féidir

Irish

Etymology

From both Middle Irish éitir (strength) and the autonomous ("passive") form of fétaid (be able). The initial "f" is a reanalysing of the verb to match féad, and akin to the added "f" in forms such as feic.

Pronunciation

Noun

féidir (defective)

  1. ability
  2. possibility

Usage notes

  • This noun is used in two places in Irish:
  1. The expression is féidir le (to be able)
  2. The expression b’fhéidir (maybe)

Derived terms

See also

Mutation

Mutated forms of féidir
radical lenition eclipsis
féidir fhéidir bhféidir

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

  1. ^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931), Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 313, page 157
  2. ^ Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), Zweiter Band: Wörterbuch [Second volume: Dictionary], Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 109
  3. ^ Wagner, Heinrich (1959), Gaeilge Theilinn: Foghraidheacht, Gramadach, Téacsanna [The Irish of Teelin: Phonetics, Grammar, Texts] (in Irish), Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], § 25 (c), page 11; reprinted 1979

Further reading