May Day, Mayflies, Mayweed Posted by róislín on May 1, 2010
Last year at this time we discussed the various forms of the Gaelic word for May, Bealtaine in Irish, Bealtuinn in Scottish Gaelic, and Boaldyn in Manx Gaelic. May 1st (Lá Bealtaine) is traditionally the first day of summer in the Celtic calendar. Here are a few other Irish terms containing the word “Bealtaine.” 1…
Clásail Choibhneasta Arís: An Briathar “Beir” (Give birth, bring, take, grab, etc.) Posted by róislín on Apr 29, 2010
After some recent digressions, ranging from the “sobhlasta” (coiníní seacláide) to the “éigeantach” (Uncail Sam) or the “dosheachanta” (an bolcán / an Mháthair Dúlra), let’s return to na clásail choibhneasta le briathra neamhrialta. Today’s blog will show the irregular verb “beir” in the three tenses (láithreach, caite, fáistineach) and in a declarative sentence, a question…
Poist: Ó “A” go “V,” Cuid a Dó: “J” go “V” Posted by róislín on Apr 28, 2010
(le Róislín) The previous blog listed some occupations from “a” to “i.” Now we’ll continue with “j” to “v.” As one might suspect, there are few (if any) occupational terms in Irish that begin with, or even contain, q, w, x, y, or z. Curiously, though, there are at least a few for “j,” a…
Poist: Ó ‘A’ go ‘V,’ Cuid a hAon: ‘A’ go ‘I’ Posted by róislín on Apr 27, 2010
(le Róislín) As promised, here’s a selection of occupations and a selection of short statements to go with them. If you’ve been studying “an chopail” in Irish, you’ll recognize the structures that link the subject (mé, tú, é, í, etc.) to the “predicate subject” (which here would be the occupational term itself): Is dochtúir mé…
Cén Post Atá Agat? (What’s Your Job?) Posted by róislín on Apr 24, 2010
Many older Irish language textbooks list jobs and occupations that pertain to the time that they were written, naturally enough. Often these don’t correspond to the types of jobs people have today – at least not to the jobs that adult students in my classes seem to have and ask me to translate, like “refrigeration…
Lá Gairmithe Riaracháin: 21 Aibreán 2010 Posted by róislín on Apr 21, 2010
I Meiriceá bíonn Lá Gairmithe Riaracháin ar an gCéadaoin i lár Sheachtain Gairmithe Riaracháin. Is í seachtain deireanach Aibreáin Seachtain Gairmithe Riaracháin (Administrative Professionals’ Week). Bunaíodh é sa bhliain 1952 (abair: naoi déag caoga a dó). Sin ráite agam, caithfidh mé a admháil nach bhfuil mórán iomrá cloiste agam ar an ábhar seo (i nGaeilge)!…
Oileánsléibhteoighearshruth (an Ghaeilge ar “Eyjafjallajökull,” mar dhea) Posted by róislín on Apr 19, 2010
Or, how to say Eyjafjallajökull in Irish, as it were (sort of). In addition to the more pressing issues raised by the cloud of luaith bholcánach, including two of my students being stranded in Belfast for a week, I was immediately curious about what exactly the Icelandic name of this volcano means. My curiosity was…