An Ceathrú Díochlaonadh (4th-declension): Bealtaine, Duine, Domhainlascaine, srl., srl., srl. Posted by róislín on May 4, 2011
(le Róislín) Why so many “srl.-anna” sa teideal? Because there are so many different word-endings that fit this category, besides “-aine” and “-uine,” including a lot of the most recent borrowings, or adaptations, like “móideim” and “ríomhaire.” Other major groups include most (but not absolutely all) “-ín” nouns, like “cailín” and “bóithrín,” and most nouns…
Mayday! May Day! Bealtaine! Posted by róislín on May 1, 2011
(le Róislín) Bhuel, not exactly! “Mayday” as an emergency call comes from the French “(Venez) m’aider” (Come help me!)* and the Irish for “mayday” as an SOS remains “mayday,” so we have “córas mayday” (a mayday system) for sailing, etc. In fact, “SOS” also remains exactly the same in Irish, as an internationally understood abbreviation. …
Common, Commoner, -er/-est, -alty, -ality, -wealth (Coitianta, srl.) Posted by róislín on Apr 29, 2011
(le Róislín) Sos eile ó na díochlaontaí! There’s lots of terminology connected to weddings, “ríoga” or not, and maybe we’ll do some of that in June, the traditional wedding month. But, while nodding to “bainis ríoga William agus Kate,” I’ll just take a more pragmatic look at it, and focus on the word “commoner,” which…
M3, .i. An Téarma Gramadaí (Ní Mótarbhealach Atá i gCeist) Posted by róislín on Apr 27, 2011
(le Róislín) The abbreviation “M3” may suggest many things to many people: mótarbhealaigh (to traffic planners), soláthar airgid (to financial analysts), tomhas scriú sa chóras méadrach (to carpenters), an teanga ríomhchlárúcháin Modula-3 (to computer programmers), and an réaltbhraisle chruinneogach sa réaltbhuíon “na Madraí Fiaigh,” .i. Canes Venatici (to astronomers), to name just a few. But…
Díochlaontaí Arís! Posted by róislín on Apr 24, 2011
(le Róislín) Two words that pertain to Easter conveniently fit our next category of nouns, an tríú díochlaonadh (the third declension). One is the word “Cáisc” itself, and the other is “uaineoil.” As you may recall, before we took our “Sos Pónairí Glóthaí” and “Sos Cásca,” we had gotten through the first two declensions of…
Aimsir na Cásca Posted by róislín on Apr 21, 2011
(le Róislín) Hmm, “Aimsir na Cásca”? “The Weather of Easter”? Not really, even though Easter weather may be important for such outdoor activities as tóraíochtaí uibheacha Cásca or for the temporary workers who wear cultacha coiníní Cásca and stand outside places like bialanna and seomraí taispeántais carranna to attract customers to come in. Iad ag…
Sos Pónairí Glóthaí Posted by róislín on Apr 18, 2011
(le Róislín} Cad faoi shos beag ó na díochlaontaí? … Ní chloisim aon ghearán! So let’s take a little break (sos beag) from declensions (díochlaontaí) and talk about a timely topic, one of our favorite types of candaí Cásca. I actually have been checking the Internet for uses of the term “pónairí glóthaí” for years…