balbh

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish balb, from Latin balbus.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɑl̪ˠəvˠ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɑləvˠ/
• (Connemara) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠalˠəvˠ/, /ˈbˠal̪ˠəvˠ/
• (Mayo) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠalˠuː/, /ˈbˠal̪ˠuː/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɔlˠu/, /ˈbˠɔl̪ˠu/ (as if spelled bolbh)

Adjective

balbh (genitive singular masculine bailbh, genitive singular feminine bailbhe, plural balbha, comparative bailbhe)

1. mute, dumb
2. inarticulate
3. dull (of sound)

Declension

Declension of balbh

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	balbh	bhalbh	balbha; bhalbha²
Vocative	bhailbh		balbha
Genitive		bailbhe	balbha	balbh
Dative	balbh; bhalbh¹	bhalbh; bhailbh (archaic)	balbha; bhalbha²
Comparative	níos bailbhe
Superlative	is bailbhe

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Derived terms

• balbhán m (“dumb person, mute; stammerer”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
balbh	bhalbh	mbalbh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish balb, from Latin balbus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpal̪ˠav/

Adjective

balbh

1. mute, dumb (unable to speak)
2. silent, still

Related terms

• balbh-bhuidhre
• balbh-chluich
• balbh-thinneas
• balbhachd
• balbhadh
• balbhan

 

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “balbh”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “balb”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language