líath

See also: liath

Old Irish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *ɸleitos (compare Welsh llwyd, Cornish loos, Breton louet), from Proto-Indo-European *pelH- (“grey”) (compare English fallow).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /l͈ʲiːa̯θ/

Adjective

líath

Inflection

o/ā-stem
singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	líath	líath	líath
vocative	léith* líath**	líath
accusative	líath	léith
genitive	léith	léithe	léith
dative	líath	léith	líath
plural	masculine	feminine/neuter
nominative	léith	líatha
vocative	líathu líatha†
accusative	líathu líatha†
genitive	líath
dative	líathaib

*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative
**modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative
† not when substantivized

Descendants

Irish: liath
Manx: lheeah
Scottish Gaelic: liath
⇒ Middle Irish: lías
⇒ Middle Irish: líathaid

Noun

líath m

(chiefly in the plural) old man, veteran

Inflection

Masculine o-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	—	—	léith^L
vocative	—	—	líathu^H
accusative	—	—	líathu^H
genitive	—	—	líath^N
dative	—	—	líathaib

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

^H = triggers aspiration
^L = triggers lenition
^N = triggers nasalization

Mutation

Mutation of *líath*
radical	lenition	nasalization
líath also llíath in h-prothesis environments	líath pronounced with /lʲ-/	líath also llíath

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

Old Irish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Inflection

Descendants

Noun

Inflection

Mutation

Further reading