Re: [tied] etymology of Irish gods

----- Original Message -----

From: Christopher Gwinn

To: cybalist@egroups.com

Sent: Sunday, October 22, 2000 9:38 PM

Subject: Re: [tied] etymology of Irish gods

Balor is of uncertain etymology, but there is a slight possibility that the name is related to the Brittonic placename Belerion, which is believed to have been the old name for Land's End in Cornwall. All that I can compare the Irish form Balor to is gabor "goat" which comes from a Celtic *gabr-os - perhaps implying that Balor may come from a Celtic *Balr-os?

 

Eithne / Ethlend seems to come from a Celtic *Et(i)-onia / *Et(i)o-linda (where linda means "waters/drink"). Our three best choices for *Et(i)- are PIE *Et- "kernal/corn," PIE *Pet- [1] "spread out" (which gives Gaelic and Welsh words for "thread") and PIE *Pet- [2] "to fly." Since Ethne is another name for the Boyne river (from Bou-uinda "white cow"), we should look for a meaning that would accord well with a rivername.

 

Manannan comes from the genitive case of the Irish name for the Isle of Man - ie, Manann/Manand. Manannan literally means "he of Manauia," where Manauia is the Brittonic/Goidelic word for the Isle of Man (as well as the territory of Manaw in Scotland). Manannan is the exact semantic equivalent of the Welsh mythic figure Manawyddan mab Llyr (where Manawyddan comes from *Manauianos).

 

Bodua is believed to come from PIE *Bhedh- "to stick in the earth/ to grave" via a secondary Celtic meaning of "battle" - thus Bod-u-a would mean "she of the battles," a kenning for a crow.

 

-C. Gwinn

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: João Simões Lopes Filho

To: cybalist@egroups.com

Sent: Friday, October 20, 2000 5:41 PM

Subject: [tied] etymology of Irish gods

Whats the etymology/meaning of the children of Diancecht:

MIACH

CIAN

AIRMED

And of:

BALOR

EITHNE (ETHNIU) , Lug's mother

CATHBAD

BRAN

MANANNA:N / Welsh MANAWYDDAN

 

Has BODUA "crow"  some IE etymology?