Studia Celtica Fennica

‘My only friend is my charioteer’: Láeg mac Riangabra in Táin Bó Cúailnge

2023-01-23T20:59:55+02:00

This paper explores how Cú Chulainn’s charioteer, Láeg mac Riangabra, is portrayed across the three recensions of Táin Bó Cúailnge. I will demonstrate how each recension contains at least one unique Láeg episode, and how small differences in shared scenes emphasise different aspects of his character. In doing so, I will highlight Láeg’s crucial contribution to the story of TBC, the complexities of his characterisation, and his potential to help illuminate the tale’s development.

Middle Welsh dihynnyon ‘fragments, bits of meat’ and Breton dienn, Cornish dehen ‘cream’

2024-05-23T10:55:27+03:00

This paper argues for an interpretation of Middle Welsh dihynnion as ‘skimmings’, i.e. ‘scum and fat skimmed from the cooking-pot’, rather than the traditional ‘fragments, bits of meat’. With this interpretation, Middle Welsh dihynnion can be connected to the otherwise etymologically isolated Breton dienn and Cornish dehen ‘cream’. All three words are derived from a Proto-Brittonic compound verb *di-hɪnn- ‘to skim, to scoop off’ which in turn ultimately stems from the Proto-Celtic verbal root *sem- ‘to pour, to scoop’.

Cisalpine Celtic varia III

2024-03-29T18:32:08+02:00

The article collects notes on the readings, analyses and etymologies of three Cisalpine Celtic inscriptions (MI·24 kituaretos, VA·20 snaśiouitos, TI·43 ]ọni : kuimpaḷui^?: pạḷạ), argues for the interpretation of TI·29 ]ạniui : p[ and TI·31 ]aḷạ[ as parts of the same inscription, and discusses graffiti and inscriptions on Golasecca beakers.

Textual Structure, Dialogue and the Layout of the Manuscripts of Acallam na Senórach

2024-08-16T17:25:20+03:00

In the medieval Irish frame narrative Acallam na Senórach ‘The Colloquy of the Ancients’, ancient Irish warriors Caílte and Oisín meet Saint Patrick and take him on a tour of Ireland, telling him hundreds of stories about the late Finn mac Cumaill. The nature of the text has led scholars to see Acallam na Senórach as episodic; yet, no research has been done into the manuscript evidence relating to how scribes and medieval readers may have conceived of the narrative as containing different parts, such as how the text is displayed on the page, which initials are coloured or indented in the margins and marginalia. This article draws on the concepts of ‘grammar of legibility’ (Parkes 1992: 23) and ‘lisibilité du texte’ ‘legibility of the text’ (Bergeron & Ornato 1990: 151–152) to address this desideratum. This study focusses on the five manuscripts (s. xv–xvii) in which Acallam na Senórach survives, and demonstrates that layout, colours, litterae notabiliores and paragraphs are used as a way to mark dialogue and the textual structure of the narrative.

Intersections in Early Irish and Japanese Nature Poetry: Seasons and Place Names

2024-10-04T17:17:08+03:00

This article examines similar poetic conventions in Early Irish and Japanese nature poetry. The first section focuses on associations of the seasons, often used in both literatures to explore cycles of rulership, rituals both societal and personal, and phases in human experiences. The second section examines the use of dindṡenchas in Early Irish lyrics and a comparable device, the utamakura, in Japanese poetry. Dindṡenchas and utamakura add historical and literary depth to nature poetry.

Review of J. Carey (ed.), 'Táin Bó Cúalnge from the Book of Leinster. Reassessments'

2024-05-02T18:31:07+03:00

Review of Cleary, C. and C. Kobel. (eds.): Essays in Memory of Eleanor Knott

2024-08-17T17:34:51+03:00

Review of Coşkun, A. (ed.): Galatian Victories and Other Studies into the Agency and Identity of the Galatians in the Hellenistic and Early Roman Period

2024-11-05T15:48:26+02:00

Review of N. Petrovskaia, This is not a Grail Romance. Understanding Historia Peredur vab Efrawg

2024-12-13T15:48:47+02:00

Review of Keay, A. The Restless Republic: Britain Without a Crown

2024-12-23T14:43:18+02:00

Review of P. Riggs (ed.), 'The Wars of Charlemagne: Reassessments'

2024-05-02T18:47:17+03:00

Review of M. Smyth The ‘Liber de ordine creaturarum’

2024-12-09T16:13:58+02:00

Review of Ó Fionnagáin, A. and Ó Riain, G (eds.): Léann na Sionainne

2024-12-23T14:34:44+02:00