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Tag Archives: past tense

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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Clásail Choibhneasta Arís: An Briathar “Beir” (Give birth, bring, take, grab, etc.) Posted by on Apr 29, 2010

After some recent digressions, ranging from the “sobhlasta” (coiníní seacláide) to the “éigeantach” (Uncail Sam) or the “dosheachanta” (an bolcán / an Mháthair Dúlra), let’s return to na clásail choibhneasta le briathra neamhrialta.  Today’s blog will show the irregular verb “beir” in the three tenses (láithreach, caite, fáistineach) and in a declarative sentence, a question…

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Edward Moore Kennedy (1932-2009) (Cuid a Dó) Posted by on Aug 29, 2009

Cad iad na sloinnte eile i gcraobh ghinealaigh Uí Chinnéide?  What are the other surnames in the Kennedy family tree?  The English equivalents are given at the end of the blog.  Agus cárbh as na teaghlaigh?  Seo cuid acu, ar a laghad (here are some of them, at least).    Mac Gearailt:  Ba é “Mac…

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Saol Michael Jackson (1958-2009): Mionchroineolaíocht Posted by on Jul 29, 2009

Now that we’ve recently seen the capsúlbheathaisnéis of Frank McCourt, let’s try the one promised previously for Michael Jackson.  Although the lives of Jackson and McCourt were about as different as could be, I’ve structured the capsúlbheathaisnéisí as similarly as possible, hitting just some eochairphointí (key points).  Do you remember some of the eochairfhocail (keywords)…

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Being a Gael-Mheiriceánach, Gael-Cheanadach, or Gael-Astrálach, or Any Other Nationality “as Gaeilge” Posted by on May 31, 2009

We recently discussed the various ways to use the word “Gael-Mheiriceánach” to say something is “Irish-American” or “I am an Irish-American.” Let’s go global and discuss some more possibilities.   If you’re one of about 4.5 million Canadians with Irish ancestry, you could say, “Is Gael-Cheanadach mé.”  If you’re one of almost 2 million Irish-Australians…

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Smaoinigh air sin! Smaoinigh air seo! Or, A Penny for your “Smaointe” Posted by on May 13, 2009

Transparent Language’s Word of the Day recently featured “smaoineamh,” a word whose pronunciation has intrigued many of my students over the years.  Fortunately, now all you have to do is click on the WOTD link to hear it (https://blogs.transparent.com/wotd/today/irish.htm).  Some speakers don’t pronounce the final –mh at all (SMWEEN-yuh); others pronounce it as a “v”…

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