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{{for|the anti-war organisation also known as NION|Not in Our Name}}
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{{Contains Ogham text}}
{{Distinguish|Neon|Nyan (disambiguation){{!}}Nyan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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{{Contains special characters|Ogham}}
{{Table Oghamletters}}
{{Table Oghamletters}}
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'''Nion''' (ᚅ) is the [[Irish language|Irish]] name of the fifth letter ([[Irish language|Irish]] "letter": sing.''fid'', pl.''feda'') of the [[Ogham]] alphabet, with phonetic value [n]. The [[Old Irish]] letter name, '''Nin,''' may derive from [[Old Irish]] [[homonym]]s ''nin/ninach'' meaning "fork/forked" and "loft/lofty". ''Nin'' is notable for being the old name that refers both to this specific letter, and to any of the Ogham letters in general. "Nin" is also an Irish word used for a grandma.

<ref>{{Cite book|title=A guide to Ogam|last=McManus, Damian.|date=1991|publisher=An Sagart|isbn=1-870684-17-6|location=Maynooth|oclc=24181838}}</ref>
⚫
'''Nion''' is the [[Irish language|Irish]] name of the fifth letter of the [[Ogham]] alphabet, ᚅ, probably meaning "[[fork]]". In [[Old Irish]], the letter name was '''Nin''', a name which is notable for referring both to a specific letter, and to any of the Ogham letters in general.
{{wiktionary|ᚅ}}
{{wiktionary|ᚅ}}


==Interpretation==
==Interpretation==
The glossators of the [[Ogam Tract]] and the [[Auraicept na n-Éces]] seem to refer to at least two Irish words ''nin'', meaning "part of a weaver's loom", and "a wave". The corresponding adjective ''ninach'' is glossed as ''gablach'' and used as a synonym of [[cross]], and the word seems to be roughly synonymous with ''gabul'' "fork, forked branch", and is thus a plausible base for a name for "Ogham letters", which after all (at least the consonants), look like forks or combs. The second ''nin'' seems to be cognate with Welsh ''nen'' "roof, heaven", with a meaning of "loftiness", with an adjective ''ninach'' "lofty". The kennings are explained by the glossators that weavers' beams were erected as signs of peace. The "arboreal" tradition claims the word as [[ash-tree]], concluding that looms were made of ashwood. In some instances, the association with ashwood, which is best known as the raw material for spears, the kenning was amended to "destruction of peace". McManus (1988) suggests that the word for "forked branch" was applied to the olive branch, the shaking of which in Irish tradition requested an interruption of a battle. The kennings related to beauty, on the other hand, are maybe somehow dependent on the second meaning of "lofty".
The glossators of the [[Ogam Tract]] and the [[Auraicept na n-Éces]] seem to refer to at least two Irish words ''nin'', meaning "part of a weaver's loom", and "a wave". The corresponding adjective ''ninach'' is glossed as ''gablach'' and used as a synonym of [[cross]], and the word seems to be roughly synonymous with ''gabul'' "fork, forked branch", and is thus a plausible base for a name for "Ogham letters", which (at least the consonants), look like forks or combs.


The second ''nin'' seems to be cognate with Welsh ''nen'' "roof, heaven", with a meaning of "loftiness", with an adjective ''ninach'' "lofty". The kennings are explained by the glossators that weavers' beams were erected as signs of peace.
==Bríatharogam==
⚫
In the medieval kennings, called ''[[Bríatharogam]]'' or ''Word Ogham'' the verses associated with ''Nin'' are:


The "arboreal" tradition claims the word as [[ash-tree]], concluding that looms were made of ash-wood. In some instances, the association with ash-wood, which is best known as the raw material for spears, the kenning was amended to "destruction of peace", as in the [[Auraicept na n-Éces|Auraicept]]:<blockquote>Nin too is named from a tree, viz., ash, ut dicitur: A "check on peace" is ''nin'', viz., ash, for of it are made the spear-shafts by which the peace is broken: or, A "check on peace" is ash-tree. ''Nin'', that is the fork of a weaver's beam which is made of ash, which is in time of peace raised.<ref>[[Auraicept na n-Éces]] Calder, George, Edinburgh, John Grant (1917), reprint Four Courts Press (1995), pp.91 {{ISBN|1-85182-181-3}}</ref></blockquote>
⚫
costud síde - "establishing of peace" in the Word Ogham of ''Morann mic Moín''


McManus<ref>{{Cite journal|last=McManus|first=Damian|date=1988|title=Irish Letter-Names and Their Kennings|journal=Ériu|volume=39|pages=127–168|jstor=30024135}}</ref> suggests that the word for "forked branch" was also applied to the olive branch, the shaking of which in Irish tradition requested an interruption of a battle. The kennings related to beauty, on the other hand, are perhaps dependent on the second meaning of "lofty".
⚫
bág ban - "boast of women" in the Word Ogham of ''Mac ind Óc''


==Bríatharogaim==
⚫
bág maise - "boast of beauty" in the Word Ogham of ''Culainn''.<ref>[[Auraicept na n-Éces]] Calder, George, Edinburgh, John Grant (1917), reprint Four Courts Press (1995), {{ISBN|1-85182-181-3}}</ref>
⚫
In the medieval [[kenning]]s, called ''[[Bríatharogam|Bríatharogaim]]'' (sing. ''Bríatharogam'') or ''Word Oghams'' the verses associated with ''Nin'' are:

⚫
''costud síde'': "establishing of peace" in the ''Bríatharogam Morann mic Moín''

⚫
''bág ban'': "boast of women" in the ''Bríatharogam Mac ind Óc''

⚫
''bág maise'': "boast of beauty" in the ''Bríatharogam Con Culainn''.<ref>[[Auraicept na n-Éces]] Calder, George, Edinburgh, John Grant (1917), reprint Four Courts Press (1995), {{ISBN|1-85182-181-3}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Naudiz]]
*[[Naudiz]]
*[[Nun (letter)]]
*[[Nun (letter)]]

== Notes ==
While medieval and modern [[Modern Paganism|neopagan]] arboreal glosses (i.e. tree names) for the Ogham have been widely popularised (even for feda whose names do not translate as trees), the Old Irish ''[[In Lebor Ogaim]]'' (the ''Ogam Tract'') also lists many other word values classified by type (e.g. birds, occupations, companies) for each fid. The ''[[filí]]'' ([[Old Irish]] ''filid'', sing. ''fili'') or poets of this period learned around one hundred and fifty variants of Ogham during their training, including these word-list forms.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A guide to Ogam|last=McManus, Damian.|date=1991|publisher=An Sagart|isbn=1-870684-17-6|location=Maynooth|oclc=24181838}}</ref>

Some of the notable [[Old Irish]] values of these for ''Nion'' include:

'''Enogam/Bird-ogam''': ''naescu'' "snipe"

'''Dathogam/Colour-ogam''': ''necht'' "clear"

'''Ogam tirda/Agricultural ogam''': ''nasc'' "ring"

'''Danogam/Art-ogam''': ''notaireacht'' "notary work"

'''Ogam Cuidechtach/Company Ogam''': ''Noeim'' "Saints"


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
*Damian McManus, ''Irish letter-names and their kennings'', Ériu 39 (1988), 127-168.


[[Category:Ogham letters]]
[[Category:Ogham letters]]

Latest revision as of 18:25, 8 December 2022

For the anti-war organisation also known as NION, see Not in Our Name.
Not to be confused with Neon or Nyan.

This article contains Ogham text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Ogham letters.
Ogham letters ᚛ᚑᚌᚐᚋᚁᚂᚃᚓᚇᚐᚅ᚜
Aicme Beithe
᚛ᚐᚔᚉᚋᚓᚁᚂᚃᚄᚅ᚜ 		Aicme Muine
᚛ᚐᚔᚉᚋᚓᚋᚌᚎᚏ᚜
ᚁ [b] Beith ᚋ [m] Muin
ᚂ [l] Luis ᚌ [ɡ] Gort
ᚃ [w] Fearn ᚍ [ɡʷ] nGéadal
ᚄ [s] Sail ᚎ [st], [ts], [sw] Straif
ᚅ [n] Nion ᚏ [r] Ruis
Aicme hÚatha
᚛ᚐᚔᚉᚋᚓᚆᚇᚈᚉᚊ᚜ 		Aicme Ailme
᚛ᚐᚔᚉᚋᚓᚐᚑᚒᚓᚔ᚜
ᚆ [j] Uath ᚐ [a] Ailm
ᚇ [d] Dair ᚑ [o] Onn
ᚈ [t] Tinne ᚒ [u] Úr
ᚉ [k] Coll ᚓ [e] Eadhadh
ᚊ [kʷ] Ceirt ᚔ [i] Iodhadh
Forfeda ᚛ᚃᚑᚏᚃᚓᚇᚐ᚜
(rare, sounds uncertain) 		᚛ᚕᚖᚗᚘᚚᚙ᚜
ᚕ [ea], [k], [x], [eo] Éabhadh
ᚖ [oi] Ór
ᚗ [ui] Uilleann
ᚘ [ia] Ifín ᚚ [p] Peith
ᚙ [x], [ai] Eamhancholl

Nion (ᚅ) is the Irish name of the fifth letter (Irish "letter": sing.fid, pl.feda) of the Ogham alphabet, with phonetic value [n]. The Old Irish letter name, Nin, may derive from Old Irish homonyms nin/ninach meaning "fork/forked" and "loft/lofty". Nin is notable for being the old name that refers both to this specific letter, and to any of the Ogham letters in general. "Nin" is also an Irish word used for a grandma. [1]

Look up ᚅ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Interpretation[edit]

The glossators of the Ogam Tract and the Auraicept na n-Éces seem to refer to at least two Irish words nin, meaning "part of a weaver's loom", and "a wave". The corresponding adjective ninach is glossed as gablach and used as a synonym of cross, and the word seems to be roughly synonymous with gabul "fork, forked branch", and is thus a plausible base for a name for "Ogham letters", which (at least the consonants), look like forks or combs.

The second nin seems to be cognate with Welsh nen "roof, heaven", with a meaning of "loftiness", with an adjective ninach "lofty". The kennings are explained by the glossators that weavers' beams were erected as signs of peace.

The "arboreal" tradition claims the word as ash-tree, concluding that looms were made of ash-wood. In some instances, the association with ash-wood, which is best known as the raw material for spears, the kenning was amended to "destruction of peace", as in the Auraicept:

Nin too is named from a tree, viz., ash, ut dicitur: A "check on peace" is nin, viz., ash, for of it are made the spear-shafts by which the peace is broken: or, A "check on peace" is ash-tree. Nin, that is the fork of a weaver's beam which is made of ash, which is in time of peace raised.[2]

McManus[3] suggests that the word for "forked branch" was also applied to the olive branch, the shaking of which in Irish tradition requested an interruption of a battle. The kennings related to beauty, on the other hand, are perhaps dependent on the second meaning of "lofty".

Bríatharogaim[edit]

In the medieval kennings, called Bríatharogaim (sing. Bríatharogam) or Word Oghams the verses associated with Nin are:

costud síde: "establishing of peace" in the Bríatharogam Morann mic Moín

bág ban: "boast of women" in the Bríatharogam Mac ind Óc

bág maise: "boast of beauty" in the Bríatharogam Con Culainn.[4]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

While medieval and modern neopagan arboreal glosses (i.e. tree names) for the Ogham have been widely popularised (even for feda whose names do not translate as trees), the Old Irish In Lebor Ogaim (the Ogam Tract) also lists many other word values classified by type (e.g. birds, occupations, companies) for each fid. The filí (Old Irish filid, sing. fili) or poets of this period learned around one hundred and fifty variants of Ogham during their training, including these word-list forms.[5]

Some of the notable Old Irish values of these for Nion include:

Enogam/Bird-ogam: naescu "snipe"

Dathogam/Colour-ogam: necht "clear"

Ogam tirda/Agricultural ogam: nasc "ring"

Danogam/Art-ogam: notaireacht "notary work"

Ogam Cuidechtach/Company Ogam: Noeim "Saints"

References[edit]

  1. ^ McManus, Damian. (1991). A guide to Ogam. Maynooth: An Sagart. ISBN 1-870684-17-6. OCLC 24181838.
  2. ^ Auraicept na n-Éces Calder, George, Edinburgh, John Grant (1917), reprint Four Courts Press (1995), pp.91 ISBN 1-85182-181-3
  3. ^ McManus, Damian (1988). "Irish Letter-Names and Their Kennings". Ériu. 39: 127–168. JSTOR 30024135.
  4. ^ Auraicept na n-Éces Calder, George, Edinburgh, John Grant (1917), reprint Four Courts Press (1995), ISBN 1-85182-181-3
  5. ^ McManus, Damian. (1991). A guide to Ogam. Maynooth: An Sagart. ISBN 1-870684-17-6. OCLC 24181838.
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