Archive for the year 2009
Comhaireamh Síos go Lá (an) Altaithe Posted by róislín on Nov 18, 2009
(le Róislín) For years, I wondered what the best way would be to say “Thanksgiving Day” or “Happy Thanksgiving!” i nGaeilge. Since it’s not a traditional holiday in Ireland, or Europe in general for that matter, there is no real precedent for this particular phrase. I’ve experimented with several versions, and since the advent of…
Ag Meaitseáil na bhFocal leis na Seanfhocail Posted by róislín on Nov 13, 2009
Hopefully this will prove an entertaining but useful review of the seanfhocail we just learned. Below we’ll have a few more proverbs to fill in that will be new for this blog (old, of course, mar eolas traidisiúnta). The choices are given first in a word bank, since columns may not work out in the…
Seanfhocail Fhrithráiteacha: An Béal Binn vs. An Roth Díoscánach, and What’s So Bad about Moss Anyway? Posted by róislín on Nov 10, 2009
We recently looked at the proverb “Is binn béal ina thost” (It’s sweet, a mouth in its silence). As hinted at last time, there is also a proverb expressing the opposite sentiment, that is, the advantages of being a squeaky wheel, “Faigheann an roth díoscánach an ola.” So that starts us off with a breakdown…
“Fuist,” “Whisht,” “Éist,” and “Is Binn Béal ina Thost” Posted by róislín on Nov 6, 2009
As you may have figured out, based on the one English spelling above, these are all ways to either firmly request or circuitously insinuate that someone should be silent. We see yet another variation, “whist,” in our Gaelic resource de la semaine, Mary Pat Kelly’s Galway Bay. In one spelling or another, the word shows…
An Ghaeilge sa Leabhar _Galway Bay_: “Guilpín,” “Grá” agus Go Leor Eile Posted by róislín on Nov 2, 2009
Oíche Fhéile Eoin, an 23ú lá de Mhí an Mheithimh, 1839, i mBearna, Co. na Gaillimhe. We’ve been talking quite a bit lately about Samhain, but now we’ll jump 2.5 seasons forward, and discuss some of the Irish phrases used in the highly praised novel, Galway Bay, by Mary Pat Kelly. The author is currently…
Bia Fáistineachta um Shamhain: Bairín Breac (Barmbrack) agus Cál Ceannann (Colcannon) Posted by róislín on Oct 31, 2009
One could fill a volume on nósanna Oíche Shamhna (Halloween customs), and indeed, it has been done. But I’ll wrap-up this year’s season with a discussion of some of the ways that ordinary foods can be used for divination. If it’s been a bit of a tuile (flood) of Halloween lore lately, what can I…
Tuilleadh Téarmaí Oíche Shamhna (More Halloween Terms) Posted by róislín on Oct 31, 2009
(le Róislín) An bhfuil culaith Oíche Shamhna agat? Do you have a Halloween costume? Má tá, cén sórt culaithe atá ann? An mbeidh tú i do vaimpír? [un may too ih duh VAM-peerzh?] Beidh [bay] / Ní bheidh [nee vay] For these questions, note that you’re literally saying something like, “Will you be in your vampire?”…