Focal an Lae #256
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: riamh (REE-uhv) [r′iːəv]
Meaning: riamh = ever, always (generally in past tense)
Usage:
- Bhí sé riamh cantalach. (VEE shay REE-uhv KAHN-tuh-luhkh) [v′iː s′eː r′iːəv kantələx] = He was always grumpy.
- Níor bhlais mé riamh é. (NEE-uhr VLASH may REE-uhv ay) [n′iːr vlas′ m′eː r′iːəv eː] = I never tasted it. (lit., not tasted I ever it)
History: Old Irish “riam” (before him, it) is a pronominal form of the preposition “re” (before),
which comes from Indo-European *preis-mo-, which is an extension of *per-, the base of various prepositions meaning “forward, before, toward” etc.
Cognates in English include “prime”, “primary” and “primal”, all from Latin “primus” (first).
Related words in Modern Irish are “roimh” (before) and “réamh- (pre-).
Scottish Gaelic: a-riamh