Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/telmis

This Proto-Celtic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

From earlier *telksmis, from Proto-Indo-European *telksm̥is, from *telk- (“to thrust, strike”) +‎ *sem- (“together, one”)^[1]. Cognate with Proto-Slavic *telťi (“to pound”), Lithuanian tìlkti (“to be tame”).

*telmis f

1. sling, snare

All descendants have rather odd vowel developments.

• In Irish and Breton, an -a- irregularly appears as the vowel.
  • In Irish, this could have occurred by analogy with some other word(s) with alternating a + palatalization vs. e without palatalization.
  • This cannot explain the Breton vocalism, however.
• In Welsh, we would expect **tylm instead of telm since *e is regularly finally i-affected even by short *i.

• *tolkos
• *talskos

• Brythonic:
  • Old Breton: talmorion
    • Middle Breton: talm
      • Breton: talm
  • Middle Welsh: telm
• Middle Irish: teilm
  • Irish: tailm