(le Róislín)

Many Irish words referring to different types of buildings end in “-lann.”  Among these is “leabharlann,” our topic for today.

“Leabharlann” ([L^yOW -ur-lahn], library) is clearly related to the word “leabhar” ([L^yOW -ur], book).  In this regard, Irish is more systematic than English, which has a Germanic word “book” (cf. das Buch) for the physical item that we read but which jumps to the Latin-based “library” for the building that houses them.

Do you recognize “leabhar” from some other languages as well?  It has many linguistic siblings and cousins, like “liber,” “livre,” “libro,” and “llyfr.”  Remember, many Irish words are cognates to words in other European languages.  It’s just that the spelling often disguises the fact!

Getting back to “leabharlann,” it is a straightforward combination of “leabhar” + “-lann.”  No spelling changes to worry about here, because we’re dealing with “L’s,” not combinations like “taoschnó” (doughnut, taos + cnó) or “candamchlog” (quantum clock, candam + clog).  The “-lann” suffix keeps its same spelling.

Like most “-lann” words, leabharlann is grammatically feminine, so we have:

leabharlann, a library

an leabharlann, the library

na leabharlainne, of the library

na leabharlanna, the libraries

na leabharlann, of the libraries (back to the original ending)

Similarly, we have the following , most of which do show lenition and eclipsis (aistriúcháin thíos):

1. a) amharclann, an amharclann, na hamharclainne, na hamharclanna, na n-amharclann
2. b) bialann, an bhialann, na bialainne, na bialanna, na mbialann
3. c) cógaslann, an chógaslann, na cógaslainne, na cógaslanna, na gcógaslann
4. d) dialann, an dialann, na dialainne, na dialanna, na ndialann, and
5. e) pictiúrlann, an phictiúrlann, na pictiúrlainne, na pictiúrlanna, na bpictiúrlann

Here are a few additional “library”  and “book” words:

leabharlannaí, a librarian; leabharlannaithe, librarians

eolaíocht leabharlainne, library science

leabharliosta, bibliography

leabhragán, a bookcase

There are some compound words which have “leabhar” first and then another element, which is lenited.  These include the following.  Can you figure what they mean?   Freagraí (Béarla agus fuaimniú) thíos.

1. f) leabharbhách
2. g) leabharghealt
3. h) leabharmharc
4. i) leabharshuaitheantas
5. j) leabharthaca

And finally speaking of “leabhartha” (or “leabhair“) what are some of your favorite books?  Cad iad na leabhartha is fearr leat?  I nGaeilge nó i mBéarla nó i dteanga ar bith eile.  Más mian leat scríobh isteach, tá mé cinnte go mbeidh suim ag léitheoirí eile an liosta seo na teidil a fheiceáil. 

Nó b’fhéidir cad iad na leabhartha ab fhearr leat nuair a bhí tú i do pháiste?  Arís, i dteanga ar bith.  Tosóidh mise le leabhar páiste a léigh mé mar dhuine fásta.  Cén fáth an mhoill fhada sin?  Nuair a bhí mé ag iarraidh an leabhair seo a ghlacadh amach ó leabharlann mo scoile, agus mé b’fhéidir sé bliana d’aois, NÍOR LIG an leabharlannaí cead dom é a fháil.  Cén fáth?  Leabhar le pictiúr ar gach leathanach a bhí ann, feiliúnach do pháiste óg, ach ba leabhar oideachasúil é freisin.   B’fhéidir gur shíl sí nach mbeadh suim agam ann.  Ach chuimhnigh mé ar an leabhar ar feadh blianta, agus an pictiúr a bhí ar an gclúdach, cat san fharraige agus bád le bratach na Fraince.  Cad é an teideal a bhí air? Cat Sank: French for Fun, le hIrma Selz.  Tús mo shuim i dteangacha iasachta, b’fhéidir, an cosc a chuir an leabharlannaí ar an leabhar!

So that was my first experience with a restricted book.  Cad fútsa?  Scéal ar bith mar sin?  SGF — Róislín

Freagraí agus nótaí:

1. a) amharclann, theater, primarily for plays
2. b) bialann, restaurant
3. c) cógaslann, pharmacy, US: drugstore, Ireland/UK: chemist’s shop
4. d) dialann, diary/journal
5. e) pictiúrlann, movie theater.

And the other compound words based on “leabhar”:

1. f) leabharbhách [L^yOW-ur-WAWKH], a bibliophile
2. g) leabharghealt [L^yOW-ur-YALT], a bibliomaniac. Hmm, cén difear idir sin agus “leabharbhách”?  Is dócha gur leabharbhách agus leabharghealt mise!
3. h) leabharmharc [L^yOW-ur-WARK], a bookmark
4. i) leabharshuaitheantas [L^yOW-ur-HOO-in-tuss], a bookplate
5. j) leabharthaca [L^yOW-ur-HAH-kuh], a book-end, usually plural no doubt: leabharthacaí [L^yOW-ur-HAH-kee]