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Tag Archives: etymology

Droichead na Cónaidhme nó ‘Réise na mBeann Glas’ (Mar a Dúradh) Posted by on Feb 22, 2014

(le Róislín) I couldn’t resist spending a little more time with bridges (droichid) since Canada’s Confederation Bridge has such a clever nickname, as bestowed by …, hmm, which Irish person?  (freagra thíos). Just a quick review of the phrase “Droichead na Cónaidhme,” before we get to the nickname: droichead [DRIH-hud], bridge na [nuh], here it…

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Is Éan É! Is Eitleán É! Ní Hea — Dreige Atá Ann! (Sorry, Clark!) Posted by on Feb 16, 2013

(le Róislín) Or should that be “dreigít“?  Or “dreigeoideach“?  Bhuel, all three really, I guess, depending on what stage of the event you’re talking about. I thought I had learned all that téarmaíocht réalteolaíoch, at least the buntéarmaí, years ago, but when the news reports start coming in about the Chelyabinsk event, I realized I…

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Cluiche Meaitseála faoi na Cluichí Oilimpeacha (An Olympics Matching Game) Posted by on Jul 27, 2012

(le Róislín) Bhuel, the season is upon us, Cluichí Oilimpeacha 2012.  So this is a good time to practice various words related to “Olympic” itself. First, let’s consider what the word “Olympic” itself means, going back the original Gréigis.  Yes, we have “Sliabh Oilimpeas” and “Oilimpia,” an mhachaire sa Ghréig where the games used to…

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An Bliosán Gréine (Jerusalem Artichoke): Ainm Contráilte i mBéarla ach “Neamhchontráilte” i nGaeilge (An English Misnomer but Irish “Non-Misnomer”) Posted by on May 25, 2009

Tamaillín ó shin (a little while ago, May 6 to be specific), I hinted at a discussion of the term “Jerusalem artichoke” in Irish.  And why not?  It’s suimiúil (interesting) on several counts: “luibheolaíocht” (botany), “logainmníocht” (toponymy), “sanasaíocht” and “bréagshanasaíocht” (etymology and pseudo-etymology), “cócaireacht” (cooking), and “eolas contráilte”(misinformation), to name just a few.   You…

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