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Tag Archives: pronunciation

Uachtarán: The Irish Word for “President” (uachtar, “upper portion, cream” + -án, a suffix) Posted by on Oct 28, 2012

(le Róislín) I guess that “teideal an bhlag seo” pretty much explains the Irish word for president, “uachtarán” [OO-ukh-tar-awn].  “Uachtar” [OO-ukh-tar] actually means “upper portion,” widely used today to mean “cream” (as in “uachtar reoite,” ice-cream).  That is, of course a throwback to the days before homaiginiú, when the cream rose to the top of…

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Bígí Ciúin! Ba é an cat é! Or Should That Be “Ba Iad Na Deich gCat Dhubha Iad”? Posted by on Oct 15, 2012

(le Róislín) Just when you may have thought there couldn’t possibly be any more rialacha for comhaireamh in Irish, there is at least one more point to be addressed — the use of adjectives with the nouns being counted (e.g. two big dogs, five small cats). Given the season, let’s count black cats.  As you’ll…

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Comhaireamh Síos Go hOíche Shamhna (Countdown to Halloween) Posted by on Oct 9, 2012

(le Róislín) Bhuel, it’s not exactly a “comhaireamh síos” [KOH-irzh-uv sheess] as such, but here’s a sampler of focail le téama Oíche Shamhna (Halloween-themed words) that might be a fun way to practice counting in Irish.  With Irish numbers, you don’t just have to learn the numbers themselves, but also the ever-present mutations that follow…

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Beagáinín Eile faoi na Séasúir (A Little More about Seasons) Posted by on Oct 3, 2012

(le Róislín) Sula bhfágfaidh muid an t-ábhar seo inár ndiaidh, seo roinnt frásaí eile faoi na séasúir.  Le bheith beacht, seo na focail (geimhreadh, earrach, samhradh, fómhar) i bhfrásaí réamhfhoclacha.  Sa chéad bhlag eile, is dócha, cuirfidh muid na focail seo sa tuiseal ginideach, mar bíonn claochclaithe ansin freisin.  For this blog, by the way…

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Cialla an Fhocail “Log” (hollow, place, hollow place, etc.) Posted by on Aug 28, 2012

(le Róislín) In the last blog, we looked at terms for various types of horses (stail, láir, bromach, cliobóg, searrach, srl.) and at different ways to describe them, including the Irish for “sway-backed horse” (capall a bhfuil log sa droim aige / aici).  The word “log” in that phrase actually has many other interesting applications…

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How To Congratulate Someone in Irish: Comhghairdeas leat, a Katie, srl. Posted by on Aug 9, 2012

(le Róislín)  Agus go díreach mar a réamhinis an t-amhrán “Croílár na Féile,” níor stop duine ar bith Katie Taylor!  An cuimhin leat an líne seo san amhrán: ” ‘S níl duine a stopas riamh í”?  An bonn óir aici ag na Cluichí Oilimpeacha!  So what would you say if you met her?  Ar bhuail…

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Cóiriú Gruaige Tírghrách Venus Williams: Dearg, Bán, Gorm Posted by on Jul 30, 2012

(le Róislín) Here we just finished discussing “dearg, bán, agus gorm” for 4 (An Ceathrú Lá) Iúil (Lá na Saoirse i Meiriceá), when these three colors come swishing through the air again!  This time they aren’t attached to a crann brataí, but to ceann Véineas Nic Liam, or, as she’s usually known, Venus Williams, sna Cluichí…

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