{"id":5250,"date":"2014-05-06T19:43:09","date_gmt":"2014-05-06T19:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=5250"},"modified":"2016-02-09T07:01:55","modified_gmt":"2016-02-09T07:01:55","slug":"say-pleeeeease-i-ngaeilge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/say-pleeeeease-i-ngaeilge\/","title":{"rendered":"Say ‘Pleeeeease’! (i nGaeilge)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"'Le<\/a>

‘Le do thoil, a dhuine uasail, …’ (a d\u00fairt Oilibh\u00e9ar). Aistri\u00fach\u00e1n den chuid eile den athfhriotal le teacht i mblag eile — t\u00e1 a l\u00e1n d\u00f3igheanna ann le “I want some more” a r\u00e1!<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

I recently came across an interesting web page discussing the English word “please” (nasc th\u00edos<\/strong>).\u00a0 It pointed out that “please” in English can be a verb, an adverb, and an interjection.\u00a0 Or to insinuate a few Irish grammar terms into this blog: briathar, dobhriathar, agus intriacht<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 It set me thinking (n\u00ed nach ionadh<\/strong>), how does this compare to Irish?<\/p>\n

In a nutshell, here’s my conclusion.\u00a0 Each point will be discussed in a little more depth further below:<\/p>\n

a) As a verb, “to please,” the main candidate is “taitneamh<\/strong>,” but there are a number of other verbs that can convey the same or a similar meaning.<\/p>\n

b) For the “adverbial” meaning in English, with requests (like “two coffees, please”), the most typical equivalents in Irish are “le do thoil<\/strong>” and “m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9<\/strong>.” \u00a0However, neither of these phrases is grammatically an adverb, as we’ll see below.\u00a0 In fact, even considering “please” as an “adverb” in English is a stretch, but it seems to be widely accepted.\u00a0 It’s not the usual type of adverb, which describes the action of the verb, such as “He walked quietly.”\u00a0 Sometimes, as here, it seems the term “adverb” is used as a “catchall” category for miscellaneous types of words.<\/p>\n

Although “le do thoil<\/strong>” and “m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9<\/strong>” are the main candidates for “please (may I have, etc.),” there are other ways to express politeness as well, without necessarily using the word\/phrase “please” as such.<\/p>\n

c) For “Please!” as an interjection, indicating disbelief or protest, we really have to leave the usual realm of “please.”\u00a0 None of the typical Irish expressions for this purpose are connected to saying “please” for politeness. \u00a0Here, we’re talking about the English staccato “puh-leeze” pronunciation.\u00a0 Presumably it’s short for something like “Please don’t expect me to believe (or accept) that.” \u00a0In Irish, one typical response to an unbelievable or absurd statement is “ag magadh at\u00e1 t\u00fa<\/strong>.”\u00a0 Literally, that’s “you’re joking.” \u00a0Or more literally, “it’s joking that you are.”<\/p>\n

So let’s look a little more closely at how we can use these terms:<\/p>\n

1) “please”\u00a0mar bhriathar<\/strong> (as a verb): taitin<\/strong> (or taitnigh<\/strong>, etc.).\u00a0 The most ba3sic meaning of this verb is “shine” and it can be used to say “the sun is shining” (T\u00e1 an ghrian ag taitneamh<\/strong>.).\u00a0 For sentences like “It pleased me” (i.e. I liked it), we need to add “le<\/strong>” (with).\u00a0 Whoever is doing the “liking” (or is “pleased”) ends up in the sentence after<\/em> the word “le<\/strong>” (i.e. as the object of the preposition).\u00a0 For some typical examples, we’ll go to the past tense, since this construction is very widely used in that context:<\/p>\n

Ar thaitin Avatar<\/em> leat?<\/strong>\u00a0 Did Avatar<\/em> please you?, i.e. Did you like Avatar<\/em>? (“leat<\/strong>” = with you).\u00a0 Very literally, this is “Did Avatar<\/em> shine with you?”<\/p>\n

Feicim go bhfuil Cogadh agus S\u00edoch\u00e1in<\/em> l\u00e9ite agat.\u00a0 Ar thaitin s\u00e9 leat?<\/strong>\u00a0 I see you have read War and Peace<\/em>.\u00a0 Did it please you? i.e. Did you like it?<\/p>\n

Here’s an example in the present tense:<\/p>\n

An dtaitn\u00edonn <\/strong>h\u00e1karl<\/em> leat?<\/strong>\u00a0 Does h\u00e1karl please you?\u00a0 i.e. Do you like h\u00e1karl?<\/p>\n

Cad is<\/strong> “h\u00e1karl<\/em>” ann<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

De r\u00e9ir<\/strong> askmen.com (nasc th\u00edos), is feoil leasaithe an liamh\u00e1in \u00e9<\/strong>.\u00a0 “Leasaithe<\/strong>” may sound reasonably palatable but further investigation reveals that the basking-shark meat is “cured” by being buried in a pit of gravel and snow or sand for 6 to 12 weeks, and then dried.\u00a0\u00a0 Apparently first-timers are advised to hold their nose when they try eating h\u00e1karl.\u00a0 A shot of “brenniv\u00edn<\/em>” (cine\u00e1l sneapa<\/strong>) is supposed to help it go down.\u00a0 \u00a0N\u00edor bhlais mise riamh \u00e9.\u00a0 Tusa?<\/strong><\/p>\n

C\u00e1 n-itear h\u00e1karl<\/strong>? (Where is h\u00e1karl eaten?).\u00a0 Bar\u00fail ar bith agat<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

Itear san \u00cdoslainn \u00e9<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To actually answer the question, “Do you like h\u00e1karl?,” the choices are:<\/p>\n

Taitn\u00edonn <\/strong>(yes)<\/p>\n

Or for a more complete answer, “Taitn\u00edonn, taitn\u00edonn s\u00e9 liom.\u00a0 T\u00e1 s\u00e9 an-bhlasta.<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

For “no”:<\/p>\n

N\u00ed th\u00e1itn\u00edonn<\/strong> (no)<\/p>\n

Longer answer: N\u00ed thaitn\u00edonn, n\u00ed thaitn\u00edonn s\u00e9 liom ar chor ar bith.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Or simply:<\/p>\n

An ag magadh at\u00e1 t\u00fa<\/strong>? (Is it joking that you are?)<\/p>\n

2) “please”\u00a0mar dhobhriathar <\/strong>(as an adverb) : How about our next function of “please,” to make a polite request (as in “Ba mhaith liom giota beag h\u00e1karl, le do thoil!”<\/strong>)<\/p>\n

There are two phrases that are very close equivalents to the English “please” (with requests). \u00a0First:<\/p>\n

le do thoil<\/strong> [leh duh hul], please, i.e. if you please, lit. with your wish (not literally “if”)<\/p>\n

To address several people, this phrase must be made plural:<\/p>\n

le bhur dtoil<\/strong> [leh wur dul]<\/p>\n

The second phrase is:<\/p>\n

m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9<\/strong>, if you please, lit. if it is your wish (this phrase incorporates the word “m\u00e1<\/strong>,” which means “if”)<\/p>\n

Pronunciation note: Normally “m\u00e1s<\/strong>” would be pronounced “mawss” (with a “broad s”) but here the second word, “\u00e9<\/strong>,” changes it to “mawsh,” with a “slender s.”\u00a0\u00a0 Also “hul” and “dul” for “thoil<\/strong>” and “dtoil<\/strong>” are simply approximations.\u00a0 I’ve also seen these sounds transcribed as “hil,” “hwil,” and “dil.”\u00a0 There’s a slight “-il” sound at the end, almost like “huh-il” or “duh-il” but it’s not really a two-syllable word.\u00a0 Maybe the best approach is simply to say it rhymes with “scoil<\/strong>.” \u00a0And, of course, the unlenited, uneclipsed form of the word is “toil<\/strong>” (tul, or, if you will, “tuh-il”), whose meanings include “will,” “desire,” and “wish.”<\/p>\n

This can also be pluralized:<\/p>\n

m\u00e1s \u00e9 bhur dtoil \u00e9<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here are some possible phrases with “le do thoil<\/strong>” or “m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9<\/strong>“:<\/p>\n

Seas anseo, le do thoil.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Abair ar\u00eds \u00e9, m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

If ordering food or drink:<\/p>\n

Dh\u00e1 sh\u00fa, le do thoil. <\/strong><\/p>\n

An t-anraith mineastr\u00f3ine, m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"'M\u00e1s<\/a>

‘M\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9’ (Please) i dteideal leabhair le Gabriel Rosenstock<\/p><\/div>\n

And then there’s the book, Haiku m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9<\/em><\/strong>, by Gabriel Rosenstock (nasc th\u00edos)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes “please” is implied but not stated, as in these phrases:<\/p>\n

Ar mhiste leat an sc\u00e9al a insint dom<\/strong>? please tell me the story, lit. would you mind telling me the story?<\/p>\n

Ar mhiste libh su\u00ed s\u00edos<\/strong>? please be seated, lit. would you mind sitting down?<\/p>\n

3) “please”\u00a0mar intriacht<\/strong> (as an interjection): And finally, we have “please” as the interjection indicating disbelief or protest.\u00a0\u00a0 (“Oh, puh-leeze! Do you think I was born yesterday?”).\u00a0 As mentioned above, we pretty much have to look beyond “please” for the Irish equivalent.<\/p>\n

ag magadh at\u00e1 t\u00fa<\/strong>, you’re joking, lit. (it’s) joking that you are<\/p>\n

Sometimes, to be a little more dramatic, people say,<\/p>\n

N\u00edor th\u00e1inig m\u00e9 isteach leis an l\u00e1n mara<\/strong>, I didn’t come in with the full tide.<\/p>\n

N\u00ed inniu n\u00e1 inn\u00e9 a rugadh mise!<\/strong>, I wasn’t born yesterday, lit. It wasn’t today or yesterday that I was born.\u00a0 Curious that the Irish expression mentions “today” as well as “yesterday” while the English one settles for just “yesterday.”<\/p>\n

As with many other words and phrases, there are many more dimensions to all of these words and phrases, but this blog provides the basics of how to say “please” in Irish. \u00a0So, to summarize:<\/p>\n

a) Taitn\u00edonn s\u00e9 liom<\/strong>.\u00a0 I like it, lit. It pleases (with) me.<\/p>\n

b) le do thoil<\/strong> OR m\u00e1s \u00e9 do thoil \u00e9<\/strong>, please (with requests, etc.)<\/p>\n

c) Ag magadh at\u00e1 t\u00fa<\/strong>!\u00a0 Please! (to indicate disbelief or protest)<\/p>\n

T\u00e1 s\u00fail agam gur thaitin an blag seo leat.\u00a0\u00a0 SGF — R\u00f3isl\u00edn <\/strong><\/p>\n

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

http:\/\/english.stackexchange.com\/questions\/46390\/part-of-speech-for-please-followed-by-a-verb<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.askmen.com\/top_10\/entertainment\/top-10-worst-foods-in-the-world_1.html<\/p>\n

http:\/\/leabhar.ie\/product\/haiku-mas-e-do-thoil-e-2\/?lang=en<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn) I recently came across an interesting web page discussing the English word “please” (nasc th\u00edos).\u00a0 It pointed out that “please” in English can be a verb, an adverb, and an interjection.\u00a0 Or to insinuate a few Irish grammar terms into this blog: briathar, dobhriathar, agus intriacht.\u00a0\u00a0 It set me thinking (n\u00ed nach ionadh)…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":5252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3898],"tags":[12194,331887,331889,331894,273009,331890,331882,292412,331876,331879,331891,172884,331888,331884,331869,85,331880,5847,331866,331892,331868,331867,331886,331885,331881,331883,292932,331897,331874,9446,331875,359490,6707,6868,331895,331871,331870,331872,331873,359489,331893,306455,165],"class_list":["post-5250","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-irish-language","tag-adverb","tag-ar-mhiste","tag-basking-shark","tag-brennivin","tag-briathar","tag-cured","tag-dhuine-uasail","tag-dickens","tag-disbelief","tag-dobhriathar","tag-dried","tag-haiku","tag-hakarl","tag-i-want-some-more","tag-if-you-please","tag-interjection","tag-intriacht","tag-le-bhur-dtoil","tag-le-do-thoil","tag-leasaithe","tag-mas-e-bhur-dtoil-e","tag-mas-e-do-thoil-e","tag-mhiste","tag-miste","tag-oilibhear","tag-oliver","tag-please","tag-please-sir","tag-pleased","tag-protest","tag-puh-leeze","tag-rosenstock","tag-schnapps","tag-sneap","tag-sneapa","tag-taitin","tag-taitneamh","tag-thaitin","tag-to-please","tag-toil","tag-triomaithe","tag-twist","tag-verb"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5250","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=5250"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7629,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5250\/revisions\/7629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}