Editing Pictish language (section)

== Attestations ==
=== Ogham inscriptions ===
Although the interpretation of over 40 Ogham inscriptions remains uncertain, several have been acknowledged to contain Brittonic forms,{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=1444}} although Rodway (2020) has disputed this.<ref>{{harvnb|Rodway|2020}}</ref> Guto Rhys (2015) notes that significant caution is required in the interpretation of such inscriptions because crucial information, such as the orthographic key, the linguistic context in which they were composed and the extent of [[literacy]] in Pictland, remains unknown.<ref name="UGlas" /> 

An Ogham inscription at the [[Broch of Burrian]], [[Orkney]] has been transliterated as {{transliteration|xpi|I[-]IRANNURRACTX EVVCXRROCCS}}.{{sfn|Forsyth|1997|p=36}} Broken up as {{transliteration|xpi|I[-]irann uract cheuc chrocs}}, this may reveal a Pictish cognate of [[Old Welsh]] {{lang|owl|guract}} 'he/she made' in {{transliteration|xpi|*uract}}.{{sfn|Forsyth|1997|p=36}}<ref name="ois">{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |last1=Forsyth |first1=Katherine Stuart |author-link = Katherine Forsyth |date=April 9, 1956 |title=The Ogham Inscriptions of Scotland: An Edited Corpus |url=https://epdf.tips/the-ogham-inscriptions-of-scotland-an-edited-corpus.html|publisher=Harvard University|access-date=20 August 2018}}</ref> (The only direct continuation in Middle Welsh is 1sg. {{lang|wlm|gwreith}} < ''*u̯rakt-ū'' in the poem known as "[[Dinogad's Smock|Peis Dinogat]]" in the Book of Aneirin; this form was eventually reformed to ''gwnaeth''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schumacher |first1=Stefan |title=Die keltischen Primärverben. Ein vergleichendes, etymologisches und morphologisches Lexikon |date=2004 |publisher=Institut für Sprachen und Literaturen der Universität Innsbruck |location=Innsbruck, Austria |isbn=3-85124-692-6 |page=711 |language=de}}</ref>) With the fourth word explained as spirantized Pictish {{transliteration|xpi|*crocs}} 'cross' (Welsh {{lang|cy|croes}} < Latin {{lang|la|crux}}) and the corrupted first word a personal name, the inscription may represent a Pictish sentence explaining who carved the cross.{{sfn|Forsyth|1997|p=36}}{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=1444}}<ref name="ois" />

The Shetland inscriptions at [[Cunningsburgh]] and [[Lunnasting]] reading {{transliteration|xpi|EHTECONMORS}} and {{transliteration|xpi|[E]TTECUHETTS}} have been understood as Brittonic expressions meaning "this is as great" and "this is as far", respectively,{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=1444}} messages appropriate for [[boundary stones]].{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=1444}}

Transliterated as {{transliteration|xpi|IRATADDOARENS}}, it is possible that the [[Brandsbutt Stone]] inscription attests a Pictish form cognate with [[Old Breton]] {{lang|obt|irha-}}, "he lies", in ''IRA-'',{{sfn|Forsyth|1997|p=36}} occurring at the Lomarec inscription in [[Brittany]].{{sfn|Forsyth|1997|p=36}}

=== Place names ===
Pictish toponyms occur in Scotland north of the [[River Forth]].<ref name="pp">{{cite book |last1=Hall |first1=Mark A |last2=Driscoll |first2=Stephen T |last3=Geddess |first3=Jane |title=Pictish Progress: New Studies on Northern Britain in the Early Middle Ages |date=11 November 2010 |publisher=Brill |isbn=9789004188013 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6d55DwAAQBAJ |access-date=30 June 2019}}</ref> Distributed from [[Fife]] to the [[Isle of Skye]], they are relatively abundant south of the [[Dornoch Firth]] but rare in the extreme north.<ref name="UGlas"/>{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=1444}}

Many principal settlements and geographical features of the region bear names of Pictish origin, including:
*'''[[Aberdeen]]''', Aberdeenshire. Meaning "mouth of the River Don" (cf. [[Welsh language|Welsh]] {{lang|cy|aber}}, "estuary, confluence").<ref name="cpns"/>
*'''[[Cupar]]''', Fife. Meaning "confluence" (cf. Welsh {{lang|cy|cymer}}).<ref name="pp" /><ref name="UGlas" />
*'''[[Keith, Moray|Keith]]''', Banffshire. Meaning "forest" (cf. Welsh {{lang|cy|coed}}).<ref name="cpns" />
*'''[[Kirkcaldy]]''', Fife. Meaning "place of the hard fort" from ''caer'', "fort" and ''caled'', "hard".<ref name="PNF">{{cite book |last1=Simon |first1=Taylor |last2=Markus |first2=Gilbert |title=The Place-names of Fife |date=2006 |publisher=Shaun Tyas |isbn=9781900289771 |edition=Illustrated}}</ref>
*'''[[Perth, Scotland|Perth]]''', Perthshire. Meaning "wood, grove" (cf. Welsh {{lang|cy|perth}}).<ref name="pp" />
*'''[[Yell, Shetland|Yell]]''', Shetland. Meaning "unfruitful land" (cf. Welsh ''iâl'').<ref name="forsyth2020" />

Several Pictish elements occur multiple times in the region.<ref name="pp" /> This table lists selected instances according to the Welsh equivalent.<ref name="cpns" /><ref name="pp" />{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=1444}}<ref name="PNF" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Element (Welsh) !! Meaning !! Place names
|-
| '''bryn''' || hill || Burnbane, Burnturk, Cameron (Markinch), Cameron (St Andrews), Newburn, Strathburn
|-
| '''[[caer]]''' || fort, stronghold; wall, rampart || Cardean, Carey, Cargill, Carmurie, Carpow, Carpoway, Crail, Kair, Keir, Kercock, Kirkbuddo, Kirkcaldy, Caerlaverock Castle
|-
| '''coed''' || trees, forest, wood || Catochil, Inchkeith, Keith, Keith Lundie, Keithack, Keithick, Keithmore, Keithny, Keithney, Keithock, Kitattie, Rothket
|-
| '''dôl''' || field, meadow || Dalfouper, Dallas, Dallasbraughty, Doll, Dollar, Dull
|-
| '''llannerch''' || clearing, glade || Landrick, Lanrick, Lendrick
|-
| '''mig(n)''' || swamp, quagmire || Dalmigavie, Meckphen, Meigle, Megen, Megevie, Meggen, Meggernie, Midmar, Midstrath, Migdale, Migger, Migvie, Strathmiglo
|-
| '''pant''' || hollow || Panbride, Panholes, Panlathy, Panmure, ?Pannanich
|-
| '''pen''' || head; top, summit; source of stream; headland; chief, principal || Pandewen, Pennan, Pinderachy, Pinnel
|-
| '''tref''' || town, homestead, estate, township || Cantray, Cantress, Menstrie, Montrave, Rattray (Blairgowrie), Rattray (Buchan), Tramaud, Trefor, Trefynie, Trostrie, Troustrie
|}

Some Pictish names have been succeeded by Gaelic forms, and in certain instances the earlier forms appear on historical record.
*[[Inverbervie]], Kincardineshire. ''Haberberui'' in 1290, demonstrates that a Pictish ''aber'', "estuary, confluence" has been supplanted by Gaelic ''inbhir'', with identical meaning.<ref name="cpns" />
*[[Inverie]], Fife. A possible early form, ''Auerin'' (1141), may be for ''*Aberin'', thus attesting the same ''inbhir'' for ''aber'' substitution as above.<ref name="PNF" />
*[[Braemar|Kindrochit Alian]], Aberdeenshire. ''Doldauha'' before c. 850 AD, in which the first element is ''dôl'' ("meadow").<ref name="Ross">{{cite book |last1=Ross |first1=Alasdair |chapter=Medieval European land assessment, Fortriu, and the ''dabhach'' |title=Scotland in Early Medieval Europe |year=2019 |editor-last=Blackwell |editor-first=Alice E. |location=Leiden |publisher=Sidestone Press |pages=135–148 |isbn=978-90-8890-753-1 |url=https://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/23390/1/ROSS%20Medieval%20European%20land%20assessment%20Fortriu%20and%20the%20dabhach%20COPY%20EDIT.pdf |hdl=1893/23390 |via=Dspace}}</ref>
*[[Strathtyrum]], Fife. ''Trestirum'' in 1190, suggestive of assimilation of a Pictish ''tref'', "estate", to (unconnected) Gaelic ''srath'', "a valley".<ref name="PNF" />

=== Personal names ===
Pictish personal names, as acquired from documents such as the [[Poppleton manuscript]], show significant diagnostically Brittonic features including the retention of final ''-st'' and initial ''w-'' (cf. P. ''Uurgust'' vs. Goidelic ''Fergus'') as well as development of ''-ora-'' to ''-ara-'' (cf. P. ''Taran'' vs G. ''torann'').<ref name="xpi19">{{cite news |last1=Rhys |first1=Guto |title=The Pictish Language |url=https://www.academia.edu/41294628 |access-date=12 March 2021 |work=History Scotland}}</ref><ref name="UGlas" />

Several Pictish names are directly parallel to names and nouns in other Brittonic languages. Several Pictish names are listed below according to their equivalents in Brittonic and other Celtic languages.{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=1444}}<ref name="xpi19" />
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Pictish
! Brittonic cognate(s)
! Other Celtic cognate(s)
|-
| ''Mailcon''
| ''Mailcon'' (Old Welsh), ''[[Maelgwn Gwynedd#Name|Maelgwn]]'' (Welsh)
| -
|-
| ''Morcunt'', ''Morgunn'', ''Morgainn''
| ''Morcant'' (Old Welsh)
| -
|-
| ''[[Taran mac Ainftech|Taran]]''
| ''[[wikt:taran#Welsh|taran]]'' (Welsh)
| ''[[Taranis]]'' (Gaulish)
|-
| ''[[Óengus I|Unust]]''
| ''Unwst'' (Welsh)
| ''[[Aengus|Oengus]]'' (Gaelic)
|-
| ''Uoret'', ''Urad''
| ''Guoret'' (Old Welsh)
| -
|-
| ''Uuen''
| ''[[Owain]]'' (Welsh)
| -
|-
| ''Uurgust''
| ''Gurgust'' (Old Welsh)
| ''Fergus'' (Gaelic)
|}
Several elements common in forming Brittonic names also appear in the names of Picts. These include ''*jʉð'', "lord" (> ''Ciniod'') and ''*res'', "ardor" (> ''Resad''; cf. Welsh ''Rhys'').<ref name="forsyth2020">{{cite journal |last=Forsyth |first=Katherine |author-link=Katherine Forsyth |title=Protecting a Pict?: Further thoughts on the inscribed silver chape from St Ninian's Isle, Shetland |journal=Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland |date=2020 |page=11 |url=http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/222539/1/222539.pdf}}</ref>

=== Irish records ===
The 9th century work ''[[Sanas Cormaic]]'' (or Cormac's Gloassary), an etymological glossary of Irish, noted a word ''catait'' ("Pictish brooch") (also spelled ''cartait'' and ''catit'') as being of Pictish origin. Isaac (2005) compared the word with [[Old Welsh]] ''cathet'' (of uncertain meaning but thought to mean "brooch" and appearing in a 10th century poem listing precious gifts) and offered a speculative Pictish reconstruction ''*kazdet''.<ref name="isacc05">{{cite journal |last1=Isaac |first1=G. R. |title='A Note on Cormac's Pictish Brooch'. Journal of Celtic Linguistics |journal=Journal of Celtic Linguistics |date=2005 |volume=9 |pages=72–83}}</ref>