Feic

Gordon · 31-08-2003 12:46am #1

Is that how you spell it?

I'm just wondering what it means, as it doesn't seem to be a censored word on television and is used in situations where 'f*ck' wouldn't be used in. Is the Irish word feck the exact same as the English equivelant or does feck actually mean something less vulgar?

Sorry, I'm not trolling, honest.

Lukin Black · 31-08-2003 1:01am

Feic is the irish verb 'to see'! I dunno where feck came from, but as you well see, it's just seen as a well toned down version of the other f word.

GuanYin · 31-08-2003 1:06am

As far as I know, most of the Leinster Irish language we speak today is reconstructed as it pretty much all but dies out this century.

Those who revived were those lovable christian brother types, so you will notice that there isn't a whole lot of sexual terms or romance in the language (at least not any that I learned anyway). I reckon that those non-christian brother words that we have came either from the Donegal, Galway and Kerry dialects of Irish or were words added in as slang by the students studying the reintroduced language.

I could be (and probably am totally wrong about this).

I'd imagine simu would be the best person to ask (I think she has a degree in Irish) or possibly Bard.

Lukin Black · 31-08-2003 1:14am

To be honest, I'd say it's more just because we learn 99% of our Irish in schools, most of us, and we don't learn to many romantic or slang words there

There is no Leinster Irish per se, as far as I know, it's more or less a standardised Irish, a mixture of the three dialects. Then again, I'm no expert

Gordon · 31-08-2003 1:23am

Ah, feic doesn't sound like feck? I originally meant 'Feck', sorry. Or should that be feck. heh.

So if it is just an Irishated form of F*ck, why is it spoken on prime time TV - is it a milder form? Not that I mind of course.

Lukin Black · 31-08-2003 1:34am

Feic does sound like feck, but feic is no more a curse than "look" is in English, if you get my drift. Feck is Hiberno-English slang, so perhaps you should ask in the English forum? I'd say there are more people with English (language study) backgrounds that might be able to shed some light.

Personally I would say that it is a milder form of f*ck, and that's why it's more acceptable. Mind you, coming from Ulster, we don't use that word (well, rarely, if it all), so perhaps a southerner (anyone below Sligo town/Drogheda

) could let us know?

simu · 31-08-2003 2:02am

Feic is the verb "to see" in standard Irish and in some dialects - Feicim - I see, Feiceann tú - you see etc (see song by Richie Kavanagh:)).

In the Munster dialect(my own), we don't use feic at all - we say chím(I see), chíonn tú (you see) etc instead.

The word "feic" can also mean a sight or a scene, and you'd hear ppl exclaiming in Irish "A leithéid d'fheic!" ("What a sight!", "What a disgrace") so maybe this is where the word fe_ck originated. Or maybe it's a variant of the more famous f-word - etymology is not always a very exact science.

As far as I know, most of the Leinster Irish language we speak today is reconstructed as it pretty much all but dies out this century.

Well, there is no trace of original Leinster Irish left really - when Irish was spoken there, there was a standard of formal and literary Irish used by nobles, poets etc in Ireland and in Scotland and the speech of the lower classes was not recorded. Linguists have tried to reconstruct aspects of it from place names etc but the variant used by teachers etc in Leinster is based on standardized Irish and maybe on whichever Gaeltacht they may have been in contact with.

Those who revived were those lovable christian brother types, so you will notice that there isn't a whole lot of sexual terms or romance in the language

Er, yes, being somewhat prudish, they tended to leave out parts of the language relating to sex, love, swear words etc.

Wow, this forum is great for reviving my memories of long-lost lectures at uni:)(yes, I do have a degree in Irish).

GuanYin · 31-08-2003 2:13am

Heh, I'm just amazed I managed to latently retain some information from LC Irish!

I amaze myself sometimes (and I'm unique in that fact).

Lukin Black · 31-08-2003 2:13am

Find that stuff dead interesting. Would make a new thread, but you'd prolly be the only one that would post, Simu, and I'd be pestering ye.. "Really?? Wow. What about...?!?"

GuanYin · 31-08-2003 2:18am

Originally posted by Lukin Black
Find that stuff dead interesting. Would make a new thread, but you'd prolly be the only one that would post,:D

Pffft! don't mind me so

Lukin Black · 31-08-2003 2:23am

I mean authorative source! Unless you're well versed, and then I'll torture you too!!

And I dunno, sometimes I feel like nobody else in the world is interested in this stuff

GuanYin · 31-08-2003 2:28am

Originally posted by Lukin Black
I mean authorative source! Unless you're well versed, and then I'll torture you too!!

Nope, you got the right person first time

Inspector Gadget · 01-09-2003 6:46pm

I never realised that the root verb was "feic"!!! (thought it might be féach).

Then again, ní raibh béim íontach ar ghramadach nuair a bhí mo chuid Gaeilge á fhoghlaim agam...

Gadget
[Sweet Home Conamara

]

Lukin Black · 01-09-2003 10:37pm

Originally posted by Inspector Gadget
I never realised that the root verb was "feic"!!! (thought it might be féach).D]

Both are verbs to see féach and feic

Inspector Gadget · 01-09-2003 10:42pm

Originally posted by Lukin Black
Both are verbs to see féach and feic

I think you've just proved my point on the whole grammar side of things

As long as no-one gets inspired to pull a Richie Kavanagh, I suppose... :rolleyes:

Gadget

simu · 03-09-2003 2:11am

Well, to be fussy, feic is to see and féach is to look:)

Cloud · 15-09-2003 4:49pm

Is maith liom na 't-shirts' sin - "F C E K, The Irish Connection" - atá cosúil leis na t-shirts ón French Connection.

Lukin Black · 16-09-2003 2:04am

Níor chuala mé riamh futhu! An-mhaith ar fad!

Feic

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