nàmhaid
Scottish Gaelic
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle Irish náma, from Old Irish námae, from Proto-Celtic *nāmants, traditionally said to be from Proto-Indo-European *né (“not”) + *h₂em- (“love”) (compare Latin amō), but as that verb root is not otherwise attested in Celtic, this may be a folk etymology.[1]
Pronunciation
- (Lewis, North Uist) IPA(key): /ˈn̪ˠãːvɪtʲ/[2][3]
- (South Uist, Barra, Skye) IPA(key): /ˈn̪ˠãː.ɪtʲ/, [ˈn̪ˠãˑ.ætʲ][4]
Noun
nàmhaid m (genitive singular nàmhad, plural nàimhdean)
- enemy
- "Bior a d’dhòrn na fàisg;/ Easbhuidheachd ri d’ nàmhaid na rùisg;/ Ri gearradh-sgian a d’ fheòl na èisd;/ Bèist nimheil ri d’ bheò na dùisg." ― "A thorn in your grasp, do not squeeze;/ Thy wants to thine enemy do not bare;/ The dagger’s point to your flesh do not hear;/ A venomous reptile do not rouse."
References
- ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 283
- ^ Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
- ^ John MacPherson (1945) The Gaelic dialect of North Uist (Thesis)[1], Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh
- ^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1937) The dialect of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap