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

1. a small number, a few
2. (grammar) the singular number

Inflection

Neuter o-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	úathadN	úathadN	úathadL, úaite
Vocative	úathadN	úathadN	úathadL, úaite
Accusative	úathadN	úathadN	úathadL, úaite
Genitive	úathaidL	úathad	úathadN
Dative	úathadL	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 (pronounced with /h/ in h-prothesis environments)	unchanged	n-úathad
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 úathad, óthad, úaithed”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940, reprinted 2017) D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, §§ 60, 63