Old Irish
1
9.9
- noun
:
irlandés antiguo
- It's an old Irish tradition.
Examples
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The poetry of Old Irish offers a glimpse into the beliefs and society of early medieval Ireland.
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Over the years, only a very few researchers could read Old Irish, and there are still relatively few today who can.
Academic text (2011) -
In old Irish mythology, they talk about the shape-changers.
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I closed my eyes to help me better concentrate, and before I knew it, the prayer trailed off and sleep crept in, and I dropped into a dream of my mother singing an old Irish song to me.
Fiction book (2002) -
Many scholars specialize in studying Old Irish, which provides insights into the history of the language.
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Ancient manuscripts in Old Irish are crucial for understanding the cultural heritage of Ireland.
Synonyms
An early form of Irish spoken and written in Ireland until about the year 1100
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the earliest form of the Irish Gaelic language' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'old' (earlier/historical) with 'Irish' (the Irish language). This 'Old + language' compositional pattern is common across languages (e.g., Old English, Old French), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Old Irish gets its name from being the early, written form of the Irish language found in old manuscripts and stone inscriptions from about the 500s to the 1100s. Because Old means 'old' and Irish names the language, the name helps us remember that Old Irish means the earliest written form of Irish.