Airpot signs in Irish

Santa Claus

I was out collecting my parents last night at the airport and while I was waiting I noticed one main sign which differed a lot from what I would have learnt in school.
"Car Hire - Fustu Caranna"

What confused me was that gluaistean was the word we were taught for car.

Has the word for car changed or are the airport signs wrong ??

simu

There's more than one word for car in Irish...

Santa Claus

simu wrote: »

There's more than one word for car in Irish...

Pardon my ignorance, I was only taught the one word.

It's no wonder the EU commission are giving out about the Irish language being unworkable as a language in parliment due to lack of translators/interpreters when we can't come up with one definitive word for a basic thing such as a car.
I mean I can understand the eskimos having several words for snow but us having several words for car is a wee bit confusing !

Cionnfhaolaidh

"FOSTÚ CARANNA"

Would "Caranna ar cíos" not be better?

I was taught 'gluaisteán' in primary school and it has stuck with me, but it seems that most speakers use 'carr'.

I prefer gluaisteán though. I usually say motor in English when referring to my car. eg. "Nice motor, man.", "I'll pick ye up in me motor".

I try not to use "carr" in Irish, it's a bit of a swiz.

Santa Claus

Cionnfhaolaidh wrote: »

I try not to use "carr" in Irish, it's a bit of a swiz.

I always thought that "offical" Irish tried to stay away from anglisised versions of words were possible so would have thought gluaistean would have been preferable over carr

Cionnfhaolaidh

Santa Claus wrote: »

I always thought that "offical" Irish tried to stay away from anglisised versions of words were possible so would have thought gluaistean would have been preferable over carr

"Carr" is easier to say than gluaisteán, I guess that's why speakers use it.

It's interesting listening to RnaG. A lot of speakers throw in "you know" after a sentance, then you have some speakers (usually native ones) that use the original Irish "An dtuigeann tú" or "An bhfuil a fhios agat", but they same them so fast that they become:

(say them as fast as you can)

"An dtuigeann tú" - Digin-teh
"An bhfuil a fhios agat" - Wiss-gut

- both are as fast as "you know".

I always try to use these original conversation 'fillers' where possible.

Gluaisteán may have evolved into just "gluaist" over time. "An maith leat mo ghluaist?!"

dranoel

Really bad translation of "Hire"

In Irish Fostú means to hire as in hiring of employees. The airport needs to hire a new translator.

GaryOR

Santa Claus wrote: »

I always thought that "offical" Irish tried to stay away from anglisised versions of words were possible so would have thought gluaistean would have been preferable over carr

The word "Carr" was first written down, in Irish, in An Táin Bó Cúailnge in the 11th century, as a chariot, as far as I'm aware.

diarmuidh

Car is indeed a word of Celtic origin..check a good English dictionary and you will see 'of Celtic origin'...maybe it came 'back' into Irish through English in the last century..

Múinteoir

Santa Claus wrote: »

It's no wonder the EU commission are giving out about the Irish language being unworkable as a language in parliment due to lack of translators/interpreters when we can't come up with one definitive word for a basic thing such as a car.

English calls it a car, a vehicle, an automobile etc. (even before you consider slang) English frequently uses more than one term for things, especially when you consider the blank looks Americans will give you if you ask them to put something in the 'boot', 'get in the lift' etc. Why should Irish feel guilty for having some variety in it's vocabulary. For shame!

cast_iron

Whilst I do indeed remember the word gluaistean meaning car, "carr na nGardai" always sticks in my head also.