Goídelc
Old Irish
Indo-European (Celtic, Goidelic) · historical / hidden variety
Old Irish is the form of Irish from c. 600-900 CE, attested primarily in glosses on Latin manuscripts (Würzburg, Milan, St. Gall) carried to the continent by Irish monks, and in legal and ecclesiastical texts. It is famously complex morphologically, with three series of initial consonant mutations (lenition, nasalization, h-prothesis), elaborate verb agreement, deponent verbs, and split-ergative-like alignment in certain constructions — features later simplified in Middle and Modern Irish.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Old Irish
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Celtic, Goidelic)
| Meaning | Old Irish | Middle Irish | Manx | Irish | Scottish Gaelic | Welsh | Breton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | uisce /ˈusʲkʲe/ | usce /uske/ | ushtey /ˈuʃtʲə/ | uisce /ɪʃcə/ | uisge /ɯʃkʲə/ | dŵr /duːr/ | dour /duːɾ/ |
| Fire | tene /ˈtʲene/ | tene /tene/ | aile /ailʲ/ | tine /tʲɪnʲə/ | teine /ˈtʲɛɲə/ | tân /tɑːn/ | tan /tɑ̃ːn/ |
| Sun | grían /ɡrian/ | grían /ɡrian/ | grian /ɡriən/ | grian /ɟɾʲiən̪ˠ/ | grian /kɾʲiən/ | haul /haɨl/ | heol /heːɔl/ |
| Moon | éscae /eːskai/ | ésca /eːska/ | eayst /eːst/ | gealach /ɟalˠax/ | gealach /kʲaɫəx/ | lleuad /ɬɛɨ̯ad/ | loar /lwaːɾ/ |
| Star | rétla /ˈrʲeːdla/ | rétla /ˈreːtla/ | rollage /ˈrolaːɡ/ | réalta /ˈɾˠeːl̪ˠt̪ˠə/ | reul /rˠeːl̪ˠ/ | seren /ˈsɛrɛn/ | steredenn /steˈreːdɛn/ |
| Night | adaig /aðəɣʲ/ | adaig /aðəɣʲ/ | oie /ei/ | oíche /ˈiːçə/ | oidhche /ˈɤçə/ | nos /noːs/ | noz /noːs/ |
| Rain | fras /fras/ | báitsech /ˈbaːtʲʃəx/ | fliaghey /ˈfljaːə/ | báisteach /ˈbˠaːʃtʲəx/ | uisge /ɯʃkʲə/ | glaw /ɡlau̯/ | glav /ɡlɑːw/ |
| Snow | snechtae /sʲnʲexte/ | snechta /sʲnʲextə/ | sniaghtey /ˈsnʲaxðə/ | sneachta /ʃnʲaxt̪ˠə/ | sneachda /ʃɲɛxkə/ | eira /əɨra/ | erc'h /ɛrx/ |
| Wind | gáeth /ɡaːiθ/ | gáeth /ɡaːiθ/ | geay /ɡjeː/ | gaoth /ɡeː/ | gaoth /kɯː/ | gwynt /ɡwɪnt/ | avel /ˈavɛl/ |
| Earth | talam /ˈtalav/ | talam /ˈtalav/ | thalloo /ˈtalu/ | cré /cɾʲeː/ | talamh /ˈtal̪ˠəv/ | pridd /priːð/ | douar /ˈduːar/ |
| Stone | cloch /klox/ | cloch /klox/ | clagh /klaːx/ | cloch /klˠɔx/ | clach /kʰl̪ˠax/ | carreg /ˈkarɛɡ/ | maen /mɛːn/ |
| Mountain | slíab /sʲlʲiaβ/ | slíab /sʲlʲiaβ/ | slieau /slʲuː/ | sliabh /ʃlʲiəvˠ/ | beinn /peiɲː/ | mynydd /ˈmənɨð/ | menez /ˈmeːnɛs/ |
| Sea | muir /murʲ/ | muir /murʲ/ | faarkey /ˈfaːrkʲə/ | farraige /ˈfˠaɾˠɪɟə/ | muir /muɾʲ/ | môr /moːr/ | mor /moːr/ |
| Mother | máthair /maːθirʲ/ | máthair /maːθirʲ/ | moir /mɔːɾ/ | máthair /mˠɑːhəɾʲ/ | màthair /maːhəɾʲ/ | mam /mam/ | mamm /mɑ̃m/ |
| Father | athair /aθirʲ/ | athair /aθirʲ/ | ayr /ɛːr/ | athair /ahəɾʲ/ | athair /ahəɾʲ/ | tad /tɑːd/ | tad /taːd/ |
| Daughter | ingen /ˈinʲɣʲen/ | ingen /ˈinʲɣʲen/ | inneen /iˈneːn/ | iníon /ɪˈnʲiːn̪ˠ/ | nighean /ˈɲiːən/ | merch /mɛrx/ | merc'h /mɛrx/ |
| I | mé /mʲeː/ | mé /mʲeː/ | mee /miː/ | mé /mʲeː/ | mi /mi/ | fi /viː/ | me /me/ |
| You | tú /tuː/ | tú /tuː/ | oo /uː/ | tú /t̪ˠuː/ | thu /u/ | ti /tiː/ | te /te/ |
| We | sní /snʲiː/ | sinn /sʲinʲ/ | shin /ʃin/ | muid /mˠidʲ/ | sinn /ʃiɲ/ | ni /niː/ | ni /ni/ |
| Name | ainm /anʲmʲ/ | ainm /anʲmʲ/ | ennym /ˈenəm/ | ainm /anʲəmʲ/ | ainm /ˈɛnɛm/ | enw /ˈɛnu/ | anv /ˈãːno/ |
| Person | duine /ˈdunʲe/ | duine /dunʲe/ | peiagh /pʲaːx/ | duine /ˈd̪ˠɪnʲə/ | duine /ˈt̪ɯɲə/ | person /ˈpɛrsɔn/ | den /deːn/ |
| Head | cenn /kʲen/ | cenn /kʲen/ | kione /kʲoːn/ | ceann /cɑːn̪ˠ/ | ceann /kʲaun̪ˠ/ | pen /pɛn/ | penn /pɛn/ |
| Eye | súil /suːlʲ/ | súil /suːlʲ/ | sooill /suːlʲ/ | súil /sˠuːlʲ/ | sùil /suːl/ | llygad /ɬəɡad/ | lagad /laɡat/ |
| Ear | clúas /kluəs/ | ó /oː/ | cleaysh /klʲaːʒ/ | cluas /kl̪ˠuəsˠ/ | cluas /kl̪ˠuəs/ | clust /klɪst/ | skouarn /ˈskwarn/ |
| Nose | srón /sroːn/ | srón /sroːn/ | stroin /strɔinʲ/ | srón /sˠɾˠoːnˠ/ | sròn /s̪t̪ɾɔːn/ | trwyn /truːɨ̯n/ | fri /friː/ |
| Mouth | gin /ɡʲin/ | bél /bʲeːl/ | beeal /biːl/ | béal /bʲeːl̪ˠ/ | beul /pial̪ˠ/ | ceg /keːɡ/ | genou /ˈɡeːnu/ |
| Tooth | dét /dʲeːd/ | dét /deːd/ | feeackle /fiaxəl/ | fiacail /ˈfʲiəkəlʲ/ | fiacail /ˈfiəxkil/ | dant /dant/ | dant /dãnt/ |
| Tongue | tengae /ˈtʲeŋɡe/ | tengae /ˈtʲeŋɡe/ | çhengey /tʃeŋə/ | teanga /ˈtʲaŋɡə/ | teanga /ˈtʃʰɛŋɡə/ | tafod /ˈtavɔd/ | teod /tɛwt/ |
| Hand | lám /laːv/ | lám /laːv/ | laue /lɛːu/ | lámh /l̪ˠɑːvˠ/ | làmh /ɫ̪aːv/ | llaw /ɬaʊ/ | dorn /dɔɾn/ |
| Foot | cos /kos/ | cos /kos/ | cass /kaːs/ | cos /kɔsˠ/ | cas /kʰas/ | troed /troːɨ̯d/ | troad /troat/ |
| Heart | cride /krʲiðʲe/ | cride /krʲiðʲe/ | cree /kɾiː/ | croí /kɾˠiː/ | cridhe /kɾʲiə/ | calon /kalɔn/ | kalon /kalɔ̃n/ |
| Bone | cnáim /knaːmʲ/ | cnáim /knaːmʲ/ | craue /kreu/ | cnámh /kn̪ˠaːw/ | cnàimh /kʰɾãːiv/ | asgwrn /ˈasɡʊrn/ | askorn /ˈaskorn/ |
| Blood | fuil /fulʲ/ | fuil /fulʲ/ | fuill /fuːl/ | fuil /fˠɪlʲ/ | fuil /ful/ | gwaed /ɡwaɨd/ | gwad /ɡwaːt/ |
| Poop | cac /kak/ | cac /kak/ | keck /kek/ | cac /kak/ | cac /kʰaxk/ | cach /kaːx/ | kac'h /kax/ |
| Love | serc /serk/ | serc /serk/ | graih /ɡraːx/ | grá /ɡɾˠɑː/ | gaol /kɯːl̪ˠ/ | cariad /karjad/ | karantez /kaɾɑ̃ntes/ |
| Tree | crann /kran/ | crann /kran/ | billey /ˈbilʲə/ | crann /kɾˠɑːn̪ˠ/ | craobh /kɾɯːv/ | coeden /kɔɨdɛn/ | gwezenn /ˈɡweːzɛn/ |
| Dog | cú /kuː/ | madra /madra/ | moddey /ˈmɔðə/ | madra /mˠɑd̪ˠɾˠə/ | cù /kuː/ | ci /kiː/ | ki /kiː/ |
| Cat | cat /kat/ | cat /kat/ | kayt /kat/ | cat /kɑt̪ˠ/ | cat /kʰaht̪/ | cath /kɑːθ/ | kazh /kaːs/ |
| Fish | íasc /iːask/ | íasc /iːask/ | eeast /iːst/ | iasc /iəsˠk/ | iasg /iəsk/ | pysgodyn /pəsˈɡɔdɨn/ | pesk /pesk/ |
| Bird | én /eːn/ | én /eːn/ | ushag /ˈuʒaɡ/ | éan /eːnˠ/ | eun /ian/ | aderyn /aˈdɛrɨn/ | evn /ẽːvn/ |
| Egg | og /oɣ/ | og /oɣ/ | ooh /uː/ | ubh /ʊvˠ/ | ugh /u/ | wy /uːɨ/ | vi /viː/ |
| Bear | art /art/ | mathgamain /maθɣəvənʲ/ | maghouin /maˈɣuːnʲ/ | béar /bʲeːɾˠ/ | mathan /ˈmahan/ | arth /arθ/ | arzh /ars/ |
| Horse | ech /ex/ | ech /ex/ | cabbyl /ˈkaːbəl/ | capall /ˈkapˠəl̪ˠ/ | each /ɛx/ | ceffyl /ˈkɛfɨl/ | marc'h /marx/ |
| House | tech /tʲex/ | tech /tex/ | thie /tai/ | teach /tʲax/ | taigh /tʰɤj/ | tŷ /tɨː/ | ti /tiː/ |
| Milk | as /as/ | as /as/ | bainney /ˈbanʲə/ | bainne /ˈbˠanʲə/ | bainne /ˈpaɲə/ | llaeth /ɬaːɨθ/ | laezh /leːs/ |
| Honey | mil /mʲilʲ/ | mil /mʲilʲ/ | mill /mil/ | mil /mʲɪlʲ/ | mil /mil/ | mêl /meːl/ | mel /meːl/ |
| Salt | salann /ˈsalan/ | salann /ˈsalan/ | sollan /ˈsolan/ | salann /ˈsˠalˠən̪ˠ/ | salann /ˈsaɫən/ | halen /ˈhalɛn/ | holen /ˈhoːlɛn/ |
| Wine | fín /fʲiːn/ | fín /fiːn/ | feeyn /fiːn/ | fíon /ˈfʲiːn̪ˠ/ | fìon /fiən/ | gwin /ɡwiːn/ | gwin /ɡwiːn/ |
| Iron | íarn /iːarn/ | íarn /iːarn/ | yiarn /jaːrn/ | iarann /ˈiəɾˠən/ | iarann /ˈiəɾən̪ˠ/ | haearn /ˈheɨarn/ | houarn /ˈhuːaɾn/ |
| Wheel | roth /roθ/ | roth /roθ/ | queeyl /kwiːl/ | roth /ɾˠɔh/ | roth /rˠɔh/ | olwyn /ˈɔlʊɨn/ | rod /roːd/ |
| Silk | síta /ˈsʲiːda/ | síta /ˈsʲiːdə/ | sheeidey /ˈʃiːðə/ | síoda /ˈʃiːd̪ˠə/ | sìoda /ˈʃiət̪ə/ | sidan /ˈsɪdan/ | seiz /sɛjs/ |
| Book | lebor /ˈlʲeβor/ | lebor /ˈlʲeβər/ | lioar /lʲoːr/ | leabhar /ˈlʲauəɾˠ/ | leabhar /ˈʎɔəɾ/ | llyfr /ɬɪvr/ | levr /lɛvr/ |
| Eat | ithid /iθʲiðʲ/ | ithid /iθʲiðʲ/ | gee /ɡʲiː/ | ith /ɪ/ | ith /iç/ | bwyta /bʊɨta/ | debriñ /debɾĩː/ |
| Drink | ibid /iβʲiðʲ/ | ól /oːl/ | iu /juː/ | ól /oːlˠ/ | òl /ɔːl/ | yfed /əvɛd/ | evañ /eːvɑ̃/ |
| Sleep | con·tuili /konˈtulʲi/ | cotlaid /ˈkodləðʲ/ | cadley /ˈkaðlə/ | codail /ˈkɔd̪ˠəlʲ/ | caidil /ˈkʰatʲɪl/ | cysgu /ˈkəsɡɨ/ | kousket /ˈkuskət/ |
| One | oín /oːin/ | óen /oin/ | nane /nɛːn/ | aon /eːn̪ˠ/ | aon /ɯːn/ | un /ɨːn/ | unan /yːnɑ̃n/ |
| Two | dá /daː/ | dá /daː/ | jees /dʒiːs/ | dó /d̪ˠoː/ | dà /t̪aː/ | dau /daɨ/ | daou /dɔw/ |
| Three | trí /tʲrʲiː/ | trí /tʲrʲiː/ | tree /triː/ | trí /tʲɾʲiː/ | trì /tʰɾiː/ | tri /triː/ | tri /triː/ |
| Four | cethair /ˈkʲeθərʲ/ | cethair /ˈkʲeθərʲ/ | kiare /kʲeːr/ | ceathair /ˈcahəɾʲ/ | ceithir /ˈkʲehɪɾʲ/ | pedwar /ˈpɛdwar/ | pevar /ˈpɛːvar/ |
| Five | cóic /koːɡʲ/ | cóic /koːɡʲ/ | queig /kweɡ/ | cúig /kuːɟ/ | còig /kʰoːkʲ/ | pump /pɨmp/ | pemp /pɛmp/ |
| Hundred | cét /kʲeːd/ | cét /kʲeːd/ | keead /kʲiːd/ | céad /ceːd̪ˠ/ | ceud /kʰʲiət/ | cant /kant/ | kant /kãnt/ |
| Hello | fochen /foxʲen/ | fochen /foxʲen/ | moghrey mie /ˈmɔɣrə maɪ/ | dia duit /dʲiə d̪ˠɪtʲ/ | halò /haloː/ | helô /hɛˈloː/ | demat /deːmat/ |
| Thank you | atlochur /atloxur/ | atlochur /atloxur/ | gura mie ayd /ˈɡura miː eːd/ | go raibh maith agat /ɡɔ ɾˠɛv mˠah aɡət̪ˠ/ | tapadh leat /tʰapə lɛt/ | diolch /diːɔlx/ | trugarez /tɾyɡaɾes/ |
| Good | maith /maθʲ/ | maith /maθʲ/ | mie /maɪ/ | maith /mˠah/ | math /ma/ | da /dɑː/ | mat /maːt/ |
| New | núae /ˈnuːe/ | núa /ˈnuːa/ | noa /noː/ | nua /n̪ˠuə/ | ùr /uːɾ/ | newydd /ˈnɛwɨð/ | nevez /ˈneːves/ |
| Red | derg /dʲerɡ/ | derg /dʲerɡ/ | jiarg /dʒarɡ/ | dearg /ˈdʲaɾˠəɡ/ | dearg /ˈtʲɛɾɛk/ | coch /koːx/ | ruz /ryːs/ |
| White | bán /baːn/ | bán /baːn/ | bane /beːn/ | bán /bˠaːnˠ/ | geal /kʲaɫ/ | gwyn /ɡwɪn/ | gwenn /ɡwɛn/ |
| Black | dub /duβ/ | dub /duβ/ | doo /duː/ | dubh /d̪ˠʊvˠ/ | dubh /t̪uh/ | du /dɨː/ | du /dyː/ |
| Green | glas /ɡlas/ | úaine /ˈuːənʲe/ | glass /ɡlaːs/ | glas /ɡlˠasˠ/ | uaine /ˈuəɲə/ | gwyrdd /ɡwɪrð/ | gwer /ɡwɛr/ |
| Blue | glas /ɡlas/ | — | gorrym /ˈɡɔrəm/ | gorm /ˈɡɔɾˠəmˠ/ | gorm /ˈkɔɾɔm/ | glas /ɡlaːs/ | glas /ɡlɑːs/ |
| Cuckoo | caí /kaːi/ | cúach /ˈkuːax/ | cooag /ˈkuːaɡ/ | cuach /kuəx/ | cuthag /ˈkʰuhak/ | cog /koːɡ/ | koukoug /ˈkukuk/ |
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