AboutTed Nesbitt Expertise I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy
researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of
all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and
I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE.
TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.
Experience I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.
Education/Credentials Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.
Question I understand this isn't your field of study and so I do apologize if this seems annoying or anything to you but I was wondering if you would know the Gallic/Celtic word for Family. Thanks either way.
Answer Tom:
This is FAR FAR away from the etymology of the English language, but there is an excellent site where you can explore:
Look for the word "languages," and you'll find a screen with an alphabetical listing of language dictionaries.
It's tricky to use.
By the way, I think you mean "Gaelic," not "Gallic." "Gall" was the Latin/Roman word for what is now France.
Here are some selections I found at the site I mentioned. They will not appear in the Allexperts box in the same format you will find. Unfortunately, I cannot send you an attachment with the original format, but, if you search the site carefully, you'll find what I am pasting in below.
