On 2008-01-20 18:16, Jack Angstreich wrote:
> Does anyone know if the Old Irish word "ánrad(h)" -- meaning
> "warrior", "hero", champion" -- has a Proto-Indo-European origin and
> what it might be? Thank you.
I've seen ánruth < áns.ruth (ánroth, ánrad) analysed as án 'splendid' +
sruth 'stream'. The etymology of the first (< *a:no- or *ja:no-?) is
unclear (at least to me); the latter < *sru-to- (cf. Skt. srutá-
'flowing, a flow'), from the root *sreu- flow. The stream was a
conventional symbol of learning and wisdom, and as such was used in
terms referring to the higher grades of any "profession", including both
poet-seers and warriors.
Piotr