Taighe

Taighe is a Scottish Gaelic word meaning "house." The standard word for house in Scottish Gaelic is taigh; taighe is a form that appears in certain grammatical contexts and in placenames. It functions especially as a genitive singular form used to express "of the house" and is also found in historical texts and in the construction of Gaelic toponyms and family names. In modern Gaelic orthography, taigh is preferred in ordinary sentences, while taighe is encountered when following prepositions, in some fixed expressions, or within compound names.

Etymology: Taighe derives from taigh and is cognate with Irish teach and Welsh tŷ, reflecting the common Proto-Celtic root for 'house.' The variation taighe represents a normal historical development in Gaelic where the final gh is used to signal lenition or other grammatical forms.

Usage: In place-names, taigh acts as a component that can indicate a house-associated origin, such as a farmstead or dwelling, and it occurs in poetic or ceremonial contexts in literature.

Cultural note: The word is rooted in daily life of Gaelic-speaking communities and appears in folklore and traditional songs that refer to home, dwelling, or ancestral halls.

See also: taigh, teach, toponymy, Scottish Gaelic language.