Focal an Lae #338
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: deartháir (JAR-haw-ihr) [d′ærhaːr′]
Meaning: deartháir = brother
Usage:
- a deartháir mór (uh JAR-haw-ihr MOHR [uh d′ærhaːr′ moːr] = her big (older) brother
- Deartháir don bhréag an béal bán. = Flattery is the brother of falsehood.
(lit., brother to-the lie the mouth white; “white mouth” being a common expression for “sweet talk, flattery”)
History: “Deartháir” is a contraction of the words “dearbh” (true) and “bráthair” (brother),
and came into being as a means of distinguishing a “blood brother” from a brother in a religious order.
Old Irish “bráthair”, Welsh “brawd” and Breton “breur” come from Indo-European *bhrāter- (brother).
Cognates in English include “brother” and “fraternity”.
Scottish Gaelic: bràthair