Words for right & south in Celtic languages.
Proto-Celtic | *dexswos = right (side), south |
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Old Irish (Goídelc) | dess = right (side), right-hand; south; right, just; convenient, agreeable desse = right side, rightness andess = (from the) south |
Middle Irish (Gaoidhleag) | dess = right, right hand (side), south, just, meet, well-arranged, neat, pretty, fine desse = the right side, right hand, rightness, fairness dessebar = the south, southern aspect dessel = direction of the sun, right-hand course, sunwise andess = from the right, from the south |
Irish (Gaeilge) | deas [dʲasˠ / dʲæsˠ] = south, southerly, to the south; right, right-hand deasach = right-handed, suitable for use with right hand deaslámh = right hand deaslámhach = right-handed, dexterous, handy deaslámhaí = handiness, dexterity deasóg = right hand, right fist, right-handed punch |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | deas [dʲes] = south; southern; right (side); ready, finished; accomplished, expert, skilful; active, alert, quick, snappy; to hand, handy; clever, sharp; deft, dexterous deasach [dʲesəx] = southerly, southern, southerner deasag [dʲesag] = right hand deasail [dʲesal] = clockwise deasad [dʲesad]= neatness, readiness deasalt [dʲesəl̪ˠd] = clockwise/sunwise turn deasalachd [dʲesəl̪ˠəxg] = readiness, convenience, dexterity |
Manx (Gaelg) | jesh = rightwing, righthand, starboard, nice, smart, felicitous, elegant, ready, tidy, groomed, adept, neat, seemly, becoming, suitable, fancy, trim jiass [d͡ʒas] = south, southern, southerly, southward jeshag = righthander, right-handed blow jeshagh = illumination, right-handed blow jeshid = applicability, elegance, neatness, propriety, right-handedness, seemliness, smartness, suitability, tidiness neearass = southwest niar ass = southeast niass = southerly cheu-jiass = southward |
Proto-Brythonic | *dexow = right, southern |
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | dehev, deheu, deau = right, south, southern, right (hand, side) dehau ddwyrain = southeast deau-’orllewyn, deheûorllewin = southwest Dehaubarth = the medieval kingdom of South Wales dehevbôl = south pole deheuec = dexterous, skilful, adroit, right dehevawl = south, southern, of the south, austral, facing southwards |
Welsh (Cymraeg) | deau = right, south, southern de [deː] = south; dexterous, skilful, clever; ready; useful, handy; suitable, appropriate, proper, right, just; favourable, auspicious de(au)-ddwyrain = southeast de(au)-orllewin- = southwest Dehaubarth = South Wales, the medieval kingdom of South Wales, southern part Dehaubarth Cymru (Newydd) = (New) South Wales deheubol = south pole deheuder, deheudra = dexterity, adroitness, cleverness deheueg = dexterous, skilful, adroit, right; South Welsh dialect deheuol = south, southern, of the south, austral, facing southwards |
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | dehou, dyhow, dyow = right, south dehoules = southernwood |
Cornish (Kernewek) | dyghow [dɪ’hɔʊ / də’hɔʊ] = south, right-handed, southern, right dyghow dhuryen = southeast dyghow orlewin = southwest dyghowbarth = south |
Old Breton | dehou, deou = right, south |
Middle Breton (Brezonec) | dehou, deho, dehaou = right, south dehouyat, deouiad = right-handed |
Breton (Brezhoneg) | dehou [ˈde(h).u] = right, south dehouiad = right-handed dehoubarzh = southern zone a-zehou = to the right |
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *deḱswo-, from *deḱs- (right-hand side) [source].
Words from the same PIE root include dexterity, dextrose and (ambi)dextrous in English, diestro (right, right-handed, skillful, dextrous) in Spanish, and destro (clever, able, right, right-hand) in Italian [source].
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, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic