bearna

Irish

Alternative forms

• bearn
• beárn (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle Irish bern, berna, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“to pierce”). Cognate with Scottish Gaelic beàrn.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Connemara, Mayo) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲɑːɾˠn̪ˠə/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲaːɾˠn̪ˠə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲaːɾˠn̪ˠiː/ (as if spelled bearnaí)

Noun

bearna f (genitive singular bearna, nominative plural bearnaí)

1. gap (opening made by breaking or parting, allowing passage or entrance, or implying a breach or defect)

Declension

Declension of bearna

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative bearna bearnaí Vocative a bhearna a bhearnaí Genitive bearna bearnaí Dative bearna bearnaí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an bhearna na bearnaí Genitive na bearna na mbearnaí Dative leis an mbearna don bhearna leis na bearnaí

• Alternative genitive singular: bearnadh, bearnan
• Alternative dative singular: bearnain
• Alternative plural: bearnacha

Derived terms

• bearna bhaoil (“gap of danger, breach (in battle)”)
• bearna chustaim (“toll-bar”)
• bearna ghiorria (“harelip, cleft lip”)
• bearna mhíl (“harelip, cleft lip”)
• craobh-bhearna (“branch gap”)

 

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
bearna	bhearna	mbearna
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “bearna”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “bearna”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “bearna”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Old English

Noun

bearna

1. genitive plural of bearn