Couples as Gaeilge

samai

I write reports for clients and I was just wondering how to write the surname when you are writing say Mr & Mrs Murphy, is there any way gramatically? The only way I can think of (and it feels wrong) 'An tUasal ⁊ Bean Uí Mhurchú'. Any better (or correct) ways for a formal report?

B'fhéidir 'An tUasal Uí Mhurchú ⁊ a Bhean' - but dont want to favour one sex over the other, equals and all that

An gal gréine

samai wrote: »

I write reports for clients and I was just wondering how to write the surname when you are writing say Mr & Mrs Murphy, is there any way gramatically? The only way I can think of (and it feels wrong) 'An tUasal ⁊ Bean Uí Mhurchú'. Any better (or correct) ways for a formal report?

B'fhéidir 'An tUasal Uí Mhurchú ⁊ a Bhean' - but dont want to favour one sex over the other, equals and all that

An tUasal Ó Murchú agus bean Uí Mhurchú.

Enkidu

I'm not saying "An tUasal" shouldn't be used here, but it's not really an idea native to Irish. It literally means "The Noble" and was created to match the English "Mr.". I haven't seen it used much outside the standard, normally native speakers just give their names.

(Of course women in Ireland traditionally didn't take their husband's name. So you would have just had both people listing their birth names, which is how my grandparents family did it.)

An gal gréine

True enough, Enkidu, but he did say this was for a "formal report".

Enkidu

An gal gréine wrote: »

True enough, Enkidu, but he did say this was for a "formal report".

Oh, I agree. Formal writing uses the Standard in any language, so your post is totally correct. I'm just pointing out the broader context.:)

An gal gréine

Formal terms had to be composed for nephew, niece and sibling as well for the same reason you pointed out.

P. Breathnach

An gal gréine wrote: »

An tUasal Ó Murchú agus bean Uí Mhurchú.

I agree with Enkidu about the use of "uasal", both in traditional correctness and in putting up with it as a modern formality. But the contrivance is less forced if one uses uasal as an adjective rather than as a noun.

I don't like to throw all the old things out, and I would like to preserve the Irish preference for using given names.

My preferred formulation would be along the lines of Seán uasal Ó Murchú agus a bhean Bríd (Uí Mhurchú).

P. Breathnach

P. Breathnach wrote: »

...
My preferred formulation would be along the lines of Seán uasal Ó Murchú agus a bhean Bríd (Uí Mhurchú).

We're not that good with gender equity in Irish, are we? When I posted the above, I had wondered about Seán uasal Ó Murchú agus a bhean uasal Bríd (Uí Mhurchú). And it's still bugging me. I want it to be the best expression, but I fear it sounds forced and false.

Eathrin

P. Breathnach wrote: »

We're not that good with gender equity in Irish, are we? When I posted the above, I had wondered about Seán uasal Ó Murchú agus a bhean uasal Bríd (Uí Mhurchú). And it's still bugging me. I want it to be the best expression, but I fear it sounds forced and false.

Noble Sean and his wife does sound slightly unequal, especially as this is meant for a formal report.

deise go deo

Could you use Muintir Uí Mhurchú?

An gal gréine

deise go deo wrote: »

Could you use Muintir Uí Mhurchú?

(Very) broadly speaking you could but not in the specific way Samai is requesting. I'd regard "Muintir Uí Mhurchú" as a good substitute for "Clann Uí Mhurchú"