Focal an Lae #354
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: fiche (FIH-huh) [f′ihə]
Meaning: fiche = twenty
Usage:
- Níl agam ach fiche punt. (NEEL AH-guhm AHKH FIH-huh PUNT) [n′iːl′ agəm ax f′ihə punt]
= All I have is twenty pounds. (lit., is-not at-me but twenty pound)
- Tá sí sna fichidí. (TAW shee snuh FIH-hih-jee) [taː s′iː snə f′ihəd′iː] = She is in her twenties.
History: Old Irish “fiche”, Welsh “ugain” and Breton “ugent” come from Indo-European *wīkmtī (twenty).
Latin “viginti” gives English the word “vigesimal” and becomes “vingt” in French and “veinte” in Spanish.
Scottish Gaelic: fichead