scél

Old Irish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *skʷetlom, from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to say”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sʲkʲeːl/

Noun

scél n (genitive scéuil, nominative plural scél or scéla or sceulu)

1. story, narration, tale
2. story told of a particular person, hence fame, reputation
3. news, tidings
4. information, account, statement
5. reproach, accusation
6. argument, pleading, defence, excuse
7. happening, event, circumstance, state of affairs
8. bad news, calamity, misfortune

Inflection

Neuter o-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	scélN	scélN	scélL, scéla
Vocative	scélN	scélN	scélL, scéla
Accusative	scélN	scélN	scélL, scéla
Genitive	scéuilL	scél	scélN
Dative	scéulL	scélaib	scélaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Derived terms

• scélach (“given to story-telling, gossiping, prattling”, adjective)
• scélach (“coll. stories, history”)
• scélaige m (“story-teller, historian”)
• do·scéulai (“to find out”)

Descendants

• Irish: scéal
• Manx: skeeal
• Scottish Gaelic: sgeul

References

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “scél”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language