ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2143 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2143 ************************************ 19 Oct 2000 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a Scottish Gaelic man in our period. This letter is a brief answer to your question. We found no evidence that was used as a name before modern times [1, 8]. The backslash in the name represents a long accent mark on the preceding letter. The modern Scottish Gaelic word means "comfort, consolation, solace; intellectual pleasure or gratification; cheerfulness, contentment; joy, rejoicing, delight, calm luscious pleasure". The related or means "light, as a lamp or candle; knowledge, information; a phase of the moon" [2]. There are several related words in modern Irish [3]. Quite a number of modern names in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic were created from common words in the 19th or 20th century; we suspect this name is another example. We can suggest a reasonably similar name that might appeal to you. is an early medieval Irish borrowing of that continued in use at least to the 16th century [4, 5, 6]. After 1200 or so, it would most often have been spelled . It was pronounced roughly \SOH-l@v\, where \@\ represents a schwa, the sound of the in . We aren't certain that the name was used in medieval Scotland; but there is a modern Scottish surname which derives from it, so placing it there is at least plausible [7]. We hope this brief letter has been useful. Please write us again if you have any questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Maridonna Benvenuti, Talan Gwynek, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Adelaide de Beaumont, and Mari neyn Brian. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 19 Oct 2000 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Morgan, Peadar, _Ainmean Chloinne: Scottish Gaelic Names for Children_ (Scotland: Taigh na Teud Music Publishers, 1989), s.n. So\las. [2] Dwelly, Edward, _Faclair gaidhlig: A Gaelic Dictionary_ (Herne Bay [Eng.] E. Macdonald & co., 1902-[11]), s.vv. so\las, solus. [3] Dinneen, Patrick S. _Foclo/ir Gaedhilge agus Be/arla_ (Dublin: Irish Texts Society, 1979 [1927]), s.vv. solas, so/la/s. [4] O/ Corra/in, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire, _Irish Names_ (Dublin: The Lilliput Press, 1990), s.n. Solam. [5] Cournane, Mavis, Vibeke Dijkman, and Ivonne Tummers, "Annals of Connacht" (WWW: CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork, Ireland, 1997), entries 1356.16, 1507.2, 1523.10, 1542.6. http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100011 [6] Donnchadh O/ Corra/in & Mavis Cournane, "Annals of the Four Masters" (WWW: CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork, Ireland, 1997), v.3 M1356.3, v.5 M1507.18, M1542.6 http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100005C (v.3) http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100005E (v.5) [7] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986), s.n. Solam. He derives from , an Old Irish borrowing of . [8] We also found this passage in the Annals of the Four Masters (ref 6 above), entry M1197.2, and a similar passage in the Annals of Ulster. It doesn't support the use as a name, but it could be mis-interpreted that way. Mac Etigh do Chianachtaibh do shlat alto/ra teampaill mho/ir Doire Colaim Chille, & ceithre cuirn bad fearr ro bhaoi i n-Erind do breith eiste, .i. Mac Riabhach, Mac Solas, corn Ui/ Maoi/l Doraidh, & Camm Coraind corn Ui/ Dhochartaigh The phrase refers to a thing, not a person. The translation is available on the web at http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005C.html. Mac Etigh, one of the Kienaghts, robbed the altar of the great church of Derry, and carried off the four best goblets in Ireland, viz. Mac Riabhach, Mac Solas, the goblet of O'Muldory, and the goblet of O'Doherty, called Cam-Corainn.