v1.0
Published 01/10/24
achlais f. [ˈaxɫ̪əʃ], [ˈaxɫ̪iʃ],
E.g. (Gairloch) [ɑxLəʃ] (Wentworth 2003, s.v. armpit); (Glengarry) [aKLəS] (Dieckhoff 1932); (Lewis) /ɑxLiʃ/ (Oftedal 1956, 51); but (Easter Ross) /ɑx(ə)Lɑʃ/ (Watson 2022, 84); (East Sutherland) /ɔx(ə)ɫaš/.
gen. achlaise -[ə], ‘armpit’ is a normalised dative form of achlas, a metathesised form of EG ochsal
Also written oxal, where <x> = <chs>.
‘armpit, wing’, later oscal(l). EG ochsal is derived by Zimmer (1888, 464–65), Craigie (1894, 164) and McDonald (2009) from ON ǫxl f. ‘shoulder’, but ON ǫxl would likely yield SG *[ˈɔʰk(ə)s̪əɫ̪] (or *[ˈaʰk(ə)s̪əɫ̪] with o ~ a alternation in Gaelic), cf. ON *Lax-á ‘(the) salmon-river’ > SG Lacasaigh [ˈɫ̪ɑʰkəˌs̪aj] (Cox 2022, 200). However, MacBain (1896), Marstrander (1915a, 124) and eDIL˄ derive EG ochsal from Lat. axilla ‘side, armpit’, where the development of Lat. /k/ in axilla > Primitive Gaelic /x/ in ochsal has a terminus ante quem of approximately the middle of the fifth century (Mc Manus 1983, 48–49, 62). EG oscal(l) (also ascal(l)) is a later borrowing from VLat. ascella ‘idem’ (Vendryes 1996), so Ir. ascaill (also a normalised dative form) and SG (Arran) asgall [ɛsɡəɫ] (Holmer 1957, 77; Robertson 1908c, 88: asgaill); cf. W asgell ‘wing’.
This assumes that SG achlais goes back to EG ochsal and that SG asgall goes back to EG oscal(l). However, note the defricativisation for example in EG fochsal > focsal ‘removing’ and Ir. *coischéim > coiscéim ‘footstep’ (Ó Maolalaigh 2016, 91–92, 102 fn 53).
Other Scottish Gaelic forms include (Perthshire) aslaic; the dictionary forms asgailt and asgnaill (besides asgall);
Cf. Shaw 1780: asguil; Armstrong 1825: achlas, achlais, asgall, asgnail, aslaich; HSS 1828 achlais, ascall, asgal(l), asgul, asguill, aslach; McAlpine 1832: achlais, asgaill, asgailt.
and the forms aslaich and asgail given as a gloss to brollach (broilleach ‘breast’) in the 1807 Gaelic Bible (Gnàth-Fhocail XIX:24) (Robertson ibid.). Aslaic is no doubt a metathesised form of asgall (asgaill), while asgailt and asgnaill show epenthetic t and n, respectively; aslaich appears to be a metathesised form of achlais.
Derivatives: achlasan m. ‘(under)armful’ < achlas + the suffix -an (EG -án), also aslachan via metathesis.