Focal an Lae #169
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: ceangal (KANG-guhl) [k′æŋgəl]; ceangail (KANG-gihl) [k′æŋgəl′]
Meaning: ceangal = connection, tie; ceangail = to tie, bind
Usage:
- ceangal an phósta (KANG-guhl uh FOHS-tuh) [k′æŋgəl ə foːstə] = wedlock (lit., the tie of marriage)
- Cheangail sé an rópa don chrann. (HYANG-gihl shay uhn ROH-puh duhn KHRAWN) [x′æŋgəl′ s′eː ən roːpə dən xraːn] = He tied the rope to the tree.
- Bhí sí le ceangal! (VEE shee luh KANG-guhl) [v′iː s′iː lə k′æŋgəl] = She was fit to be tied!
History: Old Irish “cengal” was borrowed from Latin “cingulum” (belt), from the verb “cingere” (to gird),
from the Indo-European root *kenk- (to bind, gird).
An English cognate that also goes back to Latin is “cinch”.
Scottish Gaelic: ceangal; ceangail