Peace in Seven Celtic Nations
Peace poetry can save a life and the brain.
Peace in Seven Celtic Nations
Celtic languages with a similar grammatical structure
have less vocabulary in common
Scots Gaelic or Gàidhlig
from the Celtic branch of Indo-European
closely related to the Goidelic languages
Irish Gaelic or Gaeilge and Manx
more distantly related to the Brytonic or P-Celtic
Breton or Brezhoneg
Welsh or Cymraeg and Cornish or Kernewek
“Sìth” peace in Scottish Gaelic
also called Alba the dialect of Scotland
“peace” in English and “fois” means relaxation tranquility
ease repose respite
a loan word from Scottish in Nova Scotia
Canada’s New Scotland
where this smallest of provinces
includes Cape Breton and 3,800 coastal islands
“Síth” or “síthe” or “sod” peace
“síocháin” the way of peace
in Gaeilge or Irish Gaelic
words in Ireland or Eire
“sítheach” peaceful and harmonious
“sítheach sóch” peaceful and comfortable
while “go sítheach grách” is harmony and love
peace begetting harmony comfort and ultimately love
Far across the sea on the Isle of Mann
“shee” is the way peace said
in Gaelg or Manx Gaelic
the native language of this island
called Ellan Vannin in the Irish Sea
between Britain and Ireland
where we speak a Gaelic language
spelled English style
“Eaz” or “aez” is feasible
easy and free from difficulty in Amoric
or the Breton of French Brittany
where we spell peace many ways
“peoc’h” “pèc’h” “peoh” “peuc’h”
or “diskuizh” in France’s northwestern most region
where the pink granite coast is famed
for unusual blush-hued sand and rocks
known for an abundance
of prehistoric monolithic “menhirs”
Harkening back to the Ancient Celtic of Cornwall
peace in this land is said “heddwch” or “hawdh” or “hedh”
in Welsh “héz” means that which glides onward
peace calm tranquility
as if peace is a lubricant that makes people move
towards each other and closer to “thawelwch”
another way of peace and quiet
in this language called Cymraeg
spoken in Wales or Cymru
In the Ancient Celtic of Cornwall
“hedh” is peace and tranquility
feasible easy and free from difficulty
as if in Kernow spoken in Cornwall
life is doable only if there is peace
said also “cres” or “kres”
“yn clôr” or “yn cosel” or “drê gosoleth”
peaceably in this descendant
of an Ancient British language
before English came to dominate
“Koňiben” is a Traveler’s word for peace and quiet
in Welsh Romani also called Kååle
influenced by languages far flung
Hindustani and the Celtic Welsh
while “dootchiparen” is peace or “piratchi”
in Angloromani or British Isles Romani
as words of peace caravan across the lands and seas
Long ago to Galicia in northwest Spain
today considered the seventh of the original Celtic Nations
influenced by Spanish and Portuguese
in Galician we say “paz”
wishing for peace in the Celtic world and beyond
When Two Languages Collide
Pick out two languages and imagine what would happen to the word peace if the two languages and cultures bumped up against each other for 100 years. Would one language win out and take over and the other language be lost? Would the two languages merge carrying some words from one language and other words from the other? What would determine which language contributed “peace” to the blended language? Would the words blend and take on the sounds of both languages and be unintelligible to anyone who only spoke one of the two language? Are there other things that could happen to the word for peace where two languages rubbed against each other?
My Name is Peace
English: What is your name?
My name is Peace
Scottish: “Dè an t-ainm a th’ort” (What the name is on-you?)
“Is mise Sìth!” (Am I Peace!)
Irish: “Cén t-ainm atá ort?” (What-the name is on-you?)
“Is mise Síocháin!” (Am I Peace!)
Manx: “Cre’n ennym t’ort?” (What the name is on-you?)
“Ta’n ennym orrym Shee!” (Is the name on-me Peace!)
Breton: Petra eo da anv? (What is your name?)
“Eo ma anv Peoc’h!” (Is my name Peace!)
Welsh: “Beth yw dy enw (di)? (What is your name (you)?)
“Fy enw (i) yw Heddwch” (My name (me) is Peace)
Cornish: “Pyth yw dha hanow?” (What is your name?)
“Ow hanow yw Cres “ (My name is Peace)
Galician: “Como te chamas? (How are you named?)
“O meu nome é Paz” (I am named Peace)
Imagine that your name is peace in English or another language. Imagine if every time someone called your name you thought about peace. How would your life be different with a different name?
A Celtic Prayer of Peace
Deep “cres” of the rolling wave to you
washing over you
Wide “síocháin” of the deep blue of the sky to you
sheltering you
Circular “shee” of the full of the moon to you
watching over you
Lush “sith” of the green of the land to you
nourishing you
Sparkling “peoc’h” of the shining stars to you
lighting the darkness
Quiet “heddwch” of the calm earth to you
connecting the spirit and body
Add a line or two to this poem. In what environments do you find peace?
Originally Published in Peace Poetry Dictionary, The Meaning of Peace and Calm in 5000 Languages on November 24, 2020.
