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Tag Archives: Alba

Spleáchas vs. Neamhspleáchas Hotting Up in Scotland Posted by on Sep 18, 2014

(le Róislín) A timely time to look at the Irish word for ‘independence’ as the “vótáil” for the Scottish Referendum comes down the home stretch. Much like the English word “independence,” the Irish equivalent, “neamhspleáchas,” is also a compound word. Knowing that probably makes it a lot easier to pronounce, and, as it were, digest…

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How to say ‘Scottish,’ ‘Scotland,’ and ‘Scot’ in Irish (and how about ‘scot-free’?) Posted by on Sep 12, 2014

(le Róislín) As the Scottish Referendum vote comes ever closer, let’s look at some of the basic terms for Scotland itself, the Scottish people, and some specifically Scottish things.  For the latter, I mean things actually labeled Scottish, or as it sometimes occurs, “Scotch.”  I don’t mean things we simply associate with Scotland, like “haggis.”…

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Logainmneacha Ceilteacha agus Náisiúntachtaí a hAon: Celtic Place Names and Nationalities – Scotland and the Scots Posted by on Apr 15, 2009

  We recently saw “Albain” (Scotland) as one of Transparent Language’s Word of the Day features.  This is based on the word “Alba,” which is what the Scots call their country in their own Celtic language, Gàidhlig.  Why not a word that sounds something like “Scotland” (like Italian “Scòzia” or French “Ecosse” or German “Schottland”)? …

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