dearg

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish derg, from Proto-Celtic *dergos (“red, crimson”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerg- (“to dim, darken”); compare Old English deorc (“dark”) and Tocharian A tärkär/B tarkär (“cloud”).^[1]

The verb is from Middle Irish dergaid, from the adjective.^[2]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈdʲaɾˠəɡ/^[3]^[4], (Cois Fharraige) [ˈdʲæːɾˠəɡ]^[5]
(Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈdʲaɾˠək/^[6]

Adjective

dearg (genitive singular masculine deirg, genitive singular feminine deirge, plural dearga, comparative deirge)

red
live (being in a state of ignition; burning)
extreme, tremendous, utter
dithneas dearg ― a tearing hurry

Declension

Declension of *dearg*
Positive	singular		plural
Positive	masculine	feminine	strong noun	weak noun
nominative	dearg	dhearg	dearga; dhearga²
vocative	dheirg	dhearg	dearga
genitive	dheirg	deirge	dearga	dearg
dative	dearg; dhearg¹	dhearg; dheirg (archaic)	dearga; dhearga²

Comparative	níos deirge
Superlative	is deirge

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Synonyms

rua
(being in a state of ignition; burning): beo

Derived terms

aibhleog dhearg (“ember”)
broinndearg (“redbreast”)
cailín dearg (“tongue”)
deargach (“red, communist”)
dearglach (“red glow”)
deargmhaidin (“early morning”)
deargnáire (“utter shame”)
leaba dhearg (“lair”)
scothdhearg (“reddish”)

Verb

dearg (present analytic deargann, future analytic deargfaidh, verbal noun deargadh, past participle deargtha)

(transitive) to redden
(transitive) to light (a cigarette, pipe etc.)

Conjugation

Conjugation of *dearg* (first conjugation – A)
indicative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
indicative	first	second	third	first	second	third	direct relative	autonomous
present	deargaim	deargann tú; deargair^†	deargann sé, sí	deargaimid; deargann muid	deargann sibh	deargann siad; deargaid^†	a dheargann; a dheargas	deargtar
past	dhearg mé; dheargas	dhearg tú; dheargais	dhearg sé, sí	dheargamar; dhearg muid	dhearg sibh; dheargabhair	dhearg siad; dheargadar	a dhearg	deargadh
past habitual	dheargainn / deargainn^‡	dheargtá / deargtá^‡	dheargadh sé, sí / deargadh sé, sí^‡	dheargaimis; dheargadh muid / deargaimis^‡; deargadh muid^‡	dheargadh sibh / deargadh sibh^‡	dheargaidís; dheargadh siad / deargaidís^‡; deargadh siad^‡	a dheargadh	dheargtaí / deargtaí^‡

	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third	direct relative	autonomous
future	deargfaidh mé; deargfad	deargfaidh tú; deargfair^†	deargfaidh sé, sí	deargfaimid; deargfaidh muid	deargfaidh sibh	deargfaidh siad; deargfaid^†	a dheargfaidh; a dheargfas	deargfar
conditional	dheargfainn / deargfainn^‡	dheargfá / deargfá^‡	dheargfadh sé, sí / deargfadh sé, sí^‡	dheargfaimis; dheargfadh muid / deargfaimis^‡; deargfadh muid^‡	dheargfadh sibh / deargfadh sibh^‡	dheargfaidís; dheargfadh siad / deargfaidís^‡; deargfadh siad^‡	a dheargfadh	dheargfaí / deargfaí^‡

subjunctive	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
subjunctive	first	second	third	first	second	third	direct relative	autonomous
present	go ndearga mé; go ndeargad^†	go ndearga tú; go ndeargair^†	go ndearga sé, sí	go ndeargaimid; go ndearga muid	go ndearga sibh	go ndearga siad; go ndeargaid^†	—	go ndeargtar
past	dá ndeargainn	dá ndeargtá	dá ndeargadh sé, sí	dá ndeargaimis; dá ndeargadh muid	dá ndeargadh sibh	dá ndeargaidís; dá ndeargadh siad	—	dá ndeargtaí

imperative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
imperative	first	second	third	first	second	third	direct relative	autonomous
—	deargaim	dearg	deargadh sé, sí	deargaimis	deargaigí; deargaidh^†	deargaidís	—	deargtar

past participle	deargtha

verbal noun	deargadh

^† archaic or dialect form
^‡ dependent form

Alternative forms

deargaigh

Mutation

Mutated forms of *dearg*
radical	lenition	eclipsis
dearg	dhearg	ndearg

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “derg”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “dergaid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931), Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 83, page 44
^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906), A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 138, page 54
^ de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1975), The Irish of Cois Fhairrge, Co. Galway: A Phonetic Study, revised edition, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, § 224, page 42
^ Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), Zweiter Band: Wörterbuch [Second volume: Dictionary], Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 75

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish derg,^[1] from Proto-Celtic *dergos (“red, crimson”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerg- (“to dim, darken”); compare Old English deorc (“dark”) and Tocharian A tärkär/B tarkär (“cloud”).

Pronunciation

(Lewis) IPA^(key): /d̥ʲaɾak/^[2]
(Southern Hebridean, Tiree) IPA^(key): /d̥ʲɛɾak/, /d̥ʒɛɾak/^[3]^[4]
(Skye, Wester Ross) IPA^(key): /d̥ʲɛɾɛk/^[5], /d̥ʒɛɾɛk/^[6]
(Islay) IPA^(key): /ˈd̥ʲɛɾək/^[7]

Noun

dearg m (genitive singular deirg)

red

Adjective

dearg (genitive singular masculine deirg, genitive singular feminine deirge, nominative plural dearga, comparative nas deirge, superlative as deirge)

red
reddish (forming compounds with other colours)
complete, utter (as intensifier)

Declension

Declension of *dearg* (type I adjective)
	masculine	feminine	plural
nominative	dearg	dhearg	dearga
genitive	dheirg	deirge	dearga
dative	dearg	dheirg	dearga
vocative	dheirg	dhearg	dearga

Derived terms

brù-dhearg (“robin redbreast”)
deocan-dearga (“red clover”)
fiabhras-dearg (“scarlet fever”)
fo-dhearg (“infrared”)

Adverb

dearg

completely, utterly

Verb

dearg (past dhearg, future deargaidh, verbal noun deargadh)

Mutation

Mutation of *dearg*
radical	lenition
dearg	dhearg

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “derg”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
^ Oftedal, M. (1956), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
^ John MacPherson (1945) The Gaelic dialect of North Uist (Thesis)‎^[1], Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh
^ Mac Gill-Fhinnein, Gordon (1966), Gàidhlig Uidhist a Deas, Dublin: Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath
^ Wentworth, Roy (2003), Gaelic Words and Phrases From Wester Ross / Faclan is Abairtean à Ros an Iar, Inverness: CLÀR, →ISBN
^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1941), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. II: The dialects of Skye and Ross-shire, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
^ Holmer, Nils M. (1938), Studies on Argyllshire Gaelic, Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksells boktryckeri-A.-B., page 152

bán	liath	dubh
dearg; corcairdhearg	oráiste, flannbhuí; donn	buí; bánbhuí
líoma-ghlas, glas líoma	glas, uaine	dath an mhiontais
cian	gormghlas, spéirghorm	gorm
corcairghorm; indeagó	maigeanta; corcra	bándearg

bàn, geal	glas	dubh
dearg; ruadh	orains; donn	buidhe; donn
uaine	uaine	gorm
liath; glas	liath	gorm
purpaidh; guirmean	pinc; purpaidh	pinc

Irish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

Verb

Conjugation

Alternative forms

See also

Mutation

References

Further reading

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Adjective

Declension

Derived terms

See also

Adverb

Verb

Mutation

References

Further reading