úathad

Old Irish

Alternative forms

óthad, úaithed

Etymology

Thurneysen assumes a direct derivation from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewtos. Compare Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós), Gothic 𐌰𐌿𐌸𐌴𐌹𐍃 (auþeis), Old Norse auðr (“desolate”).

However, in modern times Proto-Celtic *autītos is reconstructed instead.[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈuːa̯θað]

Noun

úathad n

a small number, a few
(grammar) the singular number

Inflection

Neuter o-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	úathad^N	úathad^N	úathad^L, úaite
Vocative	úathad^N	úathad^N	úathad^L, úaite
Accusative	úathad^N	úathad^N	úathad^L, úaite
Genitive	úathaid^L	úathad	úathad^N
Dative	úathad^L	úaitib	úaitib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: ^H = triggers aspiration ^L = triggers lenition ^N = triggers nasalization

Derived terms

úath (“a few”, adverb)
úathaide (“singular”, adjective)
úathaigid (“makes, becomes few”, verb)

Descendants

Irish: uathadh

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
úathad	unchanged	n-úathad
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

Matasović, Ranko (2009), “*aw-tīto-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 49

G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 úathad, óthad, úaithed”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940, reprinted 2003), D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, §§ 60, 63

[1] Matasović, Ranko (2009), “*aw-tīto-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 49