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Tag Archives: seanathair

If the other grandfather is “Grandpa,” what Irish term can you use? Posted by on Oct 27, 2016

(le Róislín) Here, as previously promised, is a review of Irish words for “grandfather,” “grandpa,” and “grand(d)ad,” written as a companion piece to the recent post, “If the other grandmother is “Grandma,” what Irish term can you use?” As we’ll see, the same three adjectives can be used to create the word “grandfather” from “father”…

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The Irish Language Blog Top Ten for 2015: Grandparents, Greetings, and Grá (and more, cait, mar shampla)   Posted by on Dec 31, 2015

(le Róislín) Over five years a-blogging and now it’s time to look back over the blianta (we started in 2009) and see what the most popular topics were. And we start with … <tormáil drumaí> … grandparents. Mór? Críonna? or Sean? — Grandparents By Any Other Name! https://blogs.transparent.com/irish/mor-crionna-or-s…y-any-other-name/, Posted on 09. Apr, 2009 byróislínin Irish Language So what’s…

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Lá na nAithreacha – Father’s Day (An Tríú Domhnach i Mí an Mheithimh) Posted by on Jun 20, 2010

This blog will be a round-up of terms connected to fathers, in honor of Lá na nAithreacha (Father’s Day, lit. Day of the Fathers).  We’ll start with the basics (athair) and the less formal forms “Dad” and “Daddy,” and continue with more specialized phrases, like “godfather” and “Father Christmas.” athair [AH-hirzh], father How about the…

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Terms for Grandchildren “as Gaeilge” (in Irish): Garmhac, Gariníon and Other Compounds with “Gar” Posted by on Apr 21, 2009

(le Róislín)   Unlike English, where the prefix “grand-“ is used with “mother,” “father,” “parent,” “son,” “daughter,” and “child,” in Irish, there is a major shift in the qualifier used for “grandchildren.”  As you may recall from the previous blog on grandparents, there are three widely used options: seanathair / seanmháthair, athair mór / máthair…

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Mór? Críonna? or Sean? — Grandparents By Any Other Name! Posted by on Apr 9, 2009

(le Róislín)   I frequently get asked about the Irish word for “grandmother” or “grandma,” so children in Irish-American families can start using it as a pet name.  Sometimes the basic term “Grandma” has already been taken by one side of the family, so the other side may look for a different name, like “Nana” in…

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