https://twitter.com/NASA/status/723233728747724800/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw from http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA17563 (Image credit: ESA/Herschel/PACS/MESS Key Programme Supernova Remnant Team; NASA, ESA and Allison Loll/Jeff Hester (Arizona State University)

     (le Róislín)

Agus mé amuigh ag siúl oíche Dhéardaoin seo caite chonaic mé marquee ag rá “RIP Prince.”  Ar dtús ní raibh a fhios agam cén fáth a raibh sé sin scríofa.  Bhí mé istigh an chuid is mó den lá ar an lá sin agus níor thug mé mórán airde don nuacht.  Ansin, chuala mé an nuacht, nó b’fhéidir go mba chóir dom a rá, an méid den nuacht faoi Prince a bhí ar fáil ag an am sin.

Many writers, commentators, bloggers, and members of the general public who know Prince’s music much better than I do have filled the Internet with their condolences, memories, thoughts and opinions.  Since I’m mostly a trad folkie type, with a bit of a penchant for 1920s novelty Tin Pan Alley songs, I’ll leave the detailed commentary to those who follow his work more closely.

But I didn’t want to leave the sad and sudden event unnoticed.  Given that practically every image of Prince is “faoi chóipcheart,” I was pleased to find this NASA image, which not only amazes the eye with the intensity of its purple color, but which some say also suggests an outline of a man standing up and playing a guitar.  If you follow what looks to my eye looks like the brightest cluster, that would be the lower edge of the guitar.  NASA tweeted it on April 21, 2016, at 12:36 pm, with the following message, “a purple nebula, in honor of Prince, who passed away today” (https://twitter.com/NASA/status/723233728747724800/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw).

The image was originally posted on December 12, 2013, long before the recent tragedy.  The official astronomical name in English is “The Crab Nebula” (“Réaltnéal an Phortáin,” i nGaeilge).

Care to look at that Irish a little more closely?  Let’s start with “réaltnéal” (nebula):

an réaltnéal, the nebula

an réaltnéil, of the nebula.  Note the slight spelling change.  There is also a slight change in pronunciation, from the final “broad l” of “réaltnéal” to the final “slender l” of “réaltnéil.”  For a basic comparison, the “slender l” is more like the “l” of the English word “milk,” especially as pronounced in Irish English, and a “broad l” is more like the “l” of “Louisville,” especially as pronounced by locals to that area.  And yes, I’ve actually compared pronunciations for “Louisville” that I’ve found online to the Irish “broad l” and I think it’s a sound comparison.  Of course, it depends on who is doing the talking.  Sampla: Tá neodrónréalta i lár an réaltnéil seo (There is a neutron star in the center of this nebula).

na réaltnéalta, the nebulae / the nebulas

na réaltnéalta, of the nebulae / of the nebulas.  The same format as directly above.  Sampla:  An bhfuil neodrónréaltaí eile i lár na réaltnéalta eile?  (Are there other neutron stars in the centers of the other nebulae?).  And if any réalteolaí reading this cares to answer the question, so much the better.  Please write in an let us know.

And now for the second core element of the phrase, “Réaltnéal an Phortáin,” which is “portán” (crab):

an portán, the crab

an phortáin [un FOR-taw-in, note that the final “n” is “caolaithe” (slenderized) in pronunciation, like you’re about to say “n^yuh” as in “canyon,” but you cut the sound short], of the crab.  Sampla: Réaltnéal an Phortáin (The Crab Nebula)

na portáin [nuh POR-taw-in], the crabs

na bportán [nuh BOR-tawn, note the return to the “broad n,” next to the final “a,” which is also broad], of the crabs.  Sampla: crúbóga na bportán sin, the claws of those crabs.  Dip gairleoige do dhuine ar bith?  Garlic dip, anyone?

Ar mhaith le duine ar bith anseo cur leis an mblagmhír seo?  Smaointe ar bith eile? An t-amhrán Prince is fearr leat?  Aon tionchar a bhí aige ort? Nótaí tráchta ar bith eile faoi? Go brónach, agus le comhbhrón ó chroí dá mhuintir agus dá leantóirí. — Róislín

PS: We’ll resume the names blog at the next available opportunity.  As you may recall, we had just finished discussing the names “Bláth,” “Bláithín,” and “Bláthnaid.”  (Five More Irish Names for Girls — Names with a Flower Theme (Bláth / Bláithín / Bláthnaid, Daifne / Dafnae, Lil / Lile, Nóinín, Róisín / Róis / Róise, and, sort of, Mairéad / Maighréad)  Posted on 21. Apr, 2016 by róislín in Irish Language;  (https://blogs.transparent.com/irish/five-more-irish-names-for-girls-names-with-a-flower-theme-blath-blaithin-blathnaid-daifne-dafnae-lil-lile-noinin-roisin-rois-roise-and-sort-of-mairead-maighread/)