Old Irish edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Old Irish *riug, from Proto-Celtic *rigus, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵ-u-s ~ *h₃r̥ǵ-éw-s (straight), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ-. Sanskrit ऋजुः ~ ऋजोः (ṛjúḥ ~ ṛjóḥ, straight) is a precise cognate, both having generalised zero grade in the root. Ancient Greek ὀρεκτός (orektós), Latin rēctus, and English right are also related.

Because u-stem adjectives are rare in Old Irish, it is unlikely to have been borrowed from Latin dīrectus, but the addition of the intensive prefix di- could have been influenced by the Latin term of the same meaning.[1]

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

díriuch (comparative dírgu)

  1. straight
  2. direct
  3. straightforward
  4. upright

Declension edit

u-stem
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative díriuch díriuch díriuch
Vocative díriuch
Accusative díriuch dírig
Genitive dírig dírgae dírig
Dative díriuch dírig díriuch
Plural Masculine Feminine/neuter
Nominative dírgai dírgai
Vocative dírgai
Accusative dírgai
Genitive *
Dative dírgaib
Notes *not attested in Old Irish; same as nominative singular masculine in Middle Irish

Descendants edit

  • Irish: díreach
  • Manx: jeeragh
  • Scottish Gaelic: dìreach

Mutation edit

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

References edit

  1. ^ Vendryes, Joseph (1996) “díriug”, in Lexique Étymologique de l'Irlandais Ancien [Etymological lexicon of Old Irish] (in French), volume D, Dublin, Paris: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, page D-96

Further reading edit