Gaeilge

Irish

Alternative forms

• Gaedhealg, Gaoidhealg (old nominative)
• Gaedhilge (superseded, Connacht)
• Gaedhealaing, Gaedhlaing, Gaodhalainn (superseded, Munster)
• Gaedhilc, Gaedhilg, Gaedhilic, Gaedhilig (superseded, Ulster)
• Gaelainn, Gaeluinn, Gaolainn, Gaoluinn (Munster)
• Gaeilinn (Waterford)
• Gaeilg, Gaeilic, Gaeilig (Ulster)

Etymology

From older Gaedhilge, originally the genitive of Classical Gaelic Gaedhealg, Gaoidhealg, from Old Irish Goídelc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːlʲɟɪ/
• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːl̪ˠənʲ/, [ˈɡɰeːl̪ˠɪnʲ], [ˈɡɰeːl̪ˠɪɲ] (corresponding to the form Gaelainn or Gaedhlaing)
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːlʲɟɪ/
• (Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːlʲɪc/ (corresponding to the form Gaedhilg or Gaeilic)

Proper noun

Gaeilge f (genitive Gaeilge)

1. the Irish language
   • 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart, volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 123:

     šḱŕīvn̥̄ šē n ʒēlǵə gə rī wȧ.

     [Scríobhann sé an Ghaeilge go rí-mhaith.]

     He writes Irish very well.

2. any Gaelic language

Declension

Declension of Gaeilge (fourth declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative Gaeilge vocative a Ghaeilge genitive Gaeilge dative Gaeilge forms with the definite article case singular nominative an Ghaeilge genitive na Gaeilge dative leis an nGaeilge don Ghaeilge

Synonyms

• (Irish language): Gaeilge na hÉireann
• (Modern Irish): Nua-Ghaeilge

Derived terms

• Gaeilge Mhanann
• Gaeilge na hAlban
• Gaeilge na hÉireann
• Gaeilgeoir
• is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste
• Meán-Ghaeilge
• Sean-Ghaeilge

 

Related terms

• Gaeilgeoireacht f (“(act of) speaking Irish”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of Gaeilge

radical	lenition	eclipsis
Gaeilge	Ghaeilge	nGaeilge

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “Gaeilge”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “Gaeilge”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “Gaeilge”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Irish. Doublet of Gàidhlig.

Proper noun

Gaeilge f (genitive Gaeilge)

1. the Irish Gaelic language

   Synonym: Gàidhlig na h-Èireann

Mutation

Mutation of Gaeilge

radical	lenition
Gaeilge	Ghaeilge

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.