Category: Irish (Gaeilge)

Celtic Pathways – Follow That Hound!

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of some words for hound and sleuth in Romance languages.

Hunting Hounds

The Proto-Celtic word sekʷetor means to follow, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *sékʷetor (to be following), from *sekʷ- (to follow) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include: seicheamh (following, taking after, imitating, sequence, progression) and fosheicheamh (subsequence) in Irish [source], and sewya (to follow, result) in Cornish [source].

For more about words for (to) follow and related things in Celtic languages, see the Celtiadur post: Pursuing Followers

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Gaulish (?) and Latin segusius (a hunting dog) include: sabuxo (hound) in Galician, segugio (hound, bloodhound, private eye, sleuth) in Spanish, and sabujo (hound, submissive person) in Portuguese [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include: associate, sector, sequence, society, (to) sue, suit, suite and subsequent in English, suivre (to follow) in French, segno (sign, mark, indication, target) in Italian, and seguir (to follow, continue, keep (on)) in Spanish [source].

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Celtic Pathways – Country Gardens

By Simon

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In this episode we uncover links between words for country and land in Celtic languages, and words for garden, wood and related things in other languages.

Bodnant
Bodnant Garden / Gardd Bodnant

The Proto-Celtic word *mrogis means border(land), march, mark, region, country, territory or province, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *mórǵs (frontier, border) [source]

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • brugh = dwelling, mansion in Irish
  • brugh [bruh] = broch (a type of Iron Age stone tower with hollow double-layered walls – see below), fortified tower, large house, mansion, fairy mound in Scottish Gaelic
  • brogh = broch in Manx
  • bro [broː] = region, country, land, neighbourhood, border, limit, boundary in Welsh
  • bro = country, land in Cornish
  • bro [broː] = counry(-side) in Breton

For more about words for border, land, country and related things in Celtic languages, see the Celtiadur post: Region and Country

Mousa Broch

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Gaulish *brogis and Latin brogi-/broges, include brolo (vegetable garden, orchard, grove) in Italian, and breuil (wood, copse, coppice) in French, bröol (a lawn or vegetable garden surrounding house) in Cimbrian, and Brühl (enclosed land, (wet/swampy) meadow) in German (found mainly in place names).

Words from the same PIE root include margin, and march (a border region; formal, rhythmic way of walking) in English, and marge (margin, markup) in French, marca (brand, make, trademark) in Italian [source], Mark (a fortified border area, marches) in German, and mark (field) in Danish, as in Denmark [source].

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Celtic Pathways – Tan Oaks

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of words such as tan, tannin and Tannenbaum.

September

The Proto-Celtic word *tannos means green oak, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *(s)dʰnwos/*(s)dʰonu (fir).

Related words in the Celtic languages include:

  • tinne = the letter t in the Ogham alphabet (ᚈ) in Irish
  • tinne [tʲenə] = the letter t (ᚈ) in Ogham; gorse, whin, furze (archaic) in Scottish Gaelic
  • taneru = to tan (hide) in Welsh
  • glastanen gelyn = holm oak in Cornish
  • tann = sessile oaks in Breton

For more about words for oak and related things, see the Celtiadur post: Oak (trees)

Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Gaulish *tannos (oak) and Latin tannum (oak bark), include tan (pulped oak bark used in the tanning process of leather) in French, tano (stem, slip) in Galician, tanería (tannery) in Spanish, Tannenbaum (fir tree, Christmas tree) in German, θάμνος (thámnos – bush) in Greek, and tan, tannery, tannin (tannic acid) in English.

Words from the same PIE roots include thanë (cranberry bush) in Albanian, and धनु (dhanu – bow, Sagittarius) in Sanskrit. [source].

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Celtic Pathways – Oaken Larches

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of words for larch (tree) in various non-Celtic languages.

Walk In A Larch Wood

A larch [ˈlɑːtʃ/ˈlɑɹtʃ] is a confierous tree of the genus Larix having deciduous leaves in fascicles (bundles). The most common type of larch tree in Europe is the European larch (Larix decidua), which is native to northern Italy. Other types of larch are availble.

The English word larch comes from early modern German Larche/Lärche, from Middle High German larche, from Old High German larihha, from Latin larix (larch), from Ancient Greek λάριξ (lárix – larch, Venice turpentine*), possibly from Gaulish *devro (oak?) from Proto-Celtic *daru (oak), from PIE *dóru (tree) [source].

*Venice turpentine = A thick substance made from the tree resin of the European larch (Larix decidua), formerly used as a component in the oil paintings to create glossy, translucent glazes [source].

Words in the modern Celtic languages from the same Proto-Celtic root include: dair [d̪ˠaɾʲ] (oak) in Irish, dair [darʲ] (oak) in Scottish Gaelic, darragh (oak) in Manx, dâr [ˈdaːr] (oak tree, leader, mighty lord) in Welsh, dar [daːr / dæːr] (oak) in Cornish, and dar [dɑːr] (oak) in Breton [source].

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root in other languages include: làrix in Catalan, lariks in Dutch learag in Scottish Gaelic, larch in English, Lärche in German, and lærk in Danish, all of which mean larch (tree) [source].

Incidentally, the French word mélèze (larch) has doubly Celtic roots: it comes from Franco-Provençal (Dauphinois) melèzo (larch tree), from Vulgar Latin *melice (larch), from Gaulish *mel- (larch) and Latin larix (larch). The Gaulish word *mel- comes from Proto-Celtic *meli (honey) [source].

Words from the same PIE root include δόρυ (dóry – spear) in Greek, terva (tar) in Finnish, dearbh (sure, certain) in Irish, tree, trim, and trough and true in English, and trä (wood) in Swedish [source].

See the Celtiadur post Oak (trees) for more details of words for oak and related things in Celtic languages. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

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Celtic Pathways – Jeans

By Simon

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In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of the word jeans, and also the place names Genoa and Geneva.

Boots and Jeans

Jeans are trousers made from denim cotton, traditionally dyed dark blue, and also known as blue jeans. The word jeans is an abbreviation of jean fustian, from Middle English Gene (Genoa, Genovese) and fustian (a strong cotton fabric) [source].

Gene comes from Latin Genua (Genoa), which like Geneva, possibly comes from the Proto-Celtic *genwā ([river] bend) from PIE *ǵénw-eh₂, from *ǵónu (knee), which is also the root of the Proto-Celtic word *glūnos (knee) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • glúin [ɡl̪ˠuːnʲ] = knee, generation, step, node in Irish
  • glùin [ɡl̪ˠuːn̪ʲ] = knee, generation, lap in Scottish Gaelic
  • glioon [ɡlʲuːnʲ] = joint, knee in Manx
  • glin [ɡliːn] = knee in Welsh
  • glin [ɡliːn] = knee in Cornish
  • glin [ɡlĩːn] = knee in Breton

Other words from the same PIE roots include genuflect (to bend the knee, grovel) and knee in English; genou (knee) in French; knie (knee) in Dutch and Afrikaans; gju [ɟu/ɡjũː] (knee) in Albanian, and γόνατο [ˈɣɔnatɔ] (knee) in Greek [source].

Incidentally, the k in knee was pronounced in Middle Engish kne [kneː] and Old English cnēow [kne͜oːw] [source], and also in Early Modern English until about the 16th or 17th century, when it quietly disappeared in speech [source].

See the Celtiadur post Knees for more details of words for knee and related things in Celtic languages. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

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Celtic Pathways – Leather

By Simon

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Close-up of a leather sole on a shoe form

The Irish word leathar and the Welsh word lledr both mean leather, and various other things. You might think that they were borrowed from English, but in fact the English word leather might ultimately come from a Proto-Celtic word, via Middle and Old English and Proto-Germanic [source].

The Proto-Celtic word for leather or hide was *(ɸ)letros, which comes from Proto-Indo-European *péltrom, from *pel- (to cover, to wrap, skin, hide, cloth) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • leathar [ˈl̠ʲahəɾˠ] = skin, hide, leather in Irish
  • leathar [l̪ʲɛhər] = leather, leathery in Scottish Gaelic
  • l(h)iare = leather in Manx
  • lledr [ɬɛdr/ˈɬeːdɛr] = leather, parchment, vellum, skin, hide in Welsh
  • ledher = leather in Cornish
  • lêr [lɛːr] = leather in Breton

The Proto-Germanic word *leþrą [ˈle.θrɑ̃] (leather), which was possibly was borrowed from Proto-Celtic, and from these roots we get words such as leather in English, leer (leather) in Dutch, Leder (leather, suede, hide) in German, læder (leather) in Danish, and läder (leather, suede) in Swedish [source].

Words from the same PIE root include pall, pelt, camouflage and film in English; plena (membrane) in Czech; piel (skin, fur) in Spanish, plah (to cover, veil) in Albanian, and pall (cloak, curtain, covering, tent) in Welsh [source].

See the Celtiadur post Leathery Hide for more details of words for leather and related things in Celtic languages.

You can find more connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

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Adventures in Etymology – Sadly Satisfied

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology we find out whether the words sad and satisfied are connected.

sad

Sad [sæd] means various things, including:

  • Feeling sorrow; sorrowful, mournful.
  • Appearing sorrowful.
  • Causing sorrow; lamentable.
  • Poor in quality, bad; shameful, deplorable, regrettable, poor.

It can mean unfashionable, socially inadequate or undesirable (in slang), and in the past it meant:

  • Sated, having had one’s fill; satisfied, weary.
  • Steadfast, valiant.
  • Dignified, serious, grave.
  • Heavy; weighty; ponderous; close; hard.

It comes from Middle English sad [sa(ː)d] (sated, weary; firm, solid, hard, thoughtful, serious, sad (sorrowful), authentic, true, genuine; dark, deep [colours]), from Old English sǣd [sæːd] (full, sated, weary), from Proto-West-Germanic *sad (sated, full) from Proto-Germanic *sadaz [ˈsɑ.ðɑz] (sated, full), Proto-Indo-European *seh₂- (to satiate, satisfy) [source].

Words from the same roots include satt [zat] (not hungry, satiated, full, fed up) in German, sāts (moderation, satiation, fill) in Latvian, sáith [sˠaːç] (sufficiency, enough, fill) in Irish, and satiate, satisfied and insatiate in English [source].

The Welsh word sad was borrowed from Middle English, and means firm, stable, steady, solid, certain, sure, wise, discreet, sober, grave, melancholy, and various other things. Related words include sadiwr (stabilizer) and sadeiddio (to make or become firm or stable) [source].

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If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.

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Celtic Pathways – Groovy Furrows

By Simon

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In this episode we’re looking at Celtic words for furrow, trench, ditch and related things, and words in other languages that come from the same roots.

Furrowed

The Proto-Celtic word *ɸrikā means furrow and comes from Proto-Indo-European *pr̥keh₂ (furrow), from *perḱ- (to open, rip up, dig) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • eitre [ˈɛtʲəɾʲə] = furrow, groove, ridge in Irish
  • eitre = trench, furrow in Scottish Gaelic
  • eerey = furrow length, plough length in Manx
  • rhych [r̥ɨːχ/r̥iːχ] = trench, ditch, furrow, groove, wrinkle, cleft, cleavage in Welsh
  • reg = line, furrow in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Gaulish *rikā (furrow) and Latin riga (line, stripe), include raie (stripe, parting, line) in French, porca (ridge between furrows) in Italian, alporquia (layering) in Portuguese, porcoi (haystack, heap, pile, bunch) in Romanian, and erreka (river, stream, ravine) in Basque [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include furrow, farrow and pig in English, Furche (furrow) in German, fåra (furrow, groove) in Swedish, porsas (piglet, pork) in Finnish, and arc [aɾˠk] (piglet) in Irish [source].

Orkney Islands

Incidentally, the Orkney Islands get their name from Old Norse Orkneyjar (“seal islands”), from Old Norse ørkn (seal) and ey (island). The ørkn part is thought to be a misinterpretation of the Pictish name orc (piglet), which ultimately comes from the PIE root *perḱ- (to dig, etc) [source].

More about words for Furrowed Trenches and related tools in Celtic languages.

You can find more connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

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Celtic Pathways – Tin

By Simon

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In this episode, we’re looking into the Celtic roots of some Romance tins.

french tinned butter biscuits

The Proto-Celtic word *stagnos means tin and probably comes from the Proto-Indo-European *sth₂gʰ-nó-s (standing, firm), from *steh₂- (to stand) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

  • stán = tin, tin vessel in Irish
  • staoin [sdɯːn̪ʲ] = tin, pewter in Scottish Gaelic
  • stainney = tin, can, tin-plate in Manx
  • (y)staen [ˈ(ə)staɨ̯n] = tin, pewter in Welsh
  • sten [stɛːn / steːn] = tin in Cornish
  • staen [ˈstɛːn] = tin in Breton

Words from the same Celtic roots, via Gaulish *stagnom (tin) and Latin stannum (tin, silver-lead alloy), include estany (tin) in Catalan, étain (tin) in French, stagno (tin) in Italian, and estanho (tin) in Portuguese [source].

I forgot to mention in the recording that the symbol for the element tin is Sn, which comes from Latin stannum, and the English words such as stannary (of or pertaining to tin mining, especially in Cornwall), and stanniferous (containing or producing the metal tin) come from the same roots [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include cost, distant, estate, instant, obstinate, stand, stem and stool in English [source], and words from heel in Celtic languages, such as sawdl in Welsh and sáil in Irish [source].

Incidentally, the word tin comes from Middle English tyn(ne) (tin), from Old English tin (tin), from Proto-Germanic *tiną (tin), probably from a pre-Indo-European language [source].

More about words for Tin and related tools in Celtic languages.

You can find more connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

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Adventures in Etymology – Antique

By Simon

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In this Adventure in Etymology, we find out what links the word antique with words such as eye, window and Antigua.

Antiques

Antique [ænˈtiːk] can mean:

  • An old object perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance (noun)
  • Having existed in ancient times, descended from antiquity; out of date, old (adjective)
  • to search or shop for antiques; to make (an object) appear to be an antique in some way (verb)

It comes from French antique (ancient, old), from Latin antīquus (old, ancient, aged, classic, traditional) from Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti-h₃kʷ-o-s (“facing the front, in front of the eye”), from *h₂énti (opposite, near, in front, before) and *h₃ekʷ- (to see, eye) [source].

Words from the same Latin root (antīquus) include antic in English, antik (ancient, antique) in German, and antiguo (old, ancient, vintage) in Spanish [source].

Antigua

The island of Antigua in the Caribbean also gets its name from the same roots, via Spanish antigua (ancient, old), and was originally named Santa María de la Antigua by Christopher Columbus to honour a mural known as Virgen de la Antigua or Santa María de la Antigua in Seville Cathedral (see below) [source].

Chapel of the Virgen de la Antigua

Other words from the PIE root *h₂énti (in front, before) include and and words beginning with ante-/ant(i)- such as antechamber and anticlockwise in English, antes (before, earlier, sooner) in Spanish, and anzi (on the contrary, indeed, actually) in Italian [source].

Other words from the PIE root *h₃ekʷ- (to see, eye) include eye, ocular, ogle and window in English, occhio (eye) in Italian, wyneb (face, surface) in Welsh, and oineach (honour, reputation) in Irish [source].

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podchaser, Podbay or Podtail and other pod places.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

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I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur blog.

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