(le Róislín)

Much has been written about the Titanic in advance of the centennial of its loss but, at least as far as I can tell, relatively little in Irish.   Of course, it’s a somewhat difficult topic to search for online, since the keyword “Titanic” stays the same in Irish and in English.  Putting “an” (pronounced “un”) in front of it, for “the Titanic” doesn’t help a whole lot, since “an” can be a word in English too.  The new 3-D movie remains the top hit.  I still get the movie when I search for “ar an Titanic” (on the Titanic), this time prioritizing the shows in the state of Arkansas (AR), whose abbreviation looks like the Irish word for “on” (ar).  “Titanic” and “long” (ship) isn’t a great search, since, once again, “long” happens to be an English word as well.  “Titanic” and “línéar farraige moiré” (ocean-liner, very lit. big-sea liner) brings up nothing for me in Google.  “Titanic” and “linear” (liner, to avoid using “long” for “ship”), does bring up 53 results, but that includes some useless hits, like a social security number look-up (!) and somebody’s financial services site.  Par for the course, in searching, but a bit frustrating when there are so few hits to begin with.

Nonetheless, I did find some useful links (“an Titanic” and “Gaeilge” together made a reasonable search) and have listed them below I’m sure there’s more – if anyone finds some good links, please do let us all know.

Here are some key terms for discussing the event:

comóradh, commemoration

ócáid, occasion

céad bliain, 100 years (remember, no lenition or eclipsis after “céad” for “100,” or for other multiples of 10, except “10” itself, which would give us “deich mbliana.”)

cnoc oighir, iceberg, lit. hill (of) ice

Talamh an Éisc,Newfoundland, lit. land of the fish

Albain Nua,Nova Scotia, note the reversed word order

Baile na Banríona, Queenstown, now Cóbh.

bádh, was drowned, was sunk (or “were”)

cailleadh, was lost (or “were”) often used to mean “died” (Cailleadh anuraidh é, he died last year) but can also just mean “misplaced” (cailleadh an t-airgead)

And here’s an interesting assortment of words for “ill-fated”

míchinniúnach [MEE-hin-YOON-ukh], based on “cinniúint” (destiny)

mífhortúnach [MEE-or-TOON-ukh], unfortunate

mí-ámharach [MEE-AW-wur-ukh], unlucky (from ádh, luck, though I wouldn’t really call what happened to the Titanic a matter of luck, as such, more a matter of húbras)

daordhálach [DEER-γAW-lukh], ill-fated, but more with the sense of receiving oppressive or harsh treatment, as in the adjective “daor”  (enslaved, condemned, harsh, severe, costly, dear, expensive) or the phrase “Beidh daor ort,” meaning “You’ll pay dearly for that (if you …).”

The centenary of the event gives us a lot to think about, including the fate of the Irish on board.  Bhur smaointe?  SGF, Róislín

Cúpla nasc faoin Titanic:

Fís bheag (a short video) “Diarmuid ag Iarsmalann Nua an Titanic,” http://www.tg4.ie/stud/ponc/xltext.asp?RID=142

“An Titanic,” alt le hAlan Titley: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2012/0412/1224314641250.html

Alt gairid (a short article) faoi chomóradh: http://www.baltimore.ie/2012/03/planned-celebrations-for-titanic-day-on-cape-clear-island-wednesday-11-april-2012-ceiliurach-an-titanic-ar-oilean-chleire-an-ceadaoine-11-aibrean-2012/ (btw, that refers to Baltimore in Ireland, not Maryland)

http://oideachas.gaelsceal.ie/index.php/junior-cert/ossp/notai/coincheap-1-dinit-an-duine/174-comoradh-100-bliain-an-titanic