Focal an Lae #313
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: labhair (LOW-ihr, OW as in 'cow') [laur′]
Meaning: labhair = speak
Usage:
- Labhair liom! (LOW-ihr lyum) [laur′ l′um] = Speak to me!
- Labhraíonn siad Gaeilge go minic. (LOW-ree-uhn SHEE-uhd GWAYL-gyuh guh MIH-nihk) [lauriːən s′iːəd geːl′g′ə gə m′in′ik′] = They speak Irish often.
History: Old Irish “labraither” (speaks), Welsh “llafar” (speech) and “llefaru” (speak), and Breton “lavared” (say)
appear to come from the Indo-European root *plab- (to flap), with the usual loss of IE “p” inCommon Celtic.
English “flap” is a cognate.
Scottish Gaelic: labhair