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The C&H Linguistics and Etymology Thread

  • 09-11-2010 3:52pm
    #1
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,832 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    This video is funny, so I could have put it in the Hilarious Videos thread. But, it also raises some good questions about linguistics and music in society, so I'll see if it stimulates anything in this thread instead.



    A guy I know (let's call him Webby) had this to say about it on another forum I read:
    Seems to be very popular on the internet. I hadn't seen it before. It's an old Italian song by this guy called Andriano Calantano. People say it's supposed to be like what listening to rock n roll is like for non-english speakers. Gibberish, basically. It does confuse your brain. It wants to understand what he's saying, but ya can't. I looked this guy up. He's huge in Italy. Loads of albums and directed films and such also. It's interesting as before recording tune, he had just finished a serious, politcal type album. He wanted a break from that, and wanted a song that was literally about nothing. This is what he came up with. I think it's a really good song.

    Wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisencolinensinainciusol


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭Richard Cranium


    That's really cool! It was strange the way I was almost hearing words, but not quite (a bit like listening to Bob Dylan:pac:), even though I knew in advance that it wouldn't be anything to hear. I wonder if he chose sounds that sound like English words, or if he did it "in Italian," so to speak, and it just has the same effect on people who speak other languages.

    It sort of reminds me of Hopelandic, that Sigur Rós use. They can be much more po-faced about it all though. All the same, it doesn't really make a difference to the majority of their fan base whether they sing in Icelandic or pure gibberish.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    Hotaru wrote: »
    I think I spotted ye two around 4? Walking along the side of front square? I was sitting outside House 6 waiting for Aoibheann, looked up at one point and thought it was ye but then ye turned so I wasn't sure :p

    You say 'ye' - that reminds me of my family in Co. Mayo - I've only ever heard people from the West say it!

    Also, there's a possibility I saw MavisDavis in front of the Arts building today. I could easily be wrong though, I was very far away so it could have been anyone.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭QueenOfLeon


    You say 'ye' - that reminds me of my family in Co. Mayo - I've only ever heard people from the West say it!

    Also, there's a possibility I saw MavisDavis in front of the Arts building today. I could easily be wrong though, I was very far away so it could have been anyone.

    What do you say instead? :confused: I would always have thought "ye" was normal :P


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,191 ✭✭✭OopsyDaisy


    What do you say instead? :confused: I would always have thought "ye" was normal :P

    I say 'yous' but apparently that's a Dublin thing? :confused:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,647 ✭✭✭✭Fago!


    I say "you lot". Sometimes I say "you's" but immediately correct myself.


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  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,832 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    "Yous" is absolutely a Dublin thing! :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,383 ✭✭✭Aoibheann


    I say "you", what with it being the plural anyway... >_>


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,768 ✭✭✭almostnever


    "Yous" is absolutely a Dublin thing! :D

    Dundalkers say "yous" a lot too. :) And lots of people over the border, most of my family from the North say it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,919 ✭✭✭Grindylow


    You say 'ye' - that reminds me of my family in Co. Mayo - I've only ever heard people from the West say it!

    Also, there's a possibility I saw MavisDavis in front of the Arts building today. I could easily be wrong though, I was very far away so it could have been anyone.

    It's said in Waterford too! :P

    I've never heard someone say "you guys", "yous" etc :P


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,164 ✭✭✭Konata


    I always say "ye" >_>


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  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    I usually say 'you', but it can be confusing sometime ("not you personally"). I try to stay away from the Dundalkish 'yous' but sometimes it just slips out - horrible oul word.

    My post looks very odd moved here. That confused me I wondered did the mods delete it from the I Bumped Into You thread. Moving it here makes sense, although it looks like I stalk MavisDavis now :p


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,832 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    I actually merged in the OP and its only reply from a different thread too! :p


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,893 ✭✭✭Davidius


    I use "ye", "yous", "you guys", "you lads" and "you" interchangeably. Do I get a medal?

    I'm also quite fond of using the words "comrades", "friends, "compatriots", "fellows" and most importantly just "lads" where they make sense.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 446 ✭✭msbrightside


    I always say "ye" but I'm from the Wesht anyway!
    I honestly thought it was a whole of Ireland thing though, that like most Irish people said it...:o
    I need to leave to leave Connacht more..


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 7,831 Mod ✭✭✭✭suitcasepink


    Always say "ye" though I woulda thought it was spelled "yee".
    Most of my stupid talking habits Ive gotten from my dad, I now can not say "Walsh" without thinking to say it, I'd automatically say "Welsh" >.<
    And I say donkey like "dunkey" or how you'd say monkey..
    I can often be heard saying "how doooooo" when greeting people and leave with a "toodles"

    No Im not weird at all...


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,832 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    The name Walsh originally came from Welsh though. They're both Breathnach as Gaeilge, for example. So I think that one can be forgiven more easily thank "dunkey"! :D
    (even though that may actually be fairly correct, historically...)


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,962 ✭✭✭jumpguy


    I say "ye" but I'm up for the Culchie of the Year award 2010.

    "Yous" is the most annoying thing ever, but being a culchie I have an immediate resentment of the Dubs anyway. (Nah JK I love you guys.)

    Hyperbole? Hyper-bowl or hy-per-bol-ay?

    Synthesis? Sin-ta-sis or sin-tee-sis?

    Book? Buk or bewk?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,089 ✭✭✭jefreywithonef


    Davidius wrote: »
    I use "ye", "yous", "you guys", "you lads" and "you" interchangeably. Do I get a medal?

    I'm also quite fond of using the words "comrades", "friends, "compatriots", "fellows" and most importantly just "lads" where they make sense.

    "Chaps" > those, tbh. I generally say "you", "yis" or "ya" fwiw.

    Also, that song in the opening post is the monkey's eyebrows, excellent stuff IO. Love this quote from the Wikipedia page:
    The lyrics are pure gibberish.[1]

    :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,779 ✭✭✭A Neurotic


    jumpguy wrote: »
    I say "ye" but I'm up for the Culchie of the Year award 2010.

    "Yous" is the most annoying thing ever, but being a culchie I have an immediate resentment of the Dubs anyway. (Nah JK I love you guys.)

    Hyperbole? Hyper-bowl or hy-per-bol-ay?

    Synthesis? Sin-ta-sis or sin-tee-sis?

    Book? Buk or bewk?

    Sin-thuh-sis?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,919 ✭✭✭Grindylow


    deise_girl wrote: »
    Always say "ye" though I woulda thought it was spelled "yee".
    Most of my stupid talking habits Ive gotten from my dad, I now can not say "Walsh" without thinking to say it, I'd automatically say "Welsh" >.<
    And I say donkey like "dunkey" or how you'd say monkey..
    I can often be heard saying "how doooooo" when greeting people and leave with a "toodles"

    No Im not weird at all...

    I'ma guess How Do's your hero so? :P

    ALSO.. Tomato or Tomato with an e >_> LIKE
    Tom Ah Toe
    Or
    Tom Ate Oh


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭Duffy the Vampire Slayer


    As well as saying 'Ye' and pronouncing Walsh as Welsh I always pronounce Keane as Kane. Seems to be a Mayo thing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,808 ✭✭✭ohthebaby


    As well as saying 'Ye' and pronouncing Walsh as Welsh I always pronounce Keane as Kane. Seems to be a Mayo thing.

    It's to be found in Westmeath too. It really annoys me. I actually hate most of the pronunciations in the Midlands.

    Cus-int = Cousin.
    Chim-lee = Chimeny.
    Ty-let = Toilet.

    I refused to speak this way growing up so everybody thought I was posh when really I was just correct. I often said them in an ironic way but people copped on that I was making fun of them. Then they made fun of me. :(


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 29,509 Mod ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    You say 'ye' - that reminds me of my family in Co. Mayo - I've only ever heard people from the West say it!
    What do you say instead? :confused: I would always have thought "ye" was normal :P
    In strict modern usage, "you" is used for both singular and plural.

    The use of "ye" for the second person plural is an older form, with its origins all the way back in Old English. In Mediaeval times, it was also sometimes used as the "formal" pronoun for the second person singular, i.e. when addressing an equal or superior, a usage which was transferred across from French by the Normans, who would have been used to a language which had one form for "inferiors" and one for equals or superiors.

    I think its only in Hiberno-English that "ye" survives for the second person plural at this stage ... but it *is* a survival of an older and some would argue purer form of English, rather than something which the Irish added locally (though there are many examples of that in Hiberno-English as well).
    OopsyDaisy wrote: »
    I say 'yous' but apparently that's a Dublin thing? :confused:
    "Yous" on the other hand is a linguistic bastard without pedigree or legitimacy! :P :D


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 29,509 Mod ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    ohthebaby wrote: »
    Chim-lee = Chimeny.
    Hate to say it, but neither are correct.

    The word only has two syllables ... the nearest I can get to it without obscure pronunciation symbols is chim-knee (stress on the first syllable).


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭Duffy the Vampire Slayer


    I also say chimley.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    Chimley sounds like a dwarf from the Lord of the Rings. Chim-nee all the way!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭QueenOfLeon


    jumpguy wrote: »
    I say "ye" but I'm up for the Culchie of the Year award 2010.

    "Yous" is the most annoying thing ever, but being a culchie I have an immediate resentment of the Dubs anyway. (Nah JK I love you guys.)

    Hyperbole? Hyper-bowl or hy-per-bol-ay?

    Synthesis? Sin-ta-sis or sin-tee-sis?

    Book? Buk or bewk?

    Boooooook all the way. As in "Boo" with a k on the end. Not buck.

    I always thought hyper-bowl til some lecturer said it the other way...i refuse to think of it in any other way though :P Luckily I don't have to say it and embarrass myself :P


  • Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭Richard Cranium


    deise_girl wrote: »
    Always say "ye" though I woulda thought it was spelled "yee".
    Most of my stupid talking habits Ive gotten from my dad, I now can not say "Walsh" without thinking to say it, I'd automatically say "Welsh" >.<
    And I say donkey like "dunkey" or how you'd say monkey..
    I can often be heard saying "how doooooo" when greeting people and leave with a "toodles"

    No Im not weird at all...

    I have a bit of a complex about this (language and accents in general, actually). I moved from Maynooth to Waterford about 10 years ago, and for years tried not to get a Waterford accent, or pick up any of the colloquialisms. When I moved to Cork about a year ago, though, suddenly "Walsh" became "Welsh," "very" often became "wicked" and my location-neutral (or whatever the proper term is, if there is one) pronunciation of everything else became heavily South-East.

    I've spent the majority of the past year or so in Cork, and I think I'm starting to develop a Cork accent.:(


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,808 ✭✭✭ohthebaby


    Hate to say it, but neither are correct.

    The word only has two syllables ... the nearest I can get to it without obscure pronunciation symbols is chim-knee (stress on the first syllable).

    That was my bad, my typing is terrible this year, I keep hitting the wrong keys and not realising... I meant to write chimney with your pronunciation. I've turned into one of those people.... :o


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭Duffy the Vampire Slayer


    Old people in Mayo pronounce 'kettle' as 'kittle'.


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