diofar

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish deithbir (“distinction, difference”) (compare Irish difear), ultimately from Latin differo.

Pronunciation

• (Lewis) IPA^(key): /ˈd̥ʲifəɾ/^[1]
• (Uist) IPA^(key): /ˈd̥ʒefəɾ/^[2]
• (Barra) IPA^(key): [ˈd̥ʒefɪɾʲ~ˈd̥ʒefɪʒ]^[3] (corresponding to the form deifir)

Noun

diofar m (genitive singular diofair, plural diofaran)

1. difference

   Dè an diofar a tha eadar X agus Y? ― What is the difference m between X and Y?

   chan eil diofar ann / chan eil e gu diofar ― it makes no difference

2. variety

Usage notes

• Also used before another noun (which is in the genitive case) to convey the meaning “different” or “various”:

  ann an diofar dòigh bhuaithe ― in a different way from him

  ann an diofar dhòighean ― in various ways

References

1. Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
2. John MacPherson (1945) The Gaelic dialect of North Uist (Thesis)‎, Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh
3. Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1937) The dialect of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap