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Tag Archives: name

Irish Names for Girls: Pronunciation and Meaning (Bláthnaid, Faoiltiarna, Fionnuala, Sadhbh, Saoirse) Posted by on Mar 29, 2016

(le Róislín) We recently looked at some different forms of the Irish name “Niamh” and the variation “Néimhe.”  In this blog post, we’ll check out a few more girls’ names, focusing on ones I’ve received numerous questions about over the years. Unlike a lot of other pronunciation guides online, this blog post will also give…

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Naoimh, Neimhe, Néimhe, and Nimhe — and what does any of this have to do with Saint Patrick?  (Cuid 2 as 2) Posted by on Mar 27, 2016

(le Róislín) We interrupted our “Naoimh, Neimhe, Néimhe, Nimhe” sequence (nasc thíos) for an Easter preview, but now let’s go back to wrap up this thrilling excursion through the genitive case, stopping at the second declension.  The second who?  It’s a category of nouns in Irish with similar endings to show possession and plural and…

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Cé mhéad “Shades of Gray” (Grey … Liath … Léith … de Grae, srl.)? Posted by on Jul 22, 2014

(le Róislín) I was recently reminded of a rather infamous episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, entitled “Shades of Gray.”  B’fhéidir gur cuimhin leat é. That got me thinking of other uses of the phrase, “Shades of Gray (Grey),” even aside from the current tie-in by E. L. James.  I’ve been pondering how to…

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You Just Call Out My Name (sa Tuiseal Gairmeach, of course, in Irish) (Pt. 3: Ainmneacha Buachaillí) Posted by 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…

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You Just Call Out My Name (sa Tuiseal Gairmeach, of course, in Irish) (Pt. 2: Ainmneacha Cailíní) Posted by on Jun 11, 2013

(le Róislín) Remember how “Séamas” changes to “a Shéamais” and “Sinéad” changes to “a Shinéad” for direct address in Irish?  (Nasc: https://blogs.transparent.com/irish/you-just-call-out-my-name-sa-tuiseal-gairmeach-of-course-in-irish-pt-1/).  The first blog in this mini-series discussed Irish given names in general, and gave some specific examples for use with phrases like “Dia duit!” (Hello) and “Slán agat!” (Good-bye!).  We looked at a…

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Beoir: Uaine nó Glas nó Ceachtar? (Beer: Green/Uaine or Green/Glas or Neither?) Posted by on Mar 22, 2013

(le Róislín) Our last blog primarily covered the actual history of St. Patrick and his name.  This blog will take a lighter-hearted look at some St. Patrick’s Day imagery, namely the much-maligned-but-nevertheless-consumed green beer.   I’m refraining from value judgments on the topic (unlike many of the online commentators!), but am primarily interested in whether people…

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How Magonus Succetus Became ‘Naomh Pádraig’ (St. Patrick) — Or Is It ‘Pádraig Naofa’? Posted by on Mar 17, 2013

(le Róislín) There are  so many topics concerning “Lá Fhéile Pádraig” (béigil uaine and beoir uaine, aibhneacha uaine and amhráin mar “Chaitheamh an Ghlais,” to name just a few), that they can’t possibly fit into one blog.  So for this “Blag Fhéile Pádraig” we’ll just concentrate on the saint’s name (Magonus, Maewyn, Succetus, Succat, Pádraig…

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