Shillelagh

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Shillelagh

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed Oct 05, 2022 9:27 pm

• shillelagh •


Pronunciation: shê-lay-lee • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: An Irish cudgel made of a knobbed stick of blackthorn, oak, or other hardwood.

Notes: The shillelagh was once used for settling disputes in a more gentlemanly manner than by using swords or pistols. Look out for the spelling. Remember the middle E is pronounced [ay] and the final syllable is spelled -lagh, though pronounced [-lee].

Image

In Play: Shillelaghs are still occasionally used for combat: "Liam Flannagan was disqualified from play for hitting a member of the other side on the head with his shillelagh." However, they are more likely to be used as walking sticks: "Grandpa uses his shillelagh as a walking cane, with which he, however, once successfully defended himself against an unsuspecting mugger."

Word History: Today's Good Word is a difficult one to trace. It is the name of a village in County Wicklow in Ireland. The forests around this village are supposed to have provided a substantial source of the blackthorn from which shillelaghs are made. The geographic name Shillelagh derives from Síol Éalaigh, or "descendants of Éalach". A better source of the word is that it is an English corruption of Old Irish sail éille "strap cudgel", from sail "heavy stick, cudgel" + éille "thong, strap", since cudgels are often provided with a strap for holding the cudgel on the hand. Old Irish sail started off as spali- "split off, board" from PIE (s)phel-/(s)phol- "to split, cut off; board". We see its remnants in Sanskrit sphara "shield, Persian sipar "shield", German spalten "to split", and English splint.
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Philip Hudson
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Re: Shillelagh

Postby Philip Hudson » Thu Oct 06, 2022 9:52 pm

Being descended from denizens of the "auld sod" and having a rather romantic desire to span time and place and identify with these forebearers, I wish I had my own Shillelagh. If I had one, I would handle it with care.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

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Re: Shillelagh

Postby Dr. Goodword » Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:41 pm

It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.
. . . unless you conk me on the head with your shillelagh.
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Philip Hudson
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Re: Shillelagh

Postby Philip Hudson » Fri Oct 07, 2022 1:56 am

Nah! I'll be careful.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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