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Tag Archives: species

Speaking of Pigeons (Colúir) Posted by on Dec 14, 2013

(le Róislín) I’ll leave journalists Sean Dunne (IrishCentral) and Liz Alderman (New York Times) to “squabble” over the accuracy of the recent reference in the New York Times to “pigeon-eating” in Ireland.  But it does seem to me like a good opportunity to explore the related Irish vocabulary (naisc do na hailt thíos).  So we’ll…

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Seachtain Fhéile Pádraig a Trí: Pub-crawling Posted by on Mar 17, 2010

(le Róislín) Aon ábhar ní b’fhearr ná beáir, given the “seachtain” that’s in it? Here are two phrases for pub-crawling in Irish.  Both are really based on the idea of “rambling,” rather than “crawling’ as such, which would be “lámhacán ([LAWV-uh-kawn] moving on one’s hands and knees) or “snámhaíocht” ([SNAWV-ee-ukht] loosely, “land-swimming”). 1) Beidh muid…

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An Bliosán Gréine (Jerusalem Artichoke): Ainm Contráilte i mBéarla ach “Neamhchontráilte” i nGaeilge (An English Misnomer but Irish “Non-Misnomer”) Posted by 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…

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