Tag Archives: plant
Drúchta, Drúchtáin agus Drúchtíní — A Thiarcais! (Dewdrops, Little Dewdrops and Slugs — Definitely an ‘Oh-My’) [Ainmneacha Plandaí 4] Posted by róislín on Sep 27, 2016
(le Róislín) Another occasion for a three-part lions-tigers-and- bears-ish meme. In this blogpost, we’ll look at the following words: drúcht, drúchtán, drúchtín, and móin (and its genitive case, móna) and the plant, drúchtín móna. First let’s do “dew” drúcht, usually meaning dew or a drop of a liquid (although the latter general usage is more…
An tEarrach (The Spring): 20 Márta 2014 Posted by róislín on Mar 22, 2014
(le Róislín) By all accounts now, Spring has finally sprung, on March 20th for this year. At least astronomically. Maybe in the next blog we’ll look at two other traditional dates for “Spring”– February 1st and March 1st. All three calendar systems have their validity. Meanwhile, how do we say “Spring” in Irish? And just…
Deir an Dúmheidic (Black Medick): “Ba mhaith liomsa a bheith i m’iomaitheoir freisin!” Posted by róislín on Mar 13, 2012
(le Róislín) In the last blog (blogs.transparent.com/irish/an-tseamrog-the-shamrock/), I noted that there were at least eight contenders for the title of “shamrock,” including seamsóg (wood-sorrel) and various types of seamair (clover). The blog I cited (www.naturalistsalmanac.com/0317stpat.html) mentioned there being eight possibilities, but only elaborated on six (five types of clover and the wood-sorrel). So what are the other…
Tuilleadh Téarmaí faoin gCroí (More “Heart” Terms) Posted by róislín on Feb 5, 2012
(le Róislín) As you might imagine, there are lots more terms and phrases involving the heart besides the terms of endearment such as “A ghrá mo chroí!” “A chuisle mo chroí!” or “Mo chroí thú!” What better month to look into them than Feabhra, mí an chroí (i Meiriceá agus sa Bhreatain). Since there are…
An Bliosán Gréine (Jerusalem Artichoke): Ainm Contráilte i mBéarla ach “Neamhchontráilte” i nGaeilge (An English Misnomer but Irish “Non-Misnomer”) Posted by róislín on May 25, 2009
Tamaillín ó shin (a little while ago, May 6 to be specific), I hinted at a discussion of the term “Jerusalem artichoke” in Irish. And why not? It’s suimiúil (interesting) on several counts: “luibheolaíocht” (botany), “logainmníocht” (toponymy), “sanasaíocht” and “bréagshanasaíocht” (etymology and pseudo-etymology), “cócaireacht” (cooking), and “eolas contráilte”(misinformation), to name just a few. You…