Words for Scotland and related things in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *albiyū = luminous world, upper world, world; high mountain, alp; alpine pasture, Britain |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | Albiorix = place name Albiorica = place name |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | Albu [ˈalbu] = Scotland, Britain |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealgcausecause) | Albu = Scotland, Britain Albanach = an inhabitant of Albu, Scottish |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | Alba [ˈalˠəbˠə] = Scotland (dated) Albain [ˈaləbˠənʲ] = Scotland Gaeilge na hAlban = Scottish Gaelic Albainis = Scots (language) Albanach = Scotsman, Scot, Scottish Albain Nua = Nova Scotia |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | Alba [ˈal̪ˠabə] = Scotland Albannach = Scot, Scotsman, Scottish Albinish = Scots (language) Gàidhlig (na hAlba) = Scottish Gaelic Alba Nuadh = Nova Scotia |
| Manx (Gaelg) | Nalbin, Albin, Albey = Scotland Albinagh = Scots, Scotch, Scottish Albinee = Scottish people Albinish = Scots (language) Gaelg Albinagh, Gaelg ny Halbey = Scottish Gaelic (Yn) Albin Noa, Nalbin Noa = Nova Scotia |
| Proto-Brythonic | *ėlβɨð [e̝lˈβɨːð] = world |
| Old Welsh | elbid [ˈelvɨð] = (upper) world, earth, land, country, district |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | eluit, eluyt, eluyd = world. earth, land, country, district eluyten, eluyden, elvydenn = earth, land, country, region Albbu = Scotland Albanyeit = Scot |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | elfydd = world. earth, land, country, district, neighbourhood; element elfydden = earth, land, country, region elfyddiaeth = chemistry elfyddol = material (yr) Alban [ˈalban] = Scotland Albanaidd = Scottish Albaneg = Scots (language), Scottish Gaelic, Pictish Albanes = Scottish woman or girl Albanwr = Scot (m) Alban Newydd = Nova Scotia |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | Alban = Scotland, Scot (m) albanek = Scottish Albanes = Scot (f) Alban Nowydh = Nova Scotia |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | albaneg = Scots (language) |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | Albanad, albanat = Scottish albaneg, albanek = Scots (language) |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂elbʰós (white). Alban in Welsh and Cornish was borrowed from Irish or Scottish Gaelic [Source].
Words from the same Proto-Celtic root include Albion (England – poetic) and Alps in English, Albiōn (Britain) in Gallo-Latin, Albānia (Caucasian Albania, Albania, Scotland) in Latin, and words for the Alps in many other languages [Source].
Words from the same PIE root include albino and elf in English, albus (white, clear, bright) in Latin, and alb (white, clean, pure) in Romanian [Source].
The country of Albania got its English name from the Byzantine Greek Ἀλβανία (Albanía), which referred to an ancient region and kingdom south of Caucasus mountains, east of Armenia and west of the Caspian Sea, also known as Caucasian Albania. The Greek name came from the Latin Albānus (Albania), which refers to Albania, Caucasian Albania or Scotland, and probably came from Proto-Celtic [Source].
Scotland in Breton is Bro Skos and Nova Scotia is (Bro-)Skos Nevez. Bro means country or region, and comes from the Proto-Brythonic *broɣ (country, region, territory), from the Proto-Celtic *mrogis (border, march, region, country, territory, province), from the PIE *morǵ- (frontier, border). Cognates in other Celtic languages include bro (region, country, land, border, limit) in Welsh, and bro (country, land) in Cornish [Source]. Skos was probably borrowed from the French Ecosse (Scotland).
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
