Focal an Lae #204
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: múin (MOO-ihn) [muːn′]
Meaning: múin = teach, instruct
Usage:
- Múineann sé Gaeilge. (MOO-ihn-uhn shay GAY-ihl-gyuh) [muːn′ən s′eː geːl′g′ə] = He teaches Irish.
- múinteoir (MOO-ihn-cho-ihr) [muːn′t′oːr′] = teacher
- múinte (MOO-ihn-chuh) [muːn′t′ə] = polite, mannerly (lit., (well) taught)
History: Old Irish “múinid” (teaches) may be a borrowing from Latin “monere” (to remind, advise, teach)
involving a phonological confusion with Latin “munire” (to defend, protect). Old Irish “múinid” only gradually
replaces the earlier native word “for-cain” (literally, “singover”), which suggests a loan word coming to the fore.
“Monere” comes from Indo-European *mon-eyo- (to cause to think), from the root *men- (to think).
Cognates in English, from the Latin, include “admonish” and “demonstrate”.
Scottish Gaelic: muin, but rarely used; “teagaisg” is the usual word