Focal an Lae #32
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: cailleach (KAL-yuhx)
Meaning: cailleach = old woman, hag, witch
Usage: Cailleach is NOT the polite way to refer to an old lady.
- an chailleach (uh XAL-yuhx) = the hag; I’ve heard this, for example, in reference to Maggie Thatcher.
- cailleach oíche (KAL-yuhx EE-huh) = owl (lit., hag of night)
- cailleach na luatha (... nuh LOO-uh-huh) = couch potato (according to the new Collins Gem Irish Dictionary!)
Literally, “old woman of the ashes”, i.e., one who doesn’t stir far from the warmth of the fireplace
History: Old Irish “caillech” meant “nun” and derives from “caille” (veil), which was a very early borrowing of Latin “pallium” (veil).
Early Irish did not have the sound “p” in its phonemic inventory and routinely substituted “c” for this sound in foreign words.
The Latin word “pallium” comes from the Indo-European root *pel- (to cover; skin). Cognates in Engish include “pelt” and “film”.
Scottish Gaelic: cailleach (KAL-yuhx)