{"id":7741,"date":"2016-03-13T18:55:48","date_gmt":"2016-03-13T18:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=7741"},"modified":"2016-03-18T18:46:12","modified_gmt":"2016-03-18T18:46:12","slug":"ten-ways-to-say-rainbow-in-irish-with-pronunciation-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/ten-ways-to-say-rainbow-in-irish-with-pronunciation-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Ways to Say ‘Rainbow’ in Irish, with pronunciation tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"(http:\/\/www.clipartpal.com\/clipart_pd\/holiday\/stpatrick\/rainbow1.html)\"<\/a>

(http:\/\/www.clipartpal.com\/clipart_pd\/holiday\/stpatrick\/rainbow1.html)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

So, I wonder how many other languages have more than one word for “rainbow.”\u00a0 Irish does, at any rate, as you probably figured from the title of this blog.\u00a0 And here they are, just in time for “L\u00e1 Fh\u00e9ile P\u00e1draig<\/strong>.”\u00a0 You might remember at least one of these from last year’s special St. Patrick’s Day blog, with recorded texts in Irish and in English (The Best Way to Celebrate St. Patrick\u2019s Day? In Irish! [Interactive Lesson]<\/a> Posted on 17. Mar, 2015 by\u00a0Transparent Language<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Language Learning<\/a>,\u00a0Product Recommendations<\/a>,Reference\/Usage Tips<\/a>, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/2015\/03\/17\/the-best-way-to-celebrate-st-patricks-day-in-irish-interactive-lesson\/)<\/p>\n

By the way, we’ll resume the “25 Ways to Say ‘Family’ in Irish’ series soon \u00a0— just can’t pass up a St. Patrick’s Day theme!<\/p>\n

We’ll take the two key phrases for “rainbow” (bogha b\u00e1ist\u00ed, tuar ceatha<\/strong>) in alphabetical order, each with variations:<\/p>\n

bogha b\u00e1ist\u00ed<\/strong> [BOW-uh BAWSH-shtee, with the ‘-uh’ very minimal; the “gh” is basically silent, but it does affect the vowel sounds; the “ow” is as in “cow” or “flower,” not as in ” show” or “to tie a bow”]<\/p>\n

Its forms are:<\/p>\n

an bogha b\u00e1ist\u00ed<\/strong>, the rainbow<\/p>\n

an bhogha bh\u00e1ist\u00ed<\/strong>, of the rainbow<\/p>\n

na boghanna b\u00e1ist\u00ed<\/strong>, the rainbows<\/p>\n

na mboghanna b\u00e1ist\u00ed<\/strong> [nuh MOW-uh-nuh BAWSH-shtee], of the rainbows<\/p>\n

This phrase is based on “bogha<\/strong>” (a bow, as in archery, music, etc.) and “b\u00e1isteach<\/strong>” (rain).\u00a0 “B\u00e1isteach<\/strong>” changes to “b\u00e1ist\u00ed<\/strong>” because we’re literally saying “bow of rain.”\u00a0 Not that the rainbow is actually composed of rain as such, afaik, but it indicates rain.<\/p>\n

There are five more variations for “rainbow” starting with “bogha<\/strong>,” none of which are very common, in my experience; I’ve noted two as being even less common today:<\/p>\n

an bogha ceatha<\/strong>, lit. the bow of a shower<\/p>\n

an bogha frais<\/strong> (quite uncommon today, IMO), lit. the bow of shower<\/p>\n

an bogha leatha<\/strong>, lit. \u00a0the bow of dissolving<\/p>\n

an bogha s\u00edne<\/strong>, lit. the bow of rain or of bad weather<\/p>\n

an bogha uisce<\/strong> (quite uncommon today, IMO), the bow of water<\/p>\n

The second set starts with either “tuar<\/strong>,” “tua<\/strong>” or “stua<\/strong>;” I find myself wondering if these have gotten entangled with each other because they sound so similar.\u00a0 At any rate, here they are:<\/p>\n

tuar ceatha<\/strong> (the most widely used of this set, IMO).\u00a0 Its forms are<\/p>\n

an tuar ceatha<\/strong> [un TOO-ur KY<\/sup>A-huh, with the “t” of “ceatha<\/strong>” silent], the rainbow, lit. the sign\/omen\/portent of rain\/of a shower<\/p>\n

an tuair cheatha<\/strong>, of the rainbow<\/p>\n

na tuartha ceatha<\/strong>, the rainbows<\/p>\n

na dtuartha ceatha<\/strong>, of the rainbows<\/p>\n

We also have:<\/p>\n

tuar b\u00e1ist\u00ed, an tuar b\u00e1ist\u00ed, an tuair bh\u00e1ist\u00ed, na tuartha b\u00e1ist\u00ed, na dtuartha b\u00e1ist\u00ed<\/strong><\/p>\n

And then, intriguingly similar to the sound of “tuar<\/strong>,” we have “tua cheatha<\/strong>” (lit. arch of shower), with “tua<\/strong>” here being a variation of “stua<\/strong>,” not the completely different word “tua<\/strong>,” meaning “an axe.” \u00a0At least some things make sense in this world! \u00a0And we also have “stua ceatha<\/strong>” (also “arch of shower”). \u00a0But of course the genders are different, so we have “tua ch<\/em>eatha<\/strong>” (feminine) but “stua c<\/em>eatha<\/strong>” (masculine) even though “tua<\/strong>” and “stua<\/strong>” are variations of each other.\u00a0 For that, I can just say, “Go figure!”<\/p>\n

tua cheatha, an tua cheatha, na tua ceatha, na tuanna ceatha, na dtuanna ceatha<\/strong><\/p>\n

stua ceatha, an stua ceatha, an stua cheatha, na stuanna ceatha, na stuanna ceatha<\/strong><\/p>\n

But wait, that’s not all! \u00a0“Stua<\/strong>” can sometimes be feminine, in which case we should have an additional set of forms, as follows, but I can’t say I have observed this particular set in any natural context:<\/p>\n

stua cheatha, an stua cheatha, na stua ceatha, na stuanna ceatha, na stuanna ceatha<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bhuel<\/strong>, that should give you plenty of choice.\u00a0 Of course, I guess the real “ceist<\/strong>” is “Cad at\u00e1 ag\u00a0bun an tuair cheatha?<\/strong> (or whichever other term you want for ‘an tuiseal ginideach<\/strong>‘ following “bun<\/strong>,” meaning “end”).<\/p>\n

So sin deich dt\u00e9arma, ar a laghad.\u00a0 Ceann ar bith eile ag duine ar bith eile?\u00a0<\/strong> And are there really none based on “fearthainne<\/strong>,” yet another Irish word for “rain”?\u00a0 SGF — R\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. Still hankering for more St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary?\u00a0\u00a0 Here are some other previous Transparent Irish blogs with “L\u00e1 Fh\u00e9ile P\u00e1draig<\/strong>” as the “t\u00e9ama<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

1. Seamr\u00f3ga ag Seinm \u2014 Google\u2019s Musical Shamrocks for St. Patrick\u2019s Day<\/a> (Posted on 17. Mar, 2015 by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a>,(https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/seamroga-ag-seinm-googles-musical-shamrocks-for-st-patricks-day\/)<\/p>\n

2. Ten St. Patrick\u2019s Day Items and How to Lenite and Eclipse Them<\/a>, (Posted on 19. Mar, 2014 by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a>, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/ten-st-patricks-day-items-and-how-to-lenite-and-eclipse-them\/)<\/p>\n

3. Seamra vs. Seamr\u00f3ga: Which Plant Goes with St. Patrick\u2019s Day?<\/a>, Posted on 17. Mar, 2014 by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a> (https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/seamra-vs-seamroga-which-plant-goes-with-st-patricks-day\/)<\/p>\n

4. How Magonus Succetus Became \u2018Naomh P\u00e1draig\u2019 (St. Patrick) \u2014 Or Is It \u2018P\u00e1draig Naofa\u2019?<\/a>, Posted on 17. Mar, 2013 by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a> (https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/how-magonus-succetus-became-naomh-padraig-st-patrick-or-is-it-padraig-naofa\/)<\/p>\n

5. Beoir: Uaine n\u00f3 Glas n\u00f3 Ceachtar? (Beer: Green\/Uaine or Green\/Glas or Neither?, <\/a>Posted on 22. Mar, 2013 by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a> (https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/beoir-uaine-no-glas-no-ceachtar-beer-greenuaine-or-greenglas-or-neither\/)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn) So, I wonder how many other languages have more than one word for “rainbow.”\u00a0 Irish does, at any rate, as you probably figured from the title of this blog.\u00a0 And here they are, just in time for “L\u00e1 Fh\u00e9ile P\u00e1draig.”\u00a0 You might remember at least one of these from last year’s special St…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":7744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3898],"tags":[411275,411274,411277,411276,229554],"class_list":["post-7741","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-irish-language","tag-bogha","tag-rainbow","tag-stua","tag-tua","tag-tuar"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t