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Meaning of "Béarla"

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  • 14-09-2010 10:57am
    #1
    stephanus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 57 ✭✭


    I know it is the word for the English language. But what is it derived from? All the other denominations for languages are derived from the people or country connected with them (well, most of the times at least). But Béarla puzzles me. I cannot make any connection to any region or any people or any event.

    Does anyone know?


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    #2
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    Sacs-Béarla is the long version

    I heard Béarla means or use to mean jibberish


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    #3
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    Crosáidí wrote: »
    Sacs-Béarla

    What is the literal translation of this


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    #4
    Micilin Muc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    The meaning of Béarla is speech according to Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla Uí Dhónaill.

    Dineen gives the following terms: Béarla Chríost (Latin), Béarla Eadarscartha (the parted language/an old dialect of Irish).


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    #5
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    Sacs = Saxon
    Sasanach = Saxon (person)


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    #6
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    Thanks for that

    Did they have a work for the Normans?


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    #7
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    na normannaigh - the normans

    Remember the normans didnt speak English or anglo-saxon they spoke French, there are a few words in Gaeilge with French roots like,

    gasúr - child/boy (garcon)
    gasún - boy (garcon)
    seomra - room (chambre)


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    #8
    who the fug
    Registered Users Posts: 4,041 ✭✭✭who the fug


    Crosáidí wrote: »
    na normannaigh - the normans

    Remember the normans didnt speak English or anglo-saxon they spoke French, there are a few words in Gaeilge with French roots like,



    Appreciate they spoke French, but did the Irish identify them as a separate race of people to the native English

    Re Irish words with French roots

    Does on Reynard for a fox date back to this time ?


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    #9
    Enkidu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,005 ✭✭✭Enkidu


    who the fug wrote: »
    Appreciate they spoke French, but did the Irish identify them as a separate race of people to the native English
    Yeah they did. The Irish had known the Anglo-Saxons for some time at that point (over four centuries). Where as the Normans were a new arrival to the British Isles. Also the Irish at the time had a tendency to classify people by their language so the Normans with their French stood out.


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    #10
    stephanus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 57 ✭✭stephanus


    Interesting! My linguistic world is whole again. :D I simply could not make Béarla fit anywhere. No i can.
    Thanks a lot and also for the background information.


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    #11
    mr chips
    Registered Users Posts: 608 ✭✭✭mr chips


    As Crosáidí says, it comes from an old word meaning gibberish.* As far as I know the root word was "Geurla".

    *For some childish reason, this pleases me. :D


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    #12
    stephanus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 57 ✭✭stephanus


    Reminds me of the Greek "barbaros" also meaning stammering or gibberish. ;)


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