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Tag Archives: asail

Years, Ears, and Donkeys in Irish (Bhuel, Not Really Donkeys!) Posted by on Jan 25, 2014

(le Róislín) This time in January, in between the western New Year (1 Eanáir) and Chinese New Year (31 Eanáir i 2014) seems like a good time to look again at the word “bliain” (year) in Irish (nasc thíos do bhlag eile faoi seo).  In this blog, we’ll look at the basic forms of the…

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Oh, Man! ‘Fear,’ ‘Fir,’ ‘Fhir,’ and ‘bhFear,’ (How to say ‘man’ and ‘men’ in Irish) Posted by on Jan 9, 2014

(le Róislín) Since Nollaig na mBan on January 6th gave us the opportunity to discuss the Irish word for ‘woman,’ we might as well follow up with the word for ‘man.’ First, let me clarify that this blog will discuss ‘man’ (fear) as opposed to woman (bean), not “man” as opposed to the following: plants…

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Maidir le hAsail (agus Láracha agus Miúileanna) agus Díochlaontaí Posted by on Aug 31, 2012

(le Róislín) Before we proceed further with such topics as tearmainn asal and seitreach (an fhuaim a dhéanann capaill), let’s take a look at a few more basic vocabulary words for ceathairchosaigh eachaí.  And, to really revisit an ábhar from the past, let’s pick one from each declension.  Remember the díochlaontaí (categories of nouns), from 1st to 5th?   Our equine terms just happen to fill…

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Cialla an Fhocail “Log” (hollow, place, hollow place, etc.) Posted by on Aug 28, 2012

(le Róislín) In the last blog, we looked at terms for various types of horses (stail, láir, bromach, cliobóg, searrach, srl.) and at different ways to describe them, including the Irish for “sway-backed horse” (capall a bhfuil log sa droim aige / aici).  The word “log” in that phrase actually has many other interesting applications…

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Blianta Go Leor — Years Galore, Except the Donkey’s! Posted by on Jun 29, 2009

(le Róislín) You may have noticed Transparent’s recent Word of the Day, bliain (year) or an bhliain (the year).  Care to guess how many forms of this word are in common use? Well, there’s the lenited form (an bhliain), the special form used after the numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6 (bliana), the eclipsed “special”…

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