Tag Archives: donkey
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 tAsal ag Béiceach (nó ag Grágaíl … nó ag Búireach) Posted by róislín on Sep 6, 2012
(le Róislín) Following up on the most recent blog, about hinnies hinnying or whinnying or neighing (aka ráinigh ag seitreach), I’ve looked a little further into equine noises. “Béiceach” and “grágaíl” were mentioned last time, and here’s one more: “búireach.” All of these words have additional meanings as well, so they are not so specifically…
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…
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…
Blianta Go Leor — Years Galore, Except the Donkey’s! Posted by róislín 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”…