Focal an Lae #67

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The Word of the Day in Irish

Word: uillinn (IHL-yuhny, ny as in “canyon”)

Meaning: uillinn = elbow

Usage:

• Thug mé an uillinn dó. (HOOG may uhn IHL-yuhny DOH, OO as in “book”) = I nudged him. (lit., I gave him the elbow)
• píb uilleann (PEEB IHL-yuhn) = Irish bagpipe (lit., pipe of elbow)
• in uillinn a chéile (ihn IHL-yuhny uh HYAY-luh) = arm in arm

History: Old Irish “uilen” comes from *olinā, the extended o-grade of the Indo-European root *el- (elbow, forearm). Compare Welsh “elin” and Breton “ilin”. Latin “ulna” and English “elbow” (lit., el-bow, i.e., forearm-bend) are also cognate.

Scottish Gaelic: uileann or uilinn