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Tag Archives: library

Leabharlann, Leabhartha, agus an Leabhar Ab Fhearr / Is Fearr Leat Posted by on Aug 6, 2015

(le Róislín) Many Irish words referring to different types of buildings end in “-lann.”  Among these is “leabharlann,” our topic for today. “Leabharlann” ([LyOW -ur-lahn], library) is clearly related to the word “leabhar” ([LyOW -ur], book).  In this regard, Irish is more systematic than English, which has a Germanic word “book” (cf. das Buch) for…

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Ó ‘Uncail Oscar’ go garmhac Fhionn Mhic Cumhaill: The Irish Roots of the Name ‘Oscar’ Posted by on Feb 25, 2015

(le Róislín) Hmm, I was going to continue writing about “bombogenesis” and the guairneáin associated with aimsir gheimhriúil, but the timely topic of the Oscars was too tempting!  The last blog (nasc thíos) addressed that subject, and we’ll return to it in another blog or two. So, “Oscar” was the grandson of Fionn Mac Cumhaill and…

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Who Says Irish Doesn’t Have Many Cognates with English? (Cuid a Dó/Pt. 2: Téarmaí Gaoil, Focail Ghaolmhara) Posted by on Apr 27, 2013

(le Róislín) Ascaill, axilla … in the last blog* we talked about how Irish may, in fact, have many focail ghaolmhara with other languages.  The words are just not always cognates with English, at least not basic everyday  English.  Most of us are more likely to say that “ascaill” means “armpit” than to say that…

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A Lán Lann – A Lot of Places (with the Suffix “–lann”) Posted by on Mar 15, 2009

(le Róislín) You may have noticed Transparent Language’s recent WOTD, an bhialann, the restaurant, and you may recognize a keyword in this expression, “bia” (food).  It’s helpful to know the suffix “–lann” also, since it is used to make dozens of words. The suffix comes from the word “lann,” which has many meanings, including “land,” “ground,”…

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