Focal an Lae #329
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: leabhar (LYOWR, OW as in cow) [l′aur]
Meaning: leabhar = book
Usage:
- Scríobh leabhar! (SHKREEV LYOWR) [s′k′r′iːv l′aur] = Write a book!
- leabhar seiceanna (... SHEH-kuh-nuh) [... s′ek′ənə] = cheque / check book (lit., book of-cheques)
- Thug sé an leabhar. (HUG shay uhn LYOWR) [hug s′eː ən l′aur] = He gave his solemn word. He swore on it.
(lit., he took the book, i.e, the Bible)
History: Old Irish “lebor” was borrowed from Latin “liber” (tree bark, book), possibly from the Indo-European root *leup- (to peel off).
A cognate in English, from Latin, is “library”.
Scottish Gaelic: leabhar