Gaelach
See also: gaelach
Irish
editAlternative forms
edit- Gaedhealach (Ulster, otherwise superseded)
- Gaedhlach, Gaeulach, Gaodhalach, Gaodhlach, Gaoidhealach (obsolete)[1]
Etymology
editFrom Gael + -ach (adjectival suffix).
Pronunciation
edit- (Munster) IPA(key): /ˈɡeːl̪ˠəx/
- (Connacht) IPA(key): /ˈɡeːlˠəx/[2], /ˈɡeːl̪ˠəx/
- (Ulster) IPA(key): /ˈɡeːlˠa(x)/, /ˈɡeːl̪ˠa(x)/
Adjective
editGaelach (genitive singular masculine Gaelaigh, genitive singular feminine Gaelaí, plural Gaelacha, comparative Gaelaí)
- Gaelic (relating to the Gaels or their language)
- Irish (pertaining to Irish Gaelic culture)
- (usually in lowercase: gaelach) native to Ireland; homely, pleasant; common, ordinary
Usage notes
editGaelach and Éireannach can both be translated “Irish”, but Gaelach refers specifically to traditional Irish Gaelic culture, historically associated with the Irish language. Éireannach refers to anything associated with the island or country of Ireland. Gaelach can also refer to Gaelic culture outside of Ireland, for example in Scotland, the Isle of Man, and the diaspora.
Declension
editDeclension of Gaelach
Singular | Plural (m/f) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Positive | Masculine | Feminine | (strong noun) | (weak noun) |
Nominative | Gaelach | Ghaelach | Gaelacha; Ghaelacha² | |
Vocative | Ghaelaigh | Gaelacha | ||
Genitive | Gaelaí | Gaelacha | Gaelach | |
Dative | Gaelach; Ghaelach¹ |
Ghaelach; Ghaelaigh (archaic) |
Gaelacha; Ghaelacha² | |
Comparative | níos Gaelaí | |||
Superlative | is Gaelaí |
¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.
Derived terms
edit- aiteann gaelach (“dwarf whin”)
- caife Gaelach (“Irish coffee”)
- cló Gaelach (“Gaelic type”)
- cnó gaelach (“hazel-nut”)
- damhsa Gaelach (“Irish dancing”)
- Gaelachas (“Irish characteristic(s)”)
- míle Gaelach (“Irish mile”)
- peil Ghaelach (“Gaelic football”)
- rince Gaelach (“Irish dancing”)
- stobhach Gaelach (“Irish stew”)
Related terms
editMutation
editIrish mutation | ||
---|---|---|
Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
Gaelach | Ghaelach | nGaelach |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
References
edit- ^ “Gaelach”, in Historical Irish Corpus, 1600–1926, Royal Irish Academy
- ^ Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 123
Further reading
edit- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “Gaelach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
- de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “Gaelach”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
- “Gaelach”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024