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ach álainn- is this correct Irish?

  • 21-10-2018 8:11pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 14


    My family want to put the phrase "ach álainn" on a gravestone. However, I'm kind of skeptical (despite my limited Irish) on if its correct? They got it from google translate, which I don't trust, and I can't seem to see the phrase anywhere online.



    I was wondering if anyone on here could tell me if its right or not?
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,831 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    It doesn't look right to me at all. What meaning are they looking for?


  • Registered Users Posts: 14 brenn


    It doesn't look right to me at all. What meaning are they looking for?


    breadcrumb_divider.png
    Beautiful ,or only beautiful. When I said that I thought it was go halainn, someone said that they had seen ach alainn on another gravestone before, but her Irish is even worse than mine.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,008 ✭✭✭uch


    Never came across it, only thing I can think of that they might be confusing it with is Áit Áiainn which would be Beauty Spot or a Beautiful Spot/place

    21/25



  • Registered Users Posts: 16,060 ✭✭✭✭iamwhoiam


    Strikingly( or very ) beautiful is " an-álainn "


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,925 ✭✭✭randomname2005


    Probably a literal translation from Google as I can't imagine it would have as much input into translation as other languages? Ach meaning just or but, and alainn being beautiful, but not really making sense when used?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭mcmoustache


    brenn wrote: »
    My family want to put the phrase "ach álainn" on a gravestone. However, I'm kind of skeptical (despite my limited Irish) on if its correct? They got it from google translate, which I don't trust, and I can't seem to see the phrase anywhere online.



    I was wondering if anyone on here could tell me if its right or not?

    Never seen that before. "Just beautiful" would be "Díreach go h-álainn". "Only beautiful" is a bit trickier. It's hard to translate partial sentences.

    Maybe "Go h-álainn amháin" or "í go hálainn amháin"?


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭mcmoustache


    iamwhoiam wrote: »
    Strikingly( or very ) beautiful is " an-aláinn "

    or "fíor álainn".


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,584 ✭✭✭Day Lewin


    "Go fíor álainn" = really beautiful

    PS make sure the fada is on the first "a" : say, AWL-ing


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