Gardai, Garda and Guard

MorningStar

Does anybody know why people think Guard refers to the police service in Ireland? I am not a spelling master or anything and common use can just about justify anything but is it just incorrect or is there a logical reason.

Jim

Because it sounds similar to their actual title, Gardaí?

Sarsfield

The correct term is Garda, which means guardian, which is pretty much interchangable with guard in this context. I don't have a problem with it.

Kingsize

I wouldve thought Gardai means guard or guardians ?
so if you are speaking english,as most people outside of the gaeltacht do i guess its Guard(s)
im open to correction my irish is sh-ite
(

MorningStar

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

Because it sounds similar to their actual title, Gardaí?

So it's just laziness?


An Garda Síochána in English means "The Guardians of the Peace"

I just think saying Guard is lazy and sounds awful D4

Jim

MorningStar wrote:

So it's just laziness?

Eh, yep. Aren't all abbriviations / alternatives, nicknames down to laziness though?

Since most people can't speak Irish, I think that they assumed that Gardaí was plural (sounds plural in English anyway) and they called them Guard as singular, then eventually it evolved into Guards as plural. Its slang mostly, get over it.

MorningStar

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

Eh, yep. Aren't all abbriviations / alternatives, nicknames down to laziness though?

Since most people can't speak Irish, I think that they assumed that Gardaí was plural (sounds plural in English anyway) and they called them Guard as singular, then eventually it evolved into Guards as plural. Its slang mostly, get over it.

Maybe you shouldn't jump down somebodies throat when thay ask a question. Maybe it bothers other people too!

gulp

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

Eh, yep. Aren't all abbriviations / alternatives, nicknames down to laziness though?

Since most people can't speak Irish, I think that they assumed that Gardaí was plural (sounds plural in English anyway) and they called them Guard as singular, then eventually it evolved into Guards as plural. Its slang mostly, get over it.

yeah sounds like a good explanation

Jim

MorningStar wrote:

Maybe you shouldn't jump down somebodies throat when thay ask a question. Maybe it bothers other people too!

I wasn't jumping down your throat.
I answered your question.

Meh.

egan007

Most people say 'The Guards'
What's the difference Americans call Police Officers Cops

Drummer

Garda is Irish for Guard or Guardian. Gardai is the plural. (There should be an accent over the 'i').

The full title is An Garda Siochana na hEireann - which translates as The Peace Guardians of Ireland. For short, we say Garda or Gardai for plural.

In the UK, the Police in the Liverpool area are The Merseyside Police Force, but people simply call them the Police. Similarly the Police in London are The London Metropolitan Police Force.

These longer titles are formal titles and can be found in all forms of societies and groups in life, for simplicity and convenience (some would say laziness) we use a shorter versions.

goddessoftrauma

Well I'm just speaking for myself here, but I always called them the "Garda Shickeloney" (god only knows how thats spelt)!!

Tobias Greeshman

I use Guarda!
So Guarda = Singular and Guardai = Plural. Good to know!

Drummer

Good God - please tell me you people are not Irish.

Every child in junior school knows that an 'i' added to the end of an Irish word usually indicates the plural.

And its Garda and Gardi, not Guarda and Guardai - Duh !

sprinkles

Does someone smell Bacon?

I definately smell a pork product of some kind.......

landser

The non - official title for the Garda Siochana na hEireann in English is still the Civic Guard which was the name of the force prior to the Garda Siochana Act of 1924 (not a direct translation as Guardians of the Peace of Ireland is, which makes them sound like Star Wars characters). When referring to an individual they should be referred to as Garda, but Guard is acceptable also.

landser

Drummer wrote:

And its Garda and Gardi, not Guarda and Guardai - Duh !

it's Gardai, with a fada on the i

Dr. Loon

Drummer wrote:

And its Garda and Gardi, not Guarda and Guardai - Duh !

You are wrong. It's Garda and Gardaí.

GeorgeBailey

MorningStar wrote:

Maybe you shouldn't jump down somebodies throat when thay ask a question. Maybe it bothers other people too!

Ahh bless! Someone's feeling a little sensitive today!

hullaballoo

bobby's, peelers, cops, fuzz, the bill, guards etc...

calling the national security forces names other than their official ones is not unheard of, there is an issue of respect though.

so, i think it is polite to refer to them as they refer to themselves - as guards (or guard) passively and as gardaí (or garda) in direct speech or face-to-face.

of course, if your being arrested or cautioned, "most venerable Garda Síochána na hÉirinn" is possibly most appropriate.

Auf

Sleepy

Why would this bother you enough to ask? Honestly, is there that little happening in your life?

Drummer

landser wrote:

it's Gardai, with a fada on the i

I did mention earlier that there should be a fada over the 'i'. For some reason i can't seem to fadaise the vowels with this pc !

MorningStar

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

I wasn't jumping down your throat.
I answered your question.

Meh.

It was the "get over it" comment that was aggresive on your side and yes I over reacted just misplaced sorry.

Sleepy wrote:

Why would this bother you enough to ask? Honestly, is there that little happening in your life? .

Less in your life if you had to comment on it :rolleyes:

If you want to lose part of your country over laziness you are with the majority!

egan007

MorningStar wrote:

If you want to lose part of your country over laziness you are with the majority!

Are you serious!
I can only presume then that you do refer to this country as Éire
because calling it Ireland is pretty much the same thing as you are talking about.

(before anyone posts and says it's not Éire look at page 1 of your constitution
In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred, We, the people of Éire......)

For that matter everyone should be speaking Irish in order to preserver our country.
Is it only now that you are realising that English is spoken here?

solo1

I'm sure the gardai don't really care whether you call them a garda, or a guard. Maybe it would make a difference if you were exercising your right to speak to a representative of the justice department using only Irish. In my frequent dealings with them, I find "man" or "mate" does the job quite well.

3DES

MorningStar wrote:

I just think saying Guard is lazy and sounds awful D4

Most people call them "the guards". People in D4 would call one a "Gorda"

billy the squid

should it not be An Garda and Na Gardai

Calibos

How should one address a Garda/guard., ie "Yes Mr Police Man, no Officer, three bags full Gard/guard"??? ....Seriously

condra

"hey pig" or "alright there crapfork"

ExOffender

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

I think that they assumed that Gardaí was plural .

It is a plural. One Garda, two Gardai.

What's the difference between a 'guard' and a 'guardian', anyway? It sounds like in this context there isn't one. To 'guard' the peace is about the same as to be 'a guardian of' the peace.

They do sound like Star Wars characters, but doesn't Fianna Fail mean 'Soldiers of Destiny'? That's what I heard anyway...

ziggy

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landser

ziggy67 wrote:

I can't speak Irish so i will continue to call them scum or pigs.

jaysus, i hope they baton the sh*te out of ya

kenmc

goddessoftrauma wrote:

Well I'm just speaking for myself here, but I always called them the "Garda Shickeloney" (god only knows how thats spelt)!!

Ah yeah - a Garda on his own, on a bicycle!

Pet

ziggy67 wrote:

I can't speak Irish so i will continue to call them scum or pigs.

Yes, damn them to hell for upholding the law like they do. Bastards.

Mutz

solo1 wrote:

.... In my frequent dealings with them, I find "man" or "mate" does the job quite well.

Hehe - do you find any of them grinding their teeth when you call them 'Mate'? Maybe its just me but that 'Irks' the hell outta me. 'Man' i'd say is acceptable. I'd always call them Garda tho.

I once overheard Scroats yelling "Ah Jaysus - run its the Garda". Fair play to them for the correct Usage.

[ Daithí ]

I always use Garda and Gardaí. *shrug*

And yes, Fianna Fáil means Soldiers of Destiny.

ExOffender

[ Daith&#237 wrote: »

And yes, Fianna Fáil means Soldiers of Destiny.

Jaysis. And our last two premiers have been named variations of 'Bert'. No wonder no-one takes us seriously. Em, how'ya George, it's Bertie here, de leader of de Soldiers of Destiny...

ExoduS 18.11

How do you that the guard we speak isn't spelled "Gard" i.e short for Guarda shiocain? Does it really matter ?

ziggy

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ExoduS 18.11

ziggy67 wrote:

Upholding the law? They are the a shower of gangsters who break more laws than anyone else!

Yea we would be better off without them i think. I mean just to see the look on their face when they all loose their jobs... that my friend will be worth the total anarchy. Are you one of those guys who legs it from a copcar for the sake of looking suspicious? "ahh shi-te boys the pigs SKETCH"

*FuzzyApple*

I still call em the mother****** FIVE OH!! ...me eh niggaz!
Whatever happened the hawaiian shirts? .... or was that just another dream... hmmm ... I wonder

ziggy

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landser

ziggy67 wrote:

No but i am someone who the cops made up a fake confession to get a conviction against me, though in fairness that was in Scotland, so maybe i now have a deep mistrust of them.

Sure, the prisons are full of innocent people... in fact, it's hard to find any guilty ones in there at all.

Scarinae

MorningStar wrote:

I just think saying Guard is lazy and sounds awful D4

Would D4 be more like "Gourd"?

ziggy

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ExoduS 18.11

ziggy67 wrote:

No but i am someone who the cops made up a fake confession to get a conviction against me, though in fairness that was in Scotland, so maybe i now have a deep mistrust of them.

I'm not saying get rid of them that would be crazy, but they should do their jobs properly. Let me put a scenario to you. Garda X is driving home pissed one night and is stopped by Garda Y. Does he get charged?

I seriously doubt it.

What does the police system in in Scotland have to do with the one in Ireland? Have you ever met a guard who you saw with your own eyes getting let by by another guard at a checkpoint?

Capt'n Midnight

Where is the option for bangarda ?

http://www.garda.ie/angarda/faq.html

Why do I need to speak Irish?

Constitutionally the Irish Language is the first language of the State and there is a requirement on Government Depts and public bodies to provide an Irish language service to its citizens.

and no one's mentioned bluebottles yet either , as one guy I knew thought of when he saw one on the beat in Ballyer , till he had a double take and realised that he too was wearing the uniform - true !

ziggy

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passive

I really hope this isn't the least of your worries morningstar...or, to put that another way, i really really hope far worse things happen to you on a regular basis than this frightful misuse of a technical title...

"If you want to lose part of your country over laziness you are with the majority!"

You, sir, have just summarised everything i despise about the pro-gaeilge crowd... "our language is our heritage, tir gan teanga, tir gan ainm, blah blah blah, listen to my inane soundbytes "is cuma liom agus GRRR.... Guard is, quite simply and VERY obviously an english translations of Garda. given that we're speaking english and most conversations you're overhearing about the gardai are probably taking place in english, it is not at all difficult to understand why people would refer to them as "the guards".

(note:my internets been dead for weeks..this is one of the first things i've gotten to read. i just finished my irish oral. Consider my right to crankiness reserved)

Kitsune

Calibos wrote:

How should one address a Garda/guard., ie "Yes Mr Police Man, no Officer, three bags full Gard/guard"??? ....Seriously

OK, if anyone cares, the correct way to address a Garda (In Irish) would be "a Gharda".
nominative - An Garda - The Guard.
vocative - A Gharda - O Guard.

Personally, I dont see anything wrong with calling them guards. Or even the police. Call a spade a spade.

ExOffender

Kitsune wrote:

Call a spade a spade.

I prefer 'shovel', actually.
(Anyone who's itching to post some technical distinction between 'shovel' and 'spade'... just run along.