focul

Old Irish

Alternative forms

  • foccul

Etymology

Once thought to be a loanword from Latin vocābulum (appellation, designation), but more likely a native word from Proto-Celtic *woxtlom (compare Welsh gwaethl (argument)), from Proto-Indo-European *wokʷtlom (compare Sanskrit वक्त्र (vaktrá, mouth)).

Either way, derived from the root *wekʷ- (to speak).[1]

The older theory was defended in the print edition of Matasović’s dictionary,[2] but the online Addenda et Corrigenda reflect the newer theory.[3]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈɸokul]

Noun

focul n or m

  1. word

Inflection

Neuter o-stem
singular dual plural
nominative foculN foculN foculL, focula
vocative foculN foculN foculL, focula
accusative foculN foculN foculL, focula
genitive focuilL focul foculN
dative foculL foculaib foculaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective:
  • H = triggers aspiration
  • L = triggers lenition
  • N = triggers nasalization

Descendants

  • Irish: focal
  • Manx: fockle
  • Scottish Gaelic: facal

Mutation

Mutation of focul
radical lenition nasalization
focul ḟocul focul
pronounced with /β̃-/

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

References

  1. ^ Stüber, Karin (1998) The Historical Morphology of n-Stems in Celtic, Maynooth: Department of Old Irish, National University of Ireland, →ISBN, page 70.
  2. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 429
  3. ^ Matasović, Ranko (December 2011) “Addenda et corrigenda to Ranko Matasović’s Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Brill, Leiden 2009)”, in Homepage of Ranko Matasović[1], Zagreb, page 43

Romanian

Noun

focul

  1. definite nominative/accusative singular of foc