Tag Archives: lenition
How to Say ‘2014’ in Irish Posted by róislín on Dec 31, 2013
(le Róislín) Dhá mhíle is a ceathair déag. Piece o’ cake, right? Well, maybe, but for anyone new to the language, here is a rough pronunciation guide: [γaw VEEL-yuh iss uh KYA-hirzh djayg]. [Pointe léirithe, 4 Eanáir 2014: ní an litir “y” atá i gceist i “γaw” ach an tsiombail teangeolaíochta “γ” .i. an tsiombail…
Cóisir Chinn Bhliana — Cad a Bheadh Ann? (re: New Year’s Eve parties) Posted by róislín on Dec 29, 2013
(le Róislín) Seo séasúr na gcóisirí agus ‘chuile sheans go mbeidh tú ag freastal ar Chóisir Chinn Bhliana. So first let’s take a look at the Irish for some of the typical trappings of New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day party. Hitch is, we’ve got eleven items in the list below, but only ten…
Cait: Cúpla Téarma Eile (Mothchat, Baldúin, Crúbálaí) Posted by róislín on Dec 9, 2013
(le Róislín) A few more cat terms have recently come to my attention. Let’s start with the rather eye-catching: mothchat [muh-khaht] tomcat Ar dtús báire, ní peata “Leamhanfhir” é. Nó “peata Fhear an Leamhain,” más fearr leat mar sin é. So, no, the Mothman of West Virginia (and of “Prophecies” fame) didn’t suddenly become a…
Nite, Bruite, is Ite — Na Prátaí (aka Fataí), That Is! Posted by róislín on Nov 5, 2013
(le Róislín) While potatoes are a popular food year round and worldwide, they are especially popular at this time of year in the U.S. with Lá Altaithe approaching. This is one of few times, at least i mo thaithí féin, when more than one kind of práta is typically served with a meal. In Ireland…
You Just Call Out My Name (sa Tuiseal Gairmeach, of course, in Irish) (Pt. 3: Ainmneacha Buachaillí) Posted by róislín on Jun 14, 2013
(le Róislín) In several previous blogs (links below), we looked at Irish names used in direct address, focusing on names for girls and women in the most recent one. Today we’ll look at saying names for buachaillí (boys) and fir (men) when you’re speaking directly to them. In English, there is no official change when…
You Just Call Out My Name (sa Tuiseal Gairmeach, of course, in Irish) (Pt. 1) Posted by róislín on May 31, 2013
(le Róislín) “Dia duit, a …” — hmm, what’s next, after “hello”? We could ask the same question for “Slán agat, a (ainm duine),” when saying “goodbye”! In most other languages I’ve studied, once you learn the words for “hello” and “goodbye,” putting people’s names into the phrase presents no particular challenge. That is…
Ag Caint faoi Thuí agus faoi Thuíodóireacht (Speaking of Thatching) Posted by róislín on Apr 14, 2013
(le Róislín) Before moving away from tuíodóireacht to other topics, I thought it would be interesting to look at the tools used by a tuíodóir, and also to look briefly at the use of díonta tuí outside of Ireland and Britain. You might have just noticed the phrase “díonta tuí” (thatched roofs). And you might…