uncail

Irish

Etymology

Borrowed from English uncle, from Anglo-Norman uncle, from Old French oncle, from Latin avunculus (“mother's brother”, literally “little grandfather”), diminutive of avus (“grandfather”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwh₂os (“grandfather, adult male relative other than one's father”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʊŋkəlʲ/
• (Connemara) IPA^(key): /ˈuːŋkəlʲ/

Noun

uncail m (genitive singular uncail, nominative plural uncailí or uncaileacha)

1. uncle

   Coordinate terms: (gender) aint, (gender) aintín, (generation) neacht, (gender, generation) nia

   • 1939, Peig Sayers, “Inghean an Cheannaidhe”, in Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études; 270) (overall work in French), Paris: Librairie Honoré Champion, page 197:

     Chuaidh sí go dtí uncail di a bhí i n‑a shagart san bhaile mhór agus fuair sí uaidh sórt éide agus giúrléidí beaga éigin eile.

     She went to an uncle of hers who was a priest in the city and from him she got a variety of vestments and some other small accessories.

Declension

Declension of uncail

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative uncail uncailí Vocative a uncail a uncailí Genitive uncail uncailí Dative uncail uncailí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an t-uncail na huncailí Genitive an uncail na n-uncailí Dative leis an uncail don uncail leis na huncailí

• Alternative plural: uncaileacha (Cois Fharraige)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
uncail	n-uncail	huncail	not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

Borrowed from English uncle, from Anglo-Norman uncle, from Old French oncle, from Latin avunculus (“mother's brother”, literally “little grandfather”), diminutive of avus (“grandfather”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwh₂os (“grandfather, adult male relative other than one's father”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈuŋkal/

Noun

uncail m (genitive singular uncail, plural uncailean)

1. uncle

   Coordinate term: (gender) antaidh

Usage notes

• This form is used with proper nouns. When referring to family relationship between people, bràthair-athar and bràthair-màthar are used (for paternal and maternal uncle, respectively).

  uncail Seumas ― uncle James

  mo bhràthair-athair ― my [paternal] uncle

  am bràthair-màthar ― their [maternal] uncle

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
uncail	n-uncail	h-uncail	t-uncail
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.