Focal an Lae #229
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: clár (KLAWR) [klaːr]
Meaning: clár = board, table, program(me), lid
Usage:
- clár dubh (KLAWR DUV) [klaːr duv] = blackboard
- clár scátála (... SKAW-taw-luh) [... skaːtaːlə] = skateboard
- clár ama (... AH-muh) [...amə] = time schedule
- Thit sé ar chlár a dhroma. (HITCH shay ehr KHLAWR uh GHRO-muh) [hit′ s′eː er′ xlaːr ə ghromə]
= He fell flat on his back. (lit., he fell on board / plank / flat surface, of his back)
History: Old Irish “clár” and Welsh “clawr” (cover, surface) come from Indo-European *klāro- (piece of wood),
from the root *kel- (to strike, cut).
Cognates in English include “holt” and “hilt” from Germanic, and “clerk” from Greek “klēros” (lot, piece of wood for drawing lots).
A cognate in Irish is “claíomh” (sword,
Focal #27).
Scottish Gaelic: clàr