Tag Archives: asal
Years, Ears, and Donkeys in Irish (Bhuel, Not Really Donkeys!) Posted by róislín 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…
Oh, Man! ‘Fear,’ ‘Fir,’ ‘Fhir,’ and ‘bhFear,’ (How to say ‘man’ and ‘men’ in Irish) Posted by róislín 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…
An Ráineach ag Seitreach (The Hinny Hinnying) Posted by róislín on Sep 3, 2012
(le Róislín) We’ve had quite a run of exploring vocabulary related to horses in recent blogs, but, believe me, the topic is far from exhausted. So today’s take is about “ráinigh” and the sound they make (seitreach). And while “Tá an ráineach ag seitreach” does have an intriguing ring to it, I have to admit…
Maidir le hAsail (agus Láracha agus Miúileanna) agus Díochlaontaí Posted by róislín 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…
Cialla an Fhocail “Log” (hollow, place, hollow place, etc.) Posted by róislín 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…
“Comharsa,” “Monarcha,” “Pearsa”: An Cúigiú Díochlaonadh Arís Posted by róislín on Jun 10, 2011
(le Róislín) We’ve recently seen several patterns for 5th-declension nouns in Irish. One small group, which contains some very important kinship terms, looks like this: athair (father), athar, aithreacha máthair (mother), máthar, máithreacha Another group sometimes also has the “-air” ending but works slightly differently when you create the possessive form (adding “-ach”) and includes…