Focal an Lae #137
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: luath (LOO-uh) [luə]
Meaning: luath = quick; early
Usage:
- go luath ar maidin (guh LOO-uh ehr MAH-jihn) [gə luə er′ mad′ən′] = early in the morning
- chomh luath le giorria (khoh LOO-uh luh GIHR-ee-uh) [xoː luə l′ə g′iriə] = as swift as a hare, jackrabbit
(“giorria” is a compound of “gearr” (short) and “fia” (deer))
History: Old Irish “lúath” comes from Indo-European *pleu- (to flow),
with total loss of the IE “p”, a regular characteristic of early Celtic.
English cognates include “flee”, “flow” and “flood”.
Scottish Gaelic: luath