Meaning of "'S é'n trua nach mise bean Pháidín"

stephanus

If I figure it out correctly this translates as "It is a pity that I'm not Páidín's wife".

Am I right? Please say so because that would mean that I am finally getting on in the understanding of Irish without consulting myriads of dictionaries and grammar books first.

gaeilgeboy

stephanus wrote: »

If I figure it out correctly this translates as "It is a pity that I'm not Páidín's wife".

Am I right? Please say so because that would mean that I am finally getting on in the understanding of Irish without consulting myriads of dictionaries and grammar books first.

Go díreach é, that's how I'd translate it.

stephanus

Phew! That's just what I neede, a little confirmation. I have just had a super browse through some basic Irish grammar sections and I was really getting frustrated because I simply couldn't imagine how I would ever ever ever cram all that stuff into my head.
I mean the tense system of Irish is quite straightforward. But all that copulainfrontofavowelpreterite and initialmutationheryesthereno stuff was beginning to get me down.

But now I know that I have to tackle things step by step and understanding that song line and being confirmed in having understood it correctly gives me back my confidence.
After all, I wouldn't have understood it only last week so here's the rate how fast I'm improving! :rolleyes:

arse..biscuits

'S an bhean atá aige bheith caillte


What do you think that line means?

gaeilgeboy

arse..biscuits wrote: »

'S an bhean atá aige bheith caillte


What do you think that line means?

In the context, I'd say "It's a pity that I'm not Páidín's wife, and that his wife isn't lost", nó rud éigin mar sin.

Micilin Muc

gaeilgeboy wrote: »

In the context, I'd say "It's a pity that I'm not Páidín's wife, and that his wife isn't lost", nó rud éigin mar sin.

and that his wife be dead.

stephanus

That'd fit the context. As far as I have figured it out the singer curses Páidín's wife because she herself did not make it to that position.

"Go mbristear do chosa 's do lámha" is another part of the song I understand: "May your feet and your hands break". Right?

Apart from the fact that I feel awfully sorry for Páidín's wife it is a song I really have come to like. I have found an interpretation on youtube from TG4 and one from an 1980's Planxty gig.

arse..biscuits

stephanus wrote: »

"Go mbristear do chosa 's do lámha" is another part of the song I understand: "May your feet and your hands break". Right?

May your feet and hands be broken.


caillte = lost
but you'll hear it used for when people die.

'S an bhean atá aige bheith caillte
May the wife that he has die.


It's quite a funny song, one that I could always hum along to but was a little shocked when realised what it was about:)