I Meiriceá bíonn Lá Gairmithe Riaracháin ar an gCéadaoin i lár Sheachtain Gairmithe Riaracháin.  Is í seachtain deireanach Aibreáin Seachtain Gairmithe Riaracháin (Administrative Professionals’ Week).  Bunaíodh é sa bhliain 1952 (abair: naoi déag caoga a dó). Sin ráite agam, caithfidh mé a admháil nach bhfuil mórán iomrá cloiste agam ar an ábhar seo (i nGaeilge)!

Ní i Meiriceá amháin a aithnítear an lá seo.  Léigh mé ar líne go bhfuil sé sna tíortha seo freisin: Buircíne Fasó, an Bheilg, an Chipir, an Fhrainc, an Eilvéis, an Ísiltír, Lucsamburg, an Pholainn, an tSlóvéin, agus an Ungáir.  Amanna bíonn an ceiliúradh ar lá eile i mí Aibreáin nó i mí na Bealtaine.  

Leis an fhírinne a dhéanamh ní raibh sé furasta Gaeilge a chur ar ainm an lae.  Ní raibh mé ábalta teacht ar an téarma in úsáid in áit ar bith.  Athraíodh ainm Béarla an lae dhá uair.  Ar dtús, ba é “Lá na Rúnaithe” é (Secretaries’ Day) agus ansin “Lá na gCabhróirí Riaracháin (Administrative Assistants’ Day).  Maidir le “professionals” mar ainmfhocail, is féidir “lucht gairme” nó “gairmithe” a úsáid, ach sílim go bhfuil “gairmithe níos feiliúnaí.

Most phrases in Irish requiring the adjective “administrative” use “riaracháin,” which literally means “of administration.” 

The adjective “professional” is “proifisiúnta,” but this isn’t usually the basis for the word for the person as such. 

Instead “gairmí” (plural: gairmithe) can be used.  This is based on “gairm,” a very old word in Irish that has lots of other interesting uses.  “Gairm” literally means “call,” “calling,” “vocation,” or “profession.” 

Here are a few more phrases with the word “gairm” or a related form:

gairm na cuaiche: the call of the cuckoo (i.e. early summer)

gairm chrábhaidh: religious vocation

Mo ghairm thú!: Bravo!

an tuiseal gairmeach: the vocative case (direct address)

toghairm: summons (to court)

gairm-shíceolaíocht: occupational psychology

gairm sluaigh: a proclamation of mobilization, also found as “sluagh-ghairm” in Scottish Gaelic (whence the English word “slogan”).

While we’re on the topic of professions, stay tuned for some job-related vocabulary coming up sa chéad bhlag eile.  Terms will range from “ab” and “abhchóide“ to “míoleolaí” and “Suáv.”  The latter two words begin with “z” in English, so my sentence is supposed to give the sense of “a to z” – not an easy task in Irish, where only about a dozen words actually begin with “z.” Not even the old standby, “zoologist,” begins with “z” in Irish (though “zú” does).  We’ll also jump from the traditional (maintín, spealadóir, úmadóir, srl.) to the modern (bainisteoir TF, ríomhchláraitheoir, cothaitheach, straitéisí, srl.).  We’ll see if your “post” comes up, and if not, let me know after the next blog appears and I’ll try to include it sa todhchaí.

Oh, and maybe a full translation of the first few paragraphs would be welcome.  Blag eile roimh i bhfad!   

Nótaí: admháil, admit; athraíodh, was changed; ceiliúradh, celebration; deireanach, last; furasta, easy; iomrá, discussion; todhchaí, future (n)