Irish Language Blog
Menu
Search

Tag Archives: anuas

To ‘tear down’ a wall (Balla Bheirlín) — i nGaeilge Posted by on Nov 12, 2014

(le Róislín) Writing the last blog, about the Fall of the Wall in Berlin (nasc thíos), I got to thinking about the celebrated phrase, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Specifically, I was thinking about the verb “to tear down.” So, as you might have guessed, this blog will look at several verbs with related…

Continue Reading

Falling Leaves, Falling in Love: The Verb “to fall” in Irish Posted by on Oct 3, 2011

(le Róislín) Thit a lán duilleoga sa ghairdín (sa chlós) agus anois tá orm iad a rácáil. Thit Seán i ngrá le Sinéad. Notice anything interesting about those sentences?  For an English-speaker, I think it seems fairly normal to expect that in Irish one could say “many leaves fell” or “Seán fell in love” using…

Continue Reading

Mí Iúil: Mí Náisiúnta … (ainmnigh thusa é) Posted by on Jul 20, 2010

(le Róislín) Before continuing with specific holidays celebrated on specific days in July, let’s look at three subjects that are celebrated all month long, at least i Meiriceá: Brocairí Teo Uachtar Reoite Frithleadrán All are interesting to ponder as causes of celebration and all are interesting as far as vocabulary goes.  As far as I…

Continue Reading

Nótaí Fuaimnithe (Pronunciation Notes) don Bhlag Deireanach, or, Not Your Abuela’s “ua” Vowel Sound Posted by on Feb 23, 2010

(le Róislín) A few notes on pronunciation for the last blog, which was called “Thuas Seal, Thíos Seal, or Ice-cream and Underlings.”  Pronunciation notes always seem to be welcome!   The “ua” sound, which we saw consistently in that whole “slua” (angl. slew) of related words is basically “oo-uh.”  That’s “oo” as in (American) English…

Continue Reading