Focal an Lae #232
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: bac (BAHK) [bak]
Meaning: bac = obstruction, bend; to hinder, bother
Usage:
- Chuir sé bac orm. (KHWIHR shay BAHK O-ruhm) [xir′ s′eː bak orəm] = He blocked, hindered, me. (lit., put he obstacle on-me)
- Ná bac leis! (NAW BAHK lehsh) [naː bak l′es′] = Don’t bother with-him (or: with-it)!
- Níl a bhac ort. (NEEL uh WAHK ort) [n′iːl′ ə vak ort] = There’s nothing to stop you. (lit., is-not its obstruction on-you)
History: Old Irish “bacc” (angle, bend, corner; hindrance) and Welsh “bach” (hook, hinge, corner, bend)
appear to be shortenings of Latin “baculum” (rod, staff, shepherd’s crook), which comes from Indo-European *bak-tlom, from the root *bak- (staff).
Irish “bachall” (shepherd’s crook, bishop’s crozier) is another, more complete, borrowing of the same word.
Cognates in English include “peg” and “baguette”.
Scottish Gaelic: bac