balbh

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish balb, from Latin balbus.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɑl̪ˠəvˠ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɑləvˠ/
• (Connemara) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠalˠəvˠ/, /ˈbˠal̪ˠəvˠ/
• (Mayo) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠalˠuː/, /ˈbˠal̪ˠuː/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɔlˠuː/, /ˈbˠɔl̪ˠuː/ (as if spelled bolbh)

Adjective

balbh (genitive singular masculine bailbh, genitive singular feminine bailbhe, plural balbha, comparative bailbhe)

1. mute, dumb
2. inarticulate
3. dull (of sound)

Declension

Declension of balbh

Positive	singular		plural
	masculine	feminine	strong noun	weak noun
nominative	balbh	bhalbh	balbha; bhalbha2
vocative	bhailbh		balbha
genitive		bailbhe	balbha	balbh
dative	balbh; bhalbh1	bhalbh; bhailbh (archaic)	balbha; bhalbha2
Comparative	níos bailbhe
Superlative	is bailbhe

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Derived terms

• balbhán m (“dumb person, mute; stammerer”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of balbh

radical	lenition	eclipsis
balbh	bhalbh	mbalbh

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

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “balbh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish balb, from Latin balbus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpal̪ˠav/

Adjective

balbh

1. mute, dumb (unable to speak)
2. silent, still

Related terms

• balbh-bhuidhre
• balbh-chluich
• balbh-thinneas
• balbhachd
• balbhadh
• balbhan

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “balbh”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “balb”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language