Re: "CALAF" THROUGH WELSH EYES

From: G&P
Message: 62912
Date: 2009-02-08

Pokorny (the big book on all this) lists cognates in Greek, Latin (culmus), Germanic, Baltic and Slavic.  He says that the Old Irish kaláma- (a reed or quill for writing?) and the Welsh calaf are borrowed.  He does suggest a possible connection with words for “spear”:  mid Irish cail, celtair, Greek ke:lon.

 

Calaf is probably borrowed.

 

Peter