Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.21857/m16wjcwo29

Latin cliēns and old Irish céile: an Italo-Celtic social institution

Ranko Matasović orcid.org/0000-0001-7068-3036

Abstract

In this paper, we derive both Lat. cliēns ‘client’ and OIr. céile ‘id.’ from the PIE root *k’ley‘- lean, support’. MW cilydd and its Brittonic cognates are interpreted as early Goidelic loanwords rather than inherited words, but it is argued that MW arglwydd ‘lord’ is derived from the same root as the word for ‘client’, and that its original meaning was ‘he who is with clients’. It is further shown that there are significant parallels in the clientship systems in medieval Ireland and in early Rome, so that it is plausible to assume that the social institution of clientship has common Italo-Celtic origins.

Keywords

Indo-European etymology, clientship, Italo-Celtic

Hrčak ID:

315496

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/315496

Publication date:

26.3.2024.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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