{"id":10868,"date":"2018-09-17T00:45:35","date_gmt":"2018-09-17T00:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=10868"},"modified":"2019-06-11T17:19:13","modified_gmt":"2019-06-11T17:19:13","slug":"how-to-say-doctor-in-irish-plus-physician-healer-etc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/how-to-say-doctor-in-irish-plus-physician-healer-etc\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Say ‘Doctor’ in Irish (plus ‘physician,’ ‘healer,’ etc.)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

http:\/\/www.publicdomainfiles.com\/show_file.php?id=13394660564229<\/a> Description: This image depicts a male clinician dressed in scrubs using a stethoscope he’d placed upon the upper left anterior chest of a seated male patient, in order to perform a thoracic auscultation. Creator: CDC\/ Amanda Mills Source: Public Health Image Library; T\u00e9acs Gaeilge le R\u00f3isl\u00edn, 2018<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

(le\u00a0R\u00f3isl\u00edn)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Doctor \u2026 healer \u2026 physician? What\u2019s the difference in Irish? And are some of the terms overlapping?<\/p>\n

Basics first. \u00a0 Certainly the word most people learn first for \u201cdoctor\u201d in Irish is \u201cdocht\u00fair<\/strong>,\u201d and here are its basic forms:<\/p>\n

1.. An docht\u00fair<\/strong>, the doctor, the physician<\/p>\n

M\u00e1la an docht\u00fara<\/strong>, the bag of the doctor\/physician<\/p>\n

Na docht\u00fair\u00ed<\/strong>, the doctors\/physicians<\/p>\n

M\u00e1la\u00ed na ndocht\u00fair\u00ed<\/strong>, the bags of the doctors\/physicians<\/p>\n

But further investigation shows us a variety of interesting words for healer, physician, curer, and related ideas. Here are some additional options, plus a few comments as to how often they are actually used in modern, conversational Irish. They\u2019re listed roughly in order of usage, according to my own experience.<\/p>\n

2.. Lia<\/strong>, pl. lianna<\/strong>, physician, healer, practitioner, leech (in the medical sense, where \u201cliacht<\/strong>,\u201d i.e. \u201cleechcraft,\u201d refers to healing). I\u2019ve mostly encountered this in the compound words \u201cm\u00e1inlia<\/strong>\u201d and \u201ctr\u00e9idlia<\/strong>,\u201d which mean _____ and _____. (aistri\u00fach\u00e1in th\u00edos<\/strong>). There\u2019s also \u201cliachleacht\u00f3ir<\/strong>\u201d (medical practitioner, lia + c(h)leacht\u00f3ir<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

3a..Fear leighis<\/strong>, pl: fir leighis<\/strong>, healer, lit. man of medicine<\/p>\n

3b.. Bean leighis<\/strong>, pl: mn\u00e1 leighis<\/strong>, healer, lit. woman of medicine<\/p>\n

4.. Fisiceoir<\/strong>, pl: fisiceoir\u00ed<\/strong> (variation: fisiceach<\/strong>, pl. fisicigh<\/strong>), physician. This word can also mean a \u201cphysicist\u201d.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t really heard or seen this used very much in Irish, not nearly as often as we might say \u201cphysician\u201d as opposed to \u201cdoctor\u201d in English. Sin mo thaith\u00ed f\u00e9in, ar aon chaoi<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

5.. Cneasa\u00ed<\/strong>, pl: cneasaithe<\/strong>, healer, variation: cneasaitheoir<\/strong>; also means \u201ca close companion\u201d or \u201cspouse,\u201d although by far the more common word for “spouse” is \u201cc\u00e9ile<\/strong>\u201d (as in \u201cfear c\u00e9ile<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cbean ch\u00e9ile<\/strong>\u201d). Cneasa\u00ed<\/strong> and cneasaitheoir<\/strong> are based on \u201ccneas<\/strong>,\u201d an alternate word for “skin” (the much more common one is \u201ccraiceann<\/strong>\u201d). Apparently the healing sense comes from the idea of creating skin, as in scar formation. The verbs \u201ccneasaigh<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cforchneasaigh<\/strong>\u201d mean \u201cheal\u201d or, tapping into our Latin roots, \u201ccicatrize.\u201d And that leads us to the interesting word \u201ccolm<\/strong>\u201d (not \u201ccolm<\/strong>\u201d a dove), meaning \u201ca scar\u201d or \u201ca cicatrice.\u201d In case you don\u2019t use \u201ccicatrice\u201d or \u201ccicatrize\u201d very often, you\u2019re not alone. Google\u2019s \u201cuse over time\u201d graph shows about 1870 to 1890 as the peak usage for this word.<\/p>\n

Why learn some of these more obscure words? Among other reasons, they may show up in proverbs (seanfhocail<\/strong>), and as we all know, \u201cN\u00ed f\u00e9idir seanfhocal a sh\u00e1r\u00fa<\/strong>\u201d (It isn\u2019t possible to surpass a proverb). \u00a0 Here\u2019s a seanfhocal<\/strong> with \u201ccneasa\u00ed<\/strong>\u201d:\u00a0Is maith an cneasa\u00ed an aimsir.<\/strong>\u201d An dtuigeann t\u00fa \u00e9? Aistri\u00fach\u00e1n th\u00edos<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also an interesting use of this word in an Irish translation of a Bah\u00e1\u2019i text (nasc th\u00edos<\/strong>), one of the few other usages for \u201ccneasa\u00ed<\/strong>\u201d that pops up online: cneasa\u00ed d\u2019anr\u00f3 uile<\/strong> (a healer of every hardship).<\/p>\n

Here are a few more that I\u2019ve scarcely ever seen in a natural context, but they are interesting:<\/p>\n

6.. miodhach<\/strong>, pl: miodhaigh<\/strong>, physician, mostly found in a literary context<\/p>\n

7.. \u00edc\u00ed<\/strong>, pl. \u00edcithe<\/strong>, healer, physician, related to words like \u201c\u00edceach<\/strong>\u201d (healing, curative, as seen in a recent blogpost in this series, nasc th\u00edos<\/strong>), \u00edoc<\/strong> (to heal, to cure, healing, curing), \u00edoclann<\/strong> (dispensary), and \u201c\u00edocshl\u00e1inte<\/strong>\u201d (healing balm, restorer of health). This is also related to the surname \u00d3 h\u00cdc\u00ed<\/strong> (Hickey), so if there are any Hickeys here who are related to the traditional family of healers, please do let us know.<\/p>\n

8,, fis\u00ed<\/strong>, pl: fisithe<\/strong>, physician, but primarily \u201cseer\u201d or \u201cperson of knowledge,\u201d based on \u201cfios<\/strong>,\u201d one of several Irish words for \u201cknowledge. Not to be confused with \u201cf\u00eds\u00ed<\/strong>,\u201d a visionary or dreamer, based on \u201cf\u00eds<\/strong>,\u201d a vision.<\/p>\n

9.. leigheas\u00f3ir<\/strong>, pl: leigheas\u00f3ir\u00ed<\/strong>, healer, curer, based on \u201cleigheas<\/strong>,\u201d medicine, medical treatment, cure, remedy. Not very widely used, in my experience, but a nice tie-in to \u201cleigheas<\/strong>\u201d itself.<\/p>\n

10.. Another one I haven\u2019t really heard in everyday use: tuata ag d\u00e9anamh leighis<\/strong>, a layman or ordinary person practicing cures<\/p>\n

So, we start out with one idea, and next thing you know, we\u2019ve got at least 9 other related vocabulary words. And I haven\u2019t even touched upon really traditional folk healers, who might be referred to as a \u201cbean feasa<\/strong>\u201d or a \u201cfear feasa<\/strong>,\u201d people who know charms and spells, and possibly home remedies. \u00a0 And then there\u2019s \u201cseaman<\/strong>, pl. seamain<\/strong>\u201d (a shaman, shamans), and that\u2019s an Irish word, not the English word \u201cseaman\u201d as in \u201csailor,\u201d which would be \u201cmairn\u00e9alach<\/strong>\u201d in Irish.\u00a0 So there’s lots more to look at still, including many more compounds based on “lia<\/strong>.” SGF – R\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aistri\u00fach\u00e1in:<\/strong><\/p>\n

M\u00e1inlia<\/strong>, surgeon<\/p>\n

Tr\u00e9idlia<\/strong>, veterinarian, lit. \u201ca herd doctor\u201d<\/p>\n

Is maith an cneasa\u00ed an aimsir<\/strong>. Time is a good healer, with \u201caimsir<\/strong>,\u201d not \u201cam<\/strong>\u201d for \u201ctime.\u201d Other uses of \u201caimsir<\/strong>\u201d as \u201ctime\u201d include \u201cin aimsir na bhFiann<\/strong>\u201d and \u201ccurtha in aimsir<\/strong>\u201d (put into service, i.e. hired out for a period of time, like the domestic servants in the Downton Abbey realm). More frequently, of course, \u201caimsir<\/strong>\u201d means \u201cweather.\u201d<\/p>\n

Naisc:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Irish Words ending with \u2018-\u00edceach\u2019 and sometimes \u2018-\u00edcigh\u2019 or \u2018-\u00edc\u00ed\u2019 \u2013 dosaen fada d\u00edobh<\/a>\u00a0Posted by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0on Aug 29, 2018 in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/bahai-faith.manvell.org.uk\/gaelic\/briathran_falaichte\/phw21-40.htm<\/a>. Both Irish and Scottish Gaelic translations are given. The text is \u201cThe Hidden Words of Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h \u2013 Part 2, From the Persian. And, in case anyone is wondering, the Scottish Gaelic version uses \u201c \u00ecocshlaint do thrioblaidean uile<\/em>\u201d. And here\u2019s a note on the translation: “The Irish Gaelic translation of\u00a0The Hidden Words<\/em>\u00a0of Bah\u00e1’u’ll\u00e1h, the Founder of the Bah\u00e1’\u00ed Faith, is by Professor Seosamh Watson, and is reproduced here by kind permission of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bah\u00e1’\u00eds of the Republic of Ireland and Professor Watson.” (https:\/\/bahai-faith.manvell.org.uk\/gaelic\/briathran_falaichte\/treorachadh.htm<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

(le\u00a0R\u00f3isl\u00edn) Doctor \u2026 healer \u2026 physician? What\u2019s the difference in Irish? And are some of the terms overlapping? Basics first. \u00a0 Certainly the word most people learn first for \u201cdoctor\u201d in Irish is \u201cdocht\u00fair,\u201d and here are its basic forms: 1.. An docht\u00fair, the doctor, the physician M\u00e1la an docht\u00fara, the bag of the doctor\/physician…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":10869,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3898],"tags":[4018,513709,10159,513687,4301,513651,513662,513702,513663,513669,513668,513647,513660,316275,513657,513665,513658,513659,306119,303151,513681,374981,513638,513683,513710,513675,513685,332271,255453,513636,111368,306122,275743,513694,32970,513648,365070,298532,513649,7813,513690,513655,513653,513654,513656,513691,513666,513676,513667,513634,298507,8068,211655,5520,7435,513626,513679,513680,513682,513684,513686,513673,298529,513701,513642,513644,365194,513696,513697,513639,513645,513643,513640,5909,513631,513708,3297,36204,513677,513678,513652,513637,513671,513689,298554,489217,253594,513641,3022,513699,513688,513707,513664,513705,513704,6740,513692,513713,513712,513711,3028,275364,513703,513661,168760,6980,513672,156,3669,513698,460858,513700,513670,513633,7275,513693,169],"class_list":["post-10868","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-irish-language","tag-aimsir","tag-aimsir-na-bhfiann","tag-bahai","tag-balm","tag-bean","tag-bean-leighis","tag-ceile","tag-charm","tag-cheile","tag-cicatrice","tag-cicatrize","tag-cleachtoir","tag-close-companion","tag-cneas","tag-cneasai","tag-cneasaigh","tag-cneasaithe","tag-cneasaitheoir","tag-colm","tag-craiceann","tag-curative","tag-cure","tag-curer","tag-curing","tag-curtha-in-aimsir","tag-danro-uile","tag-dispensary","tag-dochtuir","tag-dochtuiri","tag-dochtura","tag-domestic","tag-dove","tag-downton-abbey","tag-dreamer","tag-fear","tag-fear-leighis","tag-feasa","tag-fios","tag-fir-leighis","tag-fis","tag-fisi","tag-fisiceach","tag-fisiceoir","tag-fisiceoiri","tag-fisicigh","tag-fisithe","tag-forchneasaigh","tag-hardship","tag-heal","tag-healer","tag-healing","tag-health","tag-herd","tag-hickey","tag-home","tag-iceach","tag-ici","tag-icithe","tag-ioc","tag-ioclann","tag-iocshlainte","tag-is-maith-an-cneasai-an-aimsir","tag-knowledge","tag-layman","tag-leech","tag-leechcraft","tag-leigheas","tag-leigheasoir","tag-leigheasoiri","tag-lia","tag-liachleachtoir","tag-liacht","tag-lianna","tag-literary","tag-mainlia","tag-mairnealach","tag-medical","tag-medicine","tag-miodhach","tag-miodhaigh","tag-mna-leighis","tag-ndochtuiri","tag-ni-feidir-seanfhocal-a-sharu","tag-o-hici","tag-ordinary","tag-person","tag-physician","tag-practitioner","tag-proverb","tag-remedy","tag-restorer","tag-sailor","tag-scar","tag-seamain","tag-seaman","tag-seanfhocail","tag-seer","tag-seosamh-watson","tag-servant","tag-service","tag-shaman","tag-skin","tag-spell","tag-spouse","tag-surgeon","tag-surname","tag-surpass","tag-time","tag-traditional","tag-treatment","tag-treidlia","tag-tuata-ag-deanamh-leighis","tag-use-over-time","tag-veterinarian","tag-vision","tag-visionary","tag-weather"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10868"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10868\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11066,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10868\/revisions\/11066"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}