Gaeilge

Irish

Alternative forms

• Gaedhealg, Gaoidhealg (old nominative)
• Gaedhilge (superseded, Connacht)
• Gaedhealaing, Gaedhlaing, Gaodhalainn (superseded, Munster)
• Gaedhilc, Gaedhilg, Gaedhilic, Gaedhilig (superseded, Ulster)
• Gaelainn, Gaeluinn, Gaolainn, Gaoluinn (Munster)
• Gaeilinn (Waterford)
• Gaeilg, Gaeilic, Gaeilig (Ulster)

Etymology

From older Gaedhilge, originally the genitive of Classical Gaelic Gaedhealg, Gaoidhealg, from Old Irish Goídelc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːlʲɟɪ/
• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːl̪ˠənʲ/, [ˈɡɰeːl̪ˠɪnʲ], [ˈɡɰeːl̪ˠɪɲ] (corresponding to the form Gaelainn or Gaedhlaing)
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːlʲɟɪ/
• (Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeːlʲɪc/ (corresponding to the form Gaedhilg or Gaeilic)

Proper noun

Gaeilge f (genitive Gaeilge)

1. (uncountable) Irish (the Gaelic language indigenous to Ireland, also known as Irish Gaelic)
2. any Gaelic language

Declension

Declension of Gaeilge (fourth declension, no plural)

bare forms singular nominative Gaeilge vocative a Ghaeilge genitive Gaeilge dative Gaeilge forms with the definite article singular nominative an Ghaeilge genitive na Gaeilge dative leis an nGaeilge don Ghaeilge

Quotations

• 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect], volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 123:

  šḱŕīvn̥̄ šē n ʒēlǵə gə rī wȧ.

  [Scríobhann sé an Ghaeilge go rí-mhaith.]

  He writes Irish very well.

Synonyms

• (Irish language): Gaeilge na hÉireann
• (Modern Irish): Nua-Ghaeilge

Derived terms

• Gaeilge Mhanann
• Gaeilge na hAlban
• Gaeilge na hÉireann
• Gaeilgeoir
• is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste
• Meán-Ghaeilge
• Sean-Ghaeilge

Related terms

• Gaeilgeoireacht f (“(act of) speaking Irish”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of Gaeilge

radical	lenition	eclipsis
Gaeilge	Ghaeilge	nGaeilge

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “Gaeilge”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “Gaeilge”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “Gaeilge”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2025

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Irish. Doublet of Gàidhlig.

Proper noun

Gaeilge f (genitive Gaeilge)

1. the Irish Gaelic language

   Synonym: Gàidhlig na h-Èireann

Mutation

Mutation of Gaeilge

radical	lenition
Gaeilge	Ghaeilge

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.