(le Róislín)

Áiseach, Himiléach, Meiriceánach, bán, donn, dubh, spadánta, spéaclach, oll-, agus gréine — these are some of the ways we can describe “béir” (bears).  In the previous blog (nasc thíos), we also grouped together the words caife, déirí, núdal, sailéad, ceapairí, sneaiceanna, sushi, and fíona — all of which can be used to describe “beáir” (bars).  And that gave us the bit of alliterative fun we ended with last time: Cén cineál beáir ab fhearr le béar?  Do bharúil?

Last time, though, we didn’t have space to include the various subspecies, so I’ve listed some here.  For the subheadings (in italics), I’ve left a few blanks spaces for letters to be filled, for a little practice with plural forms (freagraí thíos).  Also, for quite a few of these, since I haven’t found any usage of them online, I’ve indicated the new terms with a réiltín (asterisk).

1). Pandas: Panda_

an t-ollphanda, the great panda, or simply “panda” (1,864 acu beo san fhiántas de réir an WWF, nasc thíos)

*an panda Qinling nó *an panda donn nó *an panda séipia (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis, ca. 200-300 acu beo san fhiántas)

The panda rua (lesser panda aka red cat-bear or red panda) is not actually a bear, so it’s not included here, but I did include a brief comment on it at the end of this group, since it was mentioned in the previous blog.

As for other types of bears, like the brown and black, there are some subspecies for which I can’t find definitive terms in Irish, but the translations would seem fairly clear-cut so I’ve ventured some choices here, again marked with a réiltín.

2). Brown Bears (Bé_r  D_ onn_)

*béar donn Siriach, *béar donn Ussuri (Amur), *béar Kodiak, *béar Ghóibí, *béar gorm Tibéadach (aka *béar donn Tibéadach, so I don’t how “gorm” it actually looks), *béar donn Oir-Shibéarach, *béar donn Eoráiseach, *béar donn Alascach, *béar donn Dall Island, *béar donn Leithinis Alasca, *béar donn Sitka, and *an béar donn Stickeen — now there’s a familiar-looking name, but is it the same “Stickeen” as we find in Ireland?  Fiosrach faoin fhocal “Stickeen”?  Trí úsáid éagsúla sa nóta thíos.

3). Black Bears (Bé_r   D_ ubh_)

*béar dubh Calafóirneach, *béar dubh Dall (ní “dall” i nGaeilge é seo ach ó Oileán Dall, Alasca), béar oighearshrutha (aka “béar gorm”), *béar dubh Florida, *béar dubh Haida Gwaii, *béar dubh Iar-Mheicsiceach, *béar dubh Kenai, *béar dubh Louisiana, *béar dubh Meicsiceach, *béar dubh New Mexico, *béar dubh Oilimpeach, *béar dubh Oileán Vancouver, *béar dubh Oirthearach, *béar dubh Thalamh an Éisc, *béar cainéil, agus *béar spioraid (spirit bear) aka *béar Kermode.  “Béar Kermode,” an ea?  Sloinne Gaeilge mar ainm béir sa Cholóim Bhriotanach?  ‘Sea, sin é. It was named for Frank Kermode (d. ca. 1945), former director of the Royal B.C. Museum, more than likely of Manx heritage.  Tagann an sloinne “Kermode” ón Ghaeilge, Mac Dhiarmada [say: maK-YEER-mu-duh, the “dh” is pronounced like a “y”].  Cultúr Ceilteach full circle, nach ea?  Fad ca. 4500 míle (7200 km) idir Oileán Mhanann agus an Cholóim Bhriotanach.

4). Grizzly Bears (Ollbhé_r  M_eiriceánach_) aka North American Brown Bears (Bé_r D_onn_ T_uaidh-Mheiriceánach_)

As far as subspecies go, this animal’s situation seems a bit complex, especially for a non-zoologist like myself.  But if I read the information correctly the “Grizzly Bear” is already a subspecies of Ursus arctos (Brown Bear), so it doesn’t have any further subspecies.  Before 1963, zoologists did, in fact, believe that the Kodiak and the Peninsular brown bears were a subspecies, but in that year a new view was adopted, making them separate species.  The Californian and Mexican grizzlies, which might have been a subspecies, have recently become “díothaithe” (extinct).  And recently (le déanaí) does mean “recently” here — 1924 for the Californian and 1962/1964 for the Mexican.

5). Sloth Bears (Bé__r  __padánta)

Tá dhá fhospeiceas ann: *an béar spadánta coiteann agus *an béar spadánta Srí Lancach

6). Spectacled Bears aka Andean Bears (Bé__r   Spéaclach__ aka *Bé__r   Aindéach__)

Is béar spéaclach é “Paddington an Béar” sna leabhartha do pháistí le Michael Bond.  Ní bhfuair mé aon eolas ar fhospeiceas ar bith agus ní dóigh liom go bhfuil fospeicis ar bith ann.

This bear is also known as the Andean short-faced bear, but I can’t find any documented word for “short-faced” in Irish.  I’ll suggest “*gearréadanach” (short-faced) modeled on “bare-faced” (loméadanach) as in tamairín loméadanach (bare-faced tamarin) or “madréadanach” as in “nathair uisce mhadréanach” (dog-faced water snake).  Another possibility would be “aghaidhghearr” (short-faced) modeled on “aghaidh-dhonnrua” as in “cabaire aghaidh-dhonnrua” (chestnut-faced babbler”).

An alternate to using the adjective form “Aindéach” is simply using the place name (na nAindéas, of the Andes), as in “condar na nAindéas” (the Andean condor).  Of the few Andean animals I can find terms for in Irish, it seems about half are called “Aindéach” and about half are “na nAindéas.”

Bhíodh “béar spéaclach Florida” (Tremarctos floridanus) ann ach tá sé “díothaithe” le mílaoiseanna.

7). Sun Bears (Bé__r  G__réine) aka “Honey Bears” (Bé__r  M__eala)

Tá dhá fhospeiceas ann ach níl aon rud sainiúil ar a n-ainmneacha — Laidin agus ainmneacha pearsanta atá i gceist: Helarctos malayanus malayanus Raffles, 1831 agus H. m. euryspilus, Horsfield, 1825.

8). Ábhar éagsúla: Honey Bears, Lesser Pandas, Extinct Species, “Honey Pot Bears”

Amanna tugtar “Honey Bear” ar an mbéar dubh Meiriceánach agus ar an mbéar spadánta agus (níos aistí fós) ar an gcincisiú (kinkajou), ainmhí nach béar ar chor ar bith é!  Ar ndóigh, ní hionann iad agus an Béar Gréine.  Dála an scéil, ní dóigh liom go bhfuil baint ar bith le “Honey Bears” agus an carachtar “Dr. Honey Bare”, ainm eile don charachtar “Jadzia Dax” san eipeasóid “Our Man Bashir” i Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (S4E10).  Tá “Our Man Bashir” ina scigaithris ar scannáin James Bond, nó b’fhéidir go bhfuil sé ina scigaithris ar scigaithris eile ar James Bond, an scannán Our Man Flint (1966).   Ní de thaisme a litríodh ainm an dochtúra mar “b-a-r-e” é!

For the sake of consistency, I’ll also comment here on the subspecies for the lesser panda (an panda rua), although I recently read that they are not bears at all, but belong in their own family (Ailuridae) and genus (Ailurus) as “Ailurus fulgens.” The two subspecies are *Panda Rua Iartharach and *Panda Rua Styan, named after F(rederick) W(illiam) Styan, 1858-1934, a tea merchant in China and published zoologist, known for donating a Red Panda to the San Diego Zoo — perhaps the first such gift?

As for the subspecies that have recently become “díothaithe,” I see at least three, which again, I will attempt a translation for: *an t-ollbhéar Meicsiceach (last recorded 1962/1964), *an t-ollbhéar Calafóirneach (last recorded 1924), and *an béar Atlais (aka “an béar Afracach” last observed in the 1870s).   And prehistorically, there is *an béar pluaise, the cave bear.

And then, of course, according to Tayto Park (nasc thíos), there are “béir na bprócaí meala” (the honey-pot bears) which provide the theme for the park’s “tea-cup” ride.

Well, I’ve probably barely scratched the surface of “sága bhéir an domhain” but I’ve tried to provide useful terminology for anyone who wants to go beyond “Goldilocks” and “Baloo.”  Now let’s look at some more bars (beáir or beáranna)

Cineálacha Beár

Now, to follow up on the other part of the last blog, beáir, here are a few additional phrases.  Last time we had: caife, déirí, núdal, sailéad, ceapairí, sneaiceanna, sushi, and fíona (possessive form of “fíon,” wine).  Seo cineálacha beáir eile, le réiltíní (*) do na cinn a chum mé féin :

breakfast bar, beár bricfeasta

burger bar, beár burgar

café bar, beár caife

cereal bar (a self-serving bar offering various breakfast cereals), *beár gránaigh, not a “barra gránaigh,” which is the actual food item

cocktail bar, beár manglam

coffee bar, beár caife

juice bar, beár súnna

soup bar, *beár anraithí

tapas bar, beár tapas

For whatever reason, a “milk bar” is, according to dictionaries,  a “scroidchuntar bainne” (lit. a snack-counter of milk), not a phrase with “beár.” However, I did track down one reference to a “beár bainne” (milk bar) online (nasc thíos).  Just one though.  For what it’s worth, “scroidchuntar bainne,” the official term, didn’t bring up any hits at all in a natural context, only the dictionary entries.  The plural form, “scroidchuntair bhainne” didn’t fare any better.

In terms of décor and ambiance, there is the concept of “beár téama” (a theme bar), which could include “beár téama Éireannach,” or the following “*beár téama Star Trek” or “*beár téama zombaithe” or “*beár téama film noir.”  Other types of bars include beár pianó, beár poiblí, beár príobháideach, and beár spóirt, and of course there are always places like “deochlanna (lounge bars), “salúin,” and “tolglanna” (lounge bars) which may have “bar” in their English forms but not in the Irish.  In addition, there is the contrast between a “*beár tirim” (dry bar, gan doirteal) and a “*beár fliuch” (wet bar, le doirteal), but I haven’t found those in any Irish dictionary yet.  There’s also the term “beár airgid” (cash bar).

Bhuel, sin é, cineálacha eile béar agus cineálacha eile beár.  Tá súil agam go raibh sé suimiúil agus má fhaigheann tú bricfeasta ag beár bricfeasta, tá súil agam nach mbeidh béar ann chomh maith, ag tabhairt leis rud ar bith is mian leis, meallta ag boladh na meala, b’fhéidir.  SGF — Róislín

Nóta faoin fhocal/ainm “Stickeen” (an béar donn Stickeen) — trí úsáid an fhocail ach an focal Gaeilge é?

a)) ainm madra a bhí ag John Muir, an nádúraí (the naturalist, not to be mistaken with the word “nochtach,” which would be a “naturist” or “nudist”)

b)) amanna litrithe “Stikine,” focal sa teanga Tlingit a chiallaíonn “abhainn mhór” agus a fheictear in ainmneacha mar “Abhainn Stikine,” “Caolas Stikine” agus “Oighearchaidhp Stikine” — seo bunús an fhrása “an béar donn Stickeen.”  Not that many people probably use “abhainn,” “caolas” or “oighearchaidhp” for these place names locally, in Alaska, but it’s good practice for Irish.  They mean “river,” “strait,” and “icecap” respectively.  And, at the rate the cibearGhaeltacht is growing, maybe there are some cainteoirí Gaeilge in the area?  Duine ar bith, a Alascacha?)

c)) in Éirinn tá “Stickeen” (aka Steeple Rock) amach ó chósta thiar theas na hÉireann. “Stickeen” is an anglicized spelling and I haven,’t been able to find the exact Irish original, even after checking logainm.ie. But I assume it’s probably either “Staicín” as in Loch Chloch an Staicín (Lough Astickeen) in Co. Galway or “An Stuaicín,” of which there are at least three in Ireland (Clare, Cork, Mayo).  And then there’s a plural form, Na Stuaicíní (Stookeens).  A church steeple can be “stuaic,” the basis of “stuaicín,” or somewhat more typically, “steeple” can be “spuaic” (spuaic eaglaise), so there’s always a chance that “spuaic” and “stuaic” got intertwined, or as mo chomh-mhóidíní Star Trek might say the two words might have gotten “Tuvixed.”  Anyway, it’s just a coincidence really, but an interesting one, and it certainly caught my eye!

So one northwestern North American bear bears (!) a Manx/Gaelic surname (Kermode) as part of its scientific name, and another one sure looks Irish (Stickeen), even if it turns out to be Tlingit!  I wonder if John Muir (a Scot, by birth, who did explore the northwest) was thinking of the similarity when he named his dog “Stickeen.”

Freagraí: Pandas: Pandaí; Brown Bears (Béir Dhonna); Black Bears (Béir Dhubha); Grizzly Bears (Ollbhéir Mheiriceánacha) aka North American Brown Bears (Béir Dhonna Thuaidh-Mheiriceánacha); Sloth Bears (Béir Spadánta, no change to “spadánta” because “sp” cannot take mutations); Spectacled Bears aka Andean Bears (Béir Spéaclacha aka Béir Aindéacha; also no change to the “sp” of “spéaclacha” because, as just stated, “sp” doesn’t take lenition or eclipsis); Sun Bears (Béir Ghréine) aka “Honey Bears” (Béir Mheala)

Nasc do bhlagphost eile seo sa tsraith seo: Cineálacha Béar agus Cineálacha Beár (Irish Words for Types of Bears and Types of Bars) (Cuid/Pt. 1/2) Posted by róislín on Feb 28, 2018 in Irish Language

Naisc eile:

honey-pot bears: http://www.taytopark.ie/uploads/inner_page/TP_School_Brochure_2016_Final.pdf

giant panda statistics: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/giant-panda

background on F. W. Styan: http://www.styan.net/pdfs/YeStyanChronicles7.pdf  (BTW, I could find next to nothing biographical about Frank Kermode, so if any of you can find more, especially if you’re in B.C.,  I’d love to know more about his connection to the Isle of Man.  Duine ar bith anseo ón gColóim Bhriotanach?)

tagairt amháin don bhfrása “beár bainne” (milk bar) ar an Idirlíon le Gaeilge ar an bhfrása “Bar Mlecznyna mbocht” http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/2.663/bar-mlecznyna-mbocht-1.948334