ceathair

Irish

Irish numbers (edit)
40[a], [b], [c]
 ←  3 4 5  → 
    Cardinal: ceathair
    Ordinal: ceathrú
    Personal: ceathrar
    Attributive: ceithre

Etymology

From Old Irish cethair, from Proto-Celtic *kʷetwores, from earlier Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwóres.

Pronunciation

Numeral

ceathair

  1. four

Usage notes

  • This form is used independently, not with a noun that it modifies. It is always preceded by the particle a.
    • a ceathair, a cúig, a sé...four, five, six...
    • deich a ceathair, deich a cúig, deich a sé...fourteen, fifteen, sixteen...
    • bus a ceathairbus number four
    • a ceathair a chlogfour o’clock

Derived terms

  • ceathrar (used to modify personal nouns)
  • ceithre (used to modify non-personal nouns)

Mutation

Mutated forms of ceathair
radical lenition eclipsis
ceathair cheathair gceathair

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

References

  1. ^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1938), Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Description of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ancienne Honoré Champion, section 78, page 68
  2. ^ Mhac an Fhailigh, Éamonn (1968), The Irish of Erris, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, section 552, page 197
  3. ^ Wagner, Heinrich (1959), Gaeilge Theilinn: Foghraidheacht, Gramadach, Téacsanna [The Irish of Teelin: Phonetics, Grammar, Texts] (in Irish), Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], section 413, page 152; reprinted 1979
  4. ^ Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), Zweiter Band: Wörterbuch [Second volume: Dictionary], Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 169
  5. ^ de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1977), Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge: An Deilbhíocht [The Irish of Cois Fharraige: Accidence] (in Irish), 2nd edition, Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], section 361, page 166

Further reading

  • Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “ceaṫair”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 182; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
  • Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “ceathair”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN