On So, 8.02.2009, 02:32, Neil McLeod wrote:
>
> Happily, Myles Dillon has an article on ' The semantic history of Irish
> 'gal' "valour; steam" ' in Celtica vii at 196f. Dillon notes that: The
> root-meaning of gal- is "to be able".
>
> It combines with nouns to form what he calls 'nouns of action', e.g.
> cath-gal (doing battle), brat-gal (thieving), fet-gal (whistling),
> tonn-gal (billowing).
>
> If we treat mor- here as a substantive (great thing), then 'morgala'
> might mean 'doing great things' (i.e. ruling spledidly).

That sounds good.

David