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  5. "Tha uncail math agad."

"Tha uncail math agad."

Translation:You have a good uncle.

January 1, 2020



'Uncail' seems to be a (relatively) new word in Gàidhlig - it simply doesn't exist in the old dictionary I have; Edward Dwelly's Faclair Gàidhlig agus Beurla le dealbhan (The illustrated Gaelic-English Dictionary). If that is so, what would an uncle have been called before the 'uncail' was adopted from the English language during queen Victoria's time presumably?


It would depend on the uncle in question.

  • bràthair mo mhàthar - my mum’s brother

  • bràthair m’ athar. - my dad’s brother.

Hope that helps.


Tapadh leibh :) It does help... makes me think of Danish where we also have 'morbror' (mum's brother) and 'farbror' (dad's brother) as well as the more generic 'onkel' (uncle).


Are those still in use? It seems more Gàidhlig oriented, so it makes me want to learn that, would I be understood in Scotland and Nova Scotia?


What about 'antaidh'?for auntie. I couldn't find 'antaidh' in Dwelly's dictionary and it seems so weird piuthar mo mhàthar - my mother's sister piuthar mo bhràthair - my brother's sister Is this correct? Tapadh leibh
