ubull

Old Irish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *abūl (apple), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ébōl.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈuβul͈]

Noun

ubull n

  1. apple

Inflection

Neuter o-stem
singular dual plural
nominative ubullN ubullN ubullL, ubla
vocative ubullN ubullN ubullL, ubla
accusative ubullN ubullN ubullL, ubla
genitive ubuillL ubull ubullN
dative ubullL ublaib ublaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective:
  • H = triggers aspiration
  • L = triggers lenition
  • N = triggers nasalization

According to Stifter, this word was originally a u-stem, as evidenced by the archaic genitive singular in the place name Áth Aublo.[1]

  • aball (apple tree)
  • obull (juggling ball)

Descendants

  • Middle Irish: uball
    • Irish: úll
    • Manx: ooyl
    • Scottish Gaelic: ubhal

Mutation

Mutation of ubull
radical lenition nasalization
ubull
(pronounced with /h/ in h-prothesis environments)
ubull n-ubull

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

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Stifter, David (18 September 2019) “An apple a day ...”, in Indogermanische Forschungen, volume 124, number 1, pages 172-218

Further reading