Gardai, Garda and Guard

MorningStar · 13-04-2005 12:57PM #1

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 · 13-04-2005 01:01PM

Because it sounds similar to their actual title, Gardaí?

Sarsfield · 13-04-2005 01:02PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:03PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:04PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:11PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:21PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:22PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:25PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:26PM

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

Drummer · 13-04-2005 01:33PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:45PM

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

Tobias Greeshman · 13-04-2005 01:48PM

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

Drummer · 13-04-2005 01:52PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:55PM

Does someone smell Bacon?

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

landser · 13-04-2005 01:56PM

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 · 13-04-2005 01:58PM

Drummer wrote:

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

it's Gardai, with a fada on the i

Dr. Loon · 13-04-2005 02:02PM

Drummer wrote:

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

You are wrong. It's Garda and Gardaí.

GeorgeBailey · 13-04-2005 02:07PM

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 · 13-04-2005 02:08PM

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 · 13-04-2005 02:59PM

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

Drummer · 13-04-2005 03:37PM

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 · 13-04-2005 04:31PM

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 · 13-04-2005 05:04PM

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 · 13-04-2005 07:14PM

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 · 14-04-2005 01:07AM

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 · 14-04-2005 01:10AM

should it not be An Garda and Na Gardai

Calibos · 14-04-2005 02:42AM

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

....Seriously

condra · 14-04-2005 02:49AM

"hey pig" or "alright there crapfork"

ExOffender · 14-04-2005 05:15AM

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 · 14-04-2005 05:19AM

This post has been deleted.

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