earc sléibhe

Irish

Etymology

Literally, “mountain lizard/newt”

Pronunciation

  • (Ulster) IPA(key): /ˌaɾˠk ˈʃl̠ʲeːvʲə/[1]

Noun

earc sléibhe m

  1. lizard; specifically the viviparous lizard, Zootoca vivipara?
  2. newt, eft; specifically the smooth newt, Lissotriton vulgaris?

Usage notes

Linguistic reference works do not indicate what species of lizard and/or newt this term refers to. Dinneen says “a species of lizard found on moors”. The only species of lizard native to Ireland is Z. vivipara, and the only native species of newt is L. vulgaris. Both may be found on moors.

Mutation

Mutated forms of earc sléibhe
radical eclipsis with h-prothesis with t-prothesis
earc sléibhe n-earc sléibhe hearc sléibhe t-earc sléibhe

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

  1. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 480, page 153

Further reading

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