líach

See also: liach

Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l͈ʲiːa̯x/

Etymology 1

Noun

líach f

1. Alternative form of líag (“spoon, ladle”)

Inflection

Feminine ā-stem

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	líachL	léigL	líachaH
vocative	líachL	léigL	líachaH
accusative	léigN	léigL	líachaH
genitive	léigeH	líachL	líachN
dative	léigL	líachaib	líachaib

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

• ^H = triggers aspiration
• ^L = triggers lenition
• ^N = triggers nasalization

Etymology 2

Probably derived from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“illness”).

Adjective

líach

1. wretched

   Synonyms: doinmech, mindech, trúag, trúagdae

Inflection

o/ā-stem
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	líach	líach	líach
Vocative	léig* líach**
Accusative	líach	léig
Genitive	léig	léige	léig
Dative	líach	léig	líach
Plural	Masculine	Feminine/neuter
Nominative	léig	líacha
Vocative	líachu líacha†
Accusative	líachu líacha†
Genitive	líach
Dative	líachaib
Notes	*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized

Mutation

Mutation of líach

radical	lenition	nasalization
líach also llíach after a proclitic ending in a vowel	líach pronounced with /l(ʲ)-/	unchanged

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 líach ‘pitiful’”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 líach ‘spoon’”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language