Tag Archives: armpit
When Does ‘X’ Become ‘CS’? Freagra: In the Middle of Some Irish Words Posted by róislín on Sep 28, 2015
(le Róislín) Your first thought on looking at the combination “cs” might be the abbreviation for the element ‘cesium’ (caeisiam, i nGaeilge). Well, maybe not. Not exactly a “téarma laethúil.” Maybe “Csárdás,” the Hungarian dance? That’s “cardas,” i nGaeilge, by the way. Maybe CSI (an clár teilifíse)? Any way you look at it, “cs” as a…
‘Bléinbheart’ go ‘Zeitibheart’ — Cineálacha Beart agus Beartanna i nGaeilge Posted by róislín on Aug 14, 2015
(le Róislín) When I first thought of this blog topic, I thought I’d just do types of clothing, like “bléinbheart” and “coisbheart.” But then I figured we might as well do “an banana iomlán.” If we’re in for a “pingin,” we may as well be in for a “punt.” Or actually, as the more traditional…
Who Says Irish Doesn’t Have Many Cognates with English? (Cuid a Dó/Pt. 2: Téarmaí Gaoil, Focail Ghaolmhara) Posted by róislín on Apr 27, 2013
(le Róislín) Ascaill, axilla … in the last blog* we talked about how Irish may, in fact, have many focail ghaolmhara with other languages. The words are just not always cognates with English, at least not basic everyday English. Most of us are more likely to say that “ascaill” means “armpit” than to say that…
Ascaill, Axilla, Armpit — Who Says Irish Doesn’t Have Many Cognates with English? (Cuid a hAon/Pt. 1) Posted by róislín on Apr 24, 2013
(le Róislín) Often students in my ranganna Gaeilge will say that one of the reasons that Irish seems hard is that words seem very unfamiliar, unrelated to other languages they know, and there’s very little to jog one’s memory. A basic example would be “madra” for “dog.” It’s short and straightforward enough in and of…
Bean an Tuíodóra (The Wife of the Thatcher) Posted by róislín on Apr 11, 2013
(le Róislín) Well, no, this blog is not going to be about the late Margaret Hilda Thatcher, An Banbharún Thatcher (13 Deireadh Fómhair 1925-8 Aibreán 2013). She actually only acquired the name “Thatcher” through marriage, having been born a “Roberts.” While it’s interesting to ponder the origin of the surname “Thatcher” in England, and the…
An Uimhir Is Uaigní a Dhéanfaidh Tú Choíche (… the Loneliest Number …) Posted by róislín on Aug 28, 2011
(le Róislín) “An uimhir is uaigní a ‘dhéanfaidh’ tú choíche.” Cén uimhir í sin? Uimhir a haon, ar ndóigh, de réir Harry Nilsson, ar a laghad. Speaking of the number “one,” this might be a good time to discuss the two forms of the number “one” in Irish: a haon and amháin. Of all the…