Meaning of the word “Clann”
Here’s a verse from the eleventh century Lebor Gabala (Book of Invasions).
A Christ os clannaib cuimnig
mac meic Flaind a laechLuignib
a Rí na mblat is na mbreth
is tú in t-abb is tú in toesechO Christ above all offspring, remember
the grandson of Flann of the warlike Luigni,
O king of might and judgment
thou art the lord, thou art the taoiseach
Another one from a Biblical history Saltair na Rann which was written in late 900s.
Ro gellai Saul iar sain
do Dauíd, cen imressan
a ingen do, deimin scél,
a grád sech clainn nIsrahel.
Saul then promised to David without dispute that he should have his daughter, sure tidings, his beloved above all others of the children of Israel.
So clann definitely referred to children only back in those days.
Note how little the language changed in 1100 years, compared to English.
From the second verse I quoted look at the words:
[original Irish word] ([equivalent in modern Irish]) [English]
gellai (geall) promise
cen imressan (gan imreas) without argument
ingen (iníon) daughter
deimin (deimhin) sure, definite
scél (scéal) story, tidings
grád (grádh or grá) love
sech (seachas) excepting
clainn (clann) children
The language has been kept remarkably intact in comparison to the huge changes English went through in the last 1000 years.
Written by: Ailill
Bernie said,
November 7, 2009 @ 3:58 am
‘The language has been kept remarkably intact in comparison to the huge changes English went through in the last 1000 years.’
That is perhaps not really something to be celebrated. The more widely a language is spoken, the more it changes over time. The only languages that do not change at all are dead languages. Compare a plant and a fossil.