category-gaeilge-irish","category-italian-italiano","category-language","category-latvian-latviesu-valoda","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-cornish","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-nouns","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-pictish","category-proto-brythonic","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-germanic","category-proto-indo-european","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-spanish-espanol","category-swedish-svenska","category-trees","category-verbs","category-cymraeg-welsh","category-words","tag-breton","tag-bush","tag-celtic","tag-cornish","tag-etymology","tag-gaelic","tag-garden","tag-gaulish","tag-hedge","tag-irish","tag-language","tag-manx","tag-pictish","tag-scottish-gaelic","tag-welsh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9249","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=9249"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9249\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9258,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9249\/revisions\/9258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}