See also: cuan, cuàn, cuán, cuān, and cúán

Middle Irish edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Old Irish cúan.

Noun edit

cúan f

  1. litter
  2. pack
  3. band
  4. family
Inflection edit

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Etymology 2 edit

From Proto-Celtic *kawnos, from Proto-Indo-European *kapno-, from *keh₂p- (to grasp).[1]

Noun edit

cúan m

  1. bay
  2. gulf
  3. harbour
Inflection edit

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants edit
  • Irish: cuan
  • Manx: keayn
  • Scottish Gaelic: cuan

Mutation edit

Middle Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Nasalization
cúan chúan cúan
pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References edit

  1. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*kawno-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 197

Further reading edit

Old Irish edit

Etymology edit

If the original sense was "pack of animals, pups," formed from (dog). Or otherwise from Proto-Celtic *kounos, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂wp-o-, which is related to Proto-Slavic *kupъ (heap), possibly also Proto-Germanic *haupaz.[1]

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

cúan f

  1. litter
  2. pack
  3. band
  4. family

Inflection edit

Feminine ā-stem
Singular Dual Plural
Nominative cúanL cúainL cúanaH
Vocative cúanL cúainL cúanaH
Accusative cúainN cúainL cúanaH
Genitive cúaineH cúanL cúanN
Dative cúainL cúanaib cúanaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective:
  • H = triggers aspiration
  • L = triggers lenition
  • N = triggers nasalization

Descendants edit

Mutation edit

Old Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Nasalization
cúan chúan cúan
pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References edit

  1. ^ MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “cúan”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language[1], Stirling, →ISBN

Further reading edit