Focal an Lae #127
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: uan (OO-uhn) [uən]
Meaning: uan = lamb
Usage:
- Bhì uan ag Máire. (VEE OO-uhn ehg MAW-ih-ruh) [v′iː uən eg′ maːr′ə] = Mary had a lamb. (lit., was lamb at M.)
- Uan Dé (OO-uhn JAY) [uən d′eː] = The Lamb of God
- Caora mhór an t-uan i bhfad. (KWEE-ruh WOHR uhn TOO-uhn uh WAHD) [kiːrə woːr ən tuən ə vad] = A small burden (or trouble) feels
big when borne for a long time. (lit., a big sheep (is) the lamb in distance)
History: Old Irish “úan”, Welsh “oen” and Breton “oan” come from Common Celtic *ognos, which comes from Indo-European *agwh-no-s (lamb).
The only real English cognate is an obsolete dialectical word “yean” (to lamb).The Latin cognate, however, is well-known in the phrase “Agnus Dei”.
Scottish Gaelic: uan