bealach

See also: béalach

English

Etymology

From Irish bealach.

Noun

bealach (plural bealachs)

1. (Ireland) A mountain pass.
   • 2018, Cameron McNeish, There's Always The Hills:

     These scoured-out basins form the grain of the land but excellent tracks weave their way through glens and up over the bealachs at their heads, giving good access to the summits, and what summits they are.

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish belach (“gap, pass, road, path”), perhaps from Proto-Celtic *bolko-, from Proto-Indo-European *bel- (“to dig, cut off?”), and possibly cognate with Welsh bwlch (“gap, pass”), Old Armenian պեղեմ (pełem, “to dig, hollow”), and Sanskrit बिल (bila, “hole, pit”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /bʲəˈl̪ˠɑx/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲalˠəx/, /ˈbˠɑlˠəx/ (as if spelled balach)
• (Connemara, Mayo) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲalˠəx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲalˠa(h)/

Noun

bealach m (genitive singular bealaigh, nominative plural bealaí)

1. way
2. road, track

   Synonyms: bóthar, ród

3. route

   Synonyms: caoi, slí

4. passage, thoroughfare
5. direction
6. distance, journey
7. manner, method
8. manner, respect

   Synonyms: bóthar, modh

9. pass
10. passage, sound (long narrow inlet)

    Synonyms: béal, caolas, sunda

11. (broadcasting) channel

    Synonym: cainéal

Declension

Declension of bealach

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative bealach bealaí Vocative a bhealaigh a bhealaí Genitive bealaigh bealaí Dative bealach bealaí

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an bealach na bealaí Genitive an bhealaigh na mbealaí Dative leis an mbealach don bhealach leis na bealaí

Derived terms

• aerbhealach
• ar an mbealach céanna
• ar aon bhealach
• ar bhealach
• ar bhealach éigin
• ar chéad bealach
• ar gach uile bhealach
• as bealach
• athbhealach
• bealach aeir
• bealach aic
• bealach amach
• bealach análaithe
• bealach bus
• bealach cise
• bealach coise
• bealach cúil
• bealach éalaithe
• bealach iarainn
• bealach imdháilte
• bealach iompair
• bealach isteach
• bealach mara
• bealach mór
• Bealach na Bó Finne
• bealach oibre
• bealach stuach
• bealach trádála
• bealach trasna
• bealach uisce
• carrbhealac
• crosbhealach
• débhealach
• fobhealach
• glanbhealach
• íosbhealach
• leath bealaigh
• luasbhealach
• mórbhealach
• mótarbhealach
• rotharbhealach
• saorbhealach
• seachbhealach
• siúlbhealach
• taobh-bhealach
• tarbhealach
• tollbhealach
• trasbhealach
• uasbhealach

 

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
bealach	bhealach	mbealach
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “bealach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Entries containing “bealach” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Entries containing “bealach” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “belach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “bealach”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 59

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish belach (“gap, pass, road, path”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpjaɫ̪əx/

Noun

bealach m (genitive singular bealaich, plural bealaichean)

1. defile, passage, pass or gorge of a mountain, glen
2. gap, breach (in a wall or fence)
3. gateway, gate
4. road

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Lenition
bealach	bhealach
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “bealach”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “belach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language