scéal

See also: sceal

Irish

Alternative forms

• sgéal
• sgeul (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Irish scél (compare Scottish Gaelic sgeul, Manx skeeal), from Proto-Celtic *skʷetlom (compare Welsh chwedl, a loanword from Proto-Goidelic), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to say”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃcialˠ/
• IPA^(key): /ʃceːlˠ/

Noun

scéal m (genitive singular scéil, nominative plural scéalta or scéala)

1. story, tale

   Is scéal fada é. ― It's a long story.

   Sin scéal eile. ― That's another story.

2. piece of news, piece of information, report

Declension

In the sense ‘story, tale’:

Declension of scéal

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative scéal scéalta Vocative a scéil a scéalta Genitive scéil scéalta Dative scéal scéalta

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an scéal na scéalta Genitive an scéil na scéalta Dative leis an scéal don scéal leis na scéalta

In the sense ‘piece of news/information’:

Declension of scéal

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative scéal scéala Vocative a scéil a scéala Genitive scéil scéal Dative scéal scéala

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an scéal na scéala Genitive an scéil na scéal Dative leis an scéal don scéal leis na scéala

The plural scéala (“news”) can also be perceived as a singular mass noun and is so treated by Ó Dónaill’s dictionary.

Derived terms

• cad é scéal agat? (“how are things?”)
• fabhalscéal (“fable, legendary story”)
• fo-scéal (“minor tale; minor matter”)
• leithscéal (“excuse; apology”)
• scéal áibhéalach (“tall tale”)
• scéal bleachtaireachta, scéal lorgaireachta (“detective story”)
• scéal grá (“love story”)
• scéal ridireachta (“tale of chivalry, romance”)
• scéal rúin (“secret”)
• scéal scéil (“hearsay”)
• scéalach (“news-bearing, gossiping”, adjective)
• scéalaí (“storyteller; bearer of news, messenger”)
• scéalaigh (“relate”)

 

Related terms

• scéalaíocht (“story-telling; talebearing; gossip”)

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “scéal”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN