Certain words that Scotland and the English-speaking world use today, while pronounced differently, have emerged from Scottish Gaelic (or via Irish Gaelic which is very closely related.)
It can be easy to think that Gaelic borrows from English, which in some cases is true as many modern European languages have adapted English words, but this overlooks how English takes from others.
Many languages Germanic, Latin, Greek, Norman French and Celtic in origin make appearances in what we know as English today. By way of Ireland, Gaelic was brought to Scotland around AD 500 meaning these words have Irish roots in common but certainly pass through Scottish Gaelic.
Learn about these words with Carl’s Lingo Kingdom (see attached video), or continue reading now for 13 English words that are connected to Scottish Gaelic.
17. Phoney
"Phoney" refer to an object or person who is not true or sincere and this derives from the Gaelic word "fàinne" which means "ring". This refers to the practice of selling cheap rings made from common metals while trying to pass them off as being precious, hence the connection to it not being true or sincere i.e. a "phoney". Photo: KazanovskyAndrey - Getty Images