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Tag Archives: happy

More Month-of-May Motifs (i nGaeilge, ar ndóigh) Posted by on Apr 27, 2014

(le Róislín) Is it the “merry month” of May or the “merry, merry month” of May?  Is it “meidhreach” or “sona,” “croíúil” or “súgach?  Or is it as in the traditional Irish phrase, “buí” (Mí Bhuí na Bealtaine)?  We looked at all of those terms in the last blog (nasc thíos) but here’s a quick…

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Nollaig nó Nollag (How To Say ‘Christmas’ or ‘of Christmas’ in Irish) Posted by on Dec 24, 2013

(le Róislín) As Christmas approaches, you might be wondering why there’s such a constant variation of whether to say “Nollaig” or “Nollag,” and in a similar vein, “An Nollaig” or “na Nollag.” First, the basic answer, and then some examples. And before that, a pronunciation pointer. What is the difference in sound between “Nollaig” and…

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New Year’s – Celtic Style (1 Mí na Samhna in ionad 1 Eanáir) Posted by on Oct 31, 2012

(le Róislín) While January 1 is widely considered to be “New Year’s Day” in many parts of the world, including Ireland, there is/was a Celtic concept of the New Year that placed the holiday much earlier in the winter season, specifically on November 1. I say “is/was” quite deliberately.  Considering “an t-aonú lá de mhí…

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Trí Bhratach (Éire, Meiriceá, An Bhreatain Bheag) agus a nDathanna (Flag Colors, Cuid 2), or, Cén Ghaeilge Atá ar “Coch, Gwyn, Gwyrdd” Posted by on Jul 7, 2012

(le Róislín) Well, as promised here is the third flag to be discussed as we address dathanna bratacha (colors of flags).   As you may have recently read, Cuid A was about Bratach na hÉireann and Cuid B was about Bratach na Stát Aontaithe (Bratach Mheiriceá), https://blogs.transparent.com/irish/tri-bhratach-eire-meiricea-an-bhreatain-bheag-agus-a-ndathanna-flag-colors-cuid-1/.  The colors we discussed were uaine (and the companion…

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Saol an Mhadaidh Bháin — The (Good) Life of the White Dog Posted by on May 8, 2012

(le Róislín) Last blog we looked at the expression “ar muin (ar dhroim) na muice” (being “on the pig’s back,” i.e. well off).   The blog before that also referred to several other examples of figurative speech, including “madraí  bána.”  As with the ‘dromanna muc” (or “muiní muc”), that general reference to “madraí bána” was in…

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Happiness Is … Lots of Ways to Say “Happy” in Irish (including “Happy Christmas”) Posted by on Dec 3, 2011

(le Róislín) Recently we talked about some of the more whimsical (i.e. jingle-ish) ways to describe Christmas (“Holly Jolly” and “Berry Merry”) in English and pondered their translatability into Irish.  Today let’s get back to the more traditional Irish phrase, and look at its various forms (singular and plural, greeting and response): Nollaig Shona duit…

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Happy vs. Merry and All That! (Sona, Meidhreach, srl.) Posted by on Dec 12, 2010

(le Róislín) ‘S é an séasúr é!  ‘Tis the season!  So let’s do a little holiday terminology.   Some of these phrases are quite well known but all are interesting when looked at from a translator’s perspective. Nollaig Shona!  or to be more specific “Nollaig Shona dhuit!” (to one person) or “Nollaig Shona dhaoibh! (plural).  Or…

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