Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/wailannā

This Proto-Celtic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Celtic

Alternative forms

*wēlannā

Etymology

PIE word
*wáy

Schrijver explains as "the wailer", from Proto-Indo-European *wai.^[1] For a similar formation compare *wailos (“wolf”, literally “wailer, howler”). However the suffix is still uncertain. Ultimately imitative.

Noun

*wailannā f^[2]

seagull

Declension

Feminine ā-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*wailannā	*wailannai	*wailannās
vocative	*wailannā	*wailannai	*wailannās
accusative	*wailannam	*wailannai	*wailannāms
genitive	*wailannās	*wailannous	*wailannom
dative	*wailannāi	*wailannābom	*wailannābos
locative	*wailannai	*?	*?
instrumental	*?	*wailannābim	*wailannābis

Descendants

Proto-Brythonic: *gwuɨlann (< *wēlannā)
- Old Breton: guilannou (plural)
  - Middle Breton: goelann
    - Breton: gouelan
    - → Middle French: gaellans, goilant
      - French: goéland
    - → Middle English: gulle
      - English: gull, seagull
- Old Cornish: guilan
  - Cornish: goelann
- Middle Welsh: gwylan
  - Welsh: gwylan
Goidelic:
- Old Irish: foílenn
  - Middle Irish: faílenn
    - Irish: faoileán, faoileog
    - Manx: foillan, foilleig, fooilleig
    - Scottish Gaelic: faoileann, faoileag

References

^ Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1995) Studies in British Celtic historical phonology (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 5), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, pages 115–116
^ Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1995) Studies in British Celtic historical phonology (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 5), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, page 223