(le Róislín)

In the last blog (nasc thíos), we heard a dog’s assessment of human vs. canine communication, straight from the dog’s mouth, as it were, since the piece was written in “first canine.”

Since I just finished reading a heartwarming book of dog stories, set mostly in Wales, I noticed I few more terms that could have been included.  In this blogpost, we’ll look a little further at the words from last time and add a few more.  The book, by the way, was A Dog Called Gelert and Other Stories, by Joyce Stranger (actually Joyce Muriel Wilson, 1924-2007), published by Corgi (how appropriate); I read the 1973 edition.  It’s not about the historical/legendary Gelert of Beddgelert fame, although that dog does provide some inspiration for a modern-day child.  It’s about contemporary (1970s-ish) relationships between dogs and their owners.

Incidentally, the book also referred to horses “yickering.”  That caught my attention too, since I’m used to horses “whickering” and “nickering,” but I don’t remember “yickering.”  An bhfuil an Ghaeilge air sin ag duine ar bith anseo?

Anyway, here’s a list of some dog sounds, with some pronunciation tips and sample sentences or phrases.

a) ag tafann, barking

Sampla: Tá an madra ag tafann ar an ngadaí.  (Could also say: leis an ngadaí).

This verb isn’t usually conjugated (like the situation with “súgradh” and a handful of other Irish verbs).  So we use it with the verb “to be,” as in: Bíonn / Bhí / Beidh / Bheadh / Bhíodh an madra ag tafann, srl.

b) ag amhastraíl [OW-streel], barking; sometimes “amhastrach” [OW-strukh], with the “ow” as in “cow” or “now.” I can’t say I’ve heard this used much, but I can say that it’s an ordinary verb in that it has all the usual forms: Amhastraíonn sé, D’amhastraigh sé, Amhastróidh sé, srl.

Sampla (le foirm eile fós don ainmfhocal briathartha, “ag amhastraigh”): Cad a bheadh ná [sic] trí cinn de ógghadharaibh gunna an ridire Colltais tamall uaim soir agus iad ag amhastraigh go te uatha anoir orm. (Scéalta Andeas [sic], 1920, Oireachtas, Connradh na Gaeilge, ó “Scéal Mhicil Uí Chuill” le B. M. C. (nó “M. M. C.”, neamhshoiléir) .i. Conchubhar Ó Deasmhumhna.

As a noun (amhastrach madra eile), we could also have: Má chloiseann madra amháin amhastrach madra eile, ‘chuile sheans go dtosóidh an chéad mhadra ag amhastrach freisin.

c) ag tafann or ag amhastraíl, baying. The object on which the dog is focused tells us how to translate this; both phrases can mean “barking” or “baying.”

Sampla: Tá an madra ag tafann leis an ngealach.  (Or: … ag amhastraíl leis an ngealach).

d) ag ligean sceimhe [SHKEV-uh], yelping, yapping (lit. “letting out/releasing a yelp / a yap”). This can also simply mean “bark,” but with “tafann” and “amhastraíl” already serving for “bark,” I’d differentiate the sounds whenever possible.

Sampla: I do bharúl, cén sórt madraí a bhíonns ag ligean sceimhe agus cén sórt madraí a bhíonns ag tafann go domhain agus go hathshondach?

e) ag ligean séine [SHAY-n^yuh], yelping, yapping. Again, this uses “ligean” (letting out, releasing) to make the phrase. “Ag ligean séine” can also mean “squealing,” “whining,” and “whistling: (of the wind; people whistling is usually: ag feadaíl [egg FAD-eel])

Sampla:  Cé chomh minic is a bhíonns madraí ag ligean séine sa scannán _Iasc A dTugtar Wanda Uirthi_ (más féidir liom Gaeilge a chur ar an teideal).  Hmmm, “uirthi”?  ‘Sea, “uirthi,” is dócha, b’fhéidir “air” — ní cuimhin liom gnéas an éisc! An freagra thíos de réir URL amháin a dtáinig mé air.

f) ag geonaíl [egg G^yOH-neel], whimpering. This can also mean “whining,” although I feel there actually is a difference in the sounds.

Sampla: Tá an coileán tréigthe ag geonaíl.

g) ag cur dranntáin as / aisti, growling (lit. putting a growl out of him/her),

Sampla: Tá an bhitseach (madra baineann) ag cur dranntáin aisti.

h) ag drannadh, [eg DRAHN-uh], snarling.  Interesting that in Irish, “growling” and “snarling” share a common root (“drann~”) but in English they’re completely different words.  But much difference is there technically, anyway?  A Choineolaithe (leis an nuafhocal a d’úsáid mé sa bhlag 31 Iúil 2014 a úsáid arís, nasc thíos)?

Sampla: Bhí na madraí taiscumair ag drannadh leis na creachadóirí.

i) ag geonaíl, whining; there are about 20 ways to say “whining” in Irish (blogworthy in their own right), but for now, I’ll just note that the most basic for dogs seems to be “geonaíl,” the same as for “whimpering.”

Sampla: Bhí an coileán a bhí gafa sa bhfál sreinge ag geonaíl.  Ar an dea-uair, tarrtháladh é.  B’fhéidir gur tháinig Eldad ó “Hope for Paws”!

j) ag ligean uaille [OO-il-yuh], yowling

Sampla: “Cad é an difear idir a bheith “ag ligean uaille” agus a bheith “ag ligean glaime”?” “D’fhéadfá a rá go mbíonn an ‘ghlam’ níos doimhne ach is féidir ‘yowling’ a chur ar an dá fhrása.”

k) ag ligean uaille OR ag ligean glaime, howling.

Sampla: An gcloistear cú ag ligean uaille go minic sa leabhar Cú na mBaskerville?

and finally, if we want to get a bit latinate in our translations,

l) ag ligean uaille (using the word “uaill” once again!) OR ag scréachadh, ululating. “Ag ligean uaille” also means “yelling” and “ag scréachadh” also means “shrieking” or “screeching.”

Sampla: “D’ardaigh Eric a cheann agus d’éirigh leis uaill lag a ligean le bualadh ar a bhéal oscailte lena lámh.”   Cén leabhar ar tharla sé sin ann?  (Freagra thíos).  Ar ndóigh, buachaill, ní madra, atá i gceist anseo.

And of course, that’s not all.  There’s always “ag glamaíl,” which can mean the following: barking, baying, howling, shouting or roaring.  And no doubt there are more.   Moltaí ag duine ar bith nó madraí ar bith a bhfuil caint acu?  A Wishbone?  A Astro?  A Scooby?  A Mhárta?  A Shadow?  A Chance?  A Ghaspode?  A Bharnabas?  A Fluffy?  Oops, cé go bhfuil trí cheann ag Fluffy, ní shílim go bhfuil caint ag ceann ar bith acu! –It’s always fun to learn this kind of vocabulary (mo bharúil féin, pé scéal é, agus tá súil agam gur bhain tusa sult as freisin.  Róislín

Freagraí

e) Ceithre huaire, de réir http://www.subzin.com/quotes/M10372fe6d/A+Fish+Called+Wanda/(dog+yaps)

l) Tiarna na gCuileanna le William Golding

Naisc:
https://blogs.transparent.com/irish/maidir-leis-an-gcnamh-hioideach-sin-regarding-the-hyoid-bone-o-radharc-an-mhadra-irish-speaking-natch/ (Maidir leis an gCnámh Hióideach Sin (Regarding the Hyoid Bone) — ó radharc an mhadra (Irish-speaking, natch!)Posted by róislín on Jun 18, 2016 in Irish Language

https://blogs.transparent.com/irish/cinealacha-eolaithe-siceolai-agus-bitheolai-mar-shampla-agus-mar-nuafhocal-pottereolai/ (Cineálacha eolaithe (síceolaí agus bitheolaí, mar shampla … agus mar nuafhocal–*Pottereolaí) Posted by róislín on Jul 31, 2014 in Irish Language