Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 559

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 559

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/559

Some of the Academy's early reports contain errors that we haven't yet corrected. Please use it with caution.

Greetings,

Here's the information we found on the 12th-century spelling and pronunciation of the Irish name "Caemgen MacDaill."

We have a list of names from the 12th century, and in it the usual spelling of the name is "Cóemgen mac Daill" (where "ó" is an accented "o"). This means "Cóemgen, son of Dall." "Daill" means "of Dall"; it is analogous to the English "Dall's". In Irish, this kind of spelling change is used to indicate grammatic usage.

We're not sure of the exact pronunciation of the diphthong "óe" in the 12th century, but based on modern pronunciation, the whole would be something like "KEEV-yen mak DAHL" with a palatized "l". We won't try to explain what a palatized "l" is over email--just pronounce your name with a normal "l" until someone corrects you.

Effric neyn Kenyeoch, Tangwystl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Talan Gwynek, and Arval Benicoeur contributed to this letter.

We hope this has been helpful, and that we can continue to assist you.

In service,
Alan Fairfax
Academy of S. Gabriel