Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/ruteinos

This Proto-Celtic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Celtic

Etymology

According to Schaffner, from a -nos derivative of *rutis, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂rew- (“to glow, shine”).

Adjective

*ruteinos

1. with a shiny reddish or rust-like colour

Inflection

O/ā-stem
masculine	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ruteinos	*ruteinou	*ruteinoi
vocative	*ruteine	*ruteinou	*ruteinoi
accusative	*ruteinom	*ruteinou	*ruteinoms
genitive	*ruteinī	*ruteinous	*ruteinom
dative	*ruteinūi	*ruteinobom	*ruteinobos
instrumental	*ruteinū	*ruteinobim	*ruteinobis
feminine	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ruteinā	*ruteinai	*ruteinās
vocative	*ruteinā	*ruteinai	*ruteinās
accusative	*ruteinam	*ruteinai	*ruteinams
genitive	*ruteinās	*ruteinous	*ruteinom
dative	*ruteinai	*ruteinābom	*ruteinābos
instrumental	*?	*ruteinābim	*ruteinābis
neuter	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ruteinom	*ruteinou	*ruteinā
vocative	*ruteinom	*ruteinou	*ruteinā
accusative	*ruteinom	*ruteinou	*ruteinā
genitive	*ruteinī	*ruteinous	*ruteinom
dative	*ruteinūi	*ruteinobom	*ruteinobos
instrumental	*ruteinū	*ruteinobim	*ruteinobis

Reconstruction notes

The palatalization in Old Irish ruithen is irregular, as *e and *ei normally do not palatalize preceding consonants that are preceded by a non-front vowel. The word may have been reshaped to *rutinos in Goidelic, which should regularly yield palatalization.

Descendants

• Gaulish: *rutēnos (“red-haired?”)
  • → Latin: Rutēnī, Rutēnus
• Old Irish: ruithen (“ray or beam of light”) (with irregular palatalization)
  • Middle Irish: ruithen