Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

The "What is this Irish word/phrase in English" thread

1235715

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,871 ✭✭✭deirdremf


    Worztron wrote: »
    Ginger = Sinséar
    Ginger is a plant from which a spice is made. In Ireland, the word was not traditionally used for hair colour; we used to say "red hair".

    The word "sinséar" is an attempt at representing the English word in Irish spelling - it is not a colour for hair in Irish, although you will surely find some learners doing so, as they still are at a low level in the language.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,871 ✭✭✭deirdremf


    _LilyRose_ wrote: »
    There's no need to be so harsh! This is what the thread is for after all...
    Well, yes ... but would you not expect people to make an effort before asking?
    I certainly would. I'd expect people to use this thread to clear up doubts, rather than as the first port of call.

    Now Worztron said after my (harsh) comment, that he had tried various other sites, but that was not at all evident from his post. He didn't say he had a difficulty, he just asked for a translation, and gave no indication that he was in a quandry. If he had, I would have replied in quite a different way. My history on this site will show that I have often gone out of my way to help people. However, I believe that the best way to learn a language is to do the work yourself, and I try to put people in the way of doing so.

    If you have to constantly spoon-feed someone, they are more than likely to give up long before they can use the language (or any other endeavor) independently. It is tiring for the person giving the help, and in my experience almost always useless in the long run.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,664 ✭✭✭Worztron


    franc 91 wrote: »
    Geansai (with a fada on the 'i') means Guernsey but it also means a woollen sweater (whereas in English it's a jersey) and it can used to mean an eejit.

    So this is correct?

    Jersey (island) = Geirsí
    Guernsey (island) = Geansaí

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,664 ✭✭✭Worztron


    deirdremf wrote: »
    Ginger is a plant from which a spice is made. In Ireland, the word was not traditionally used for hair colour; we used to say "red hair".

    The word "sinséar" is an attempt at representing the English word in Irish spelling - it is not a colour for hair in Irish, although you will surely find some learners doing so, as they still are at a low level in the language.

    Ah so Sinséar means the spice?

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,664 ✭✭✭Worztron


    deirdremf wrote: »
    Well, yes ... but would you not expect people to make an effort before asking?
    I certainly would. I'd expect people to use this thread to clear up doubts, rather than as the first port of call.

    Now Worztron said after my (harsh) comment, that he had tried various other sites, but that was not at all evident from his post. He didn't say he had a difficulty, he just asked for a translation, and gave no indication that he was in a quandry. If he had, I would have replied in quite a different way. My history on this site will show that I have often gone out of my way to help people. However, I believe that the best way to learn a language is to do the work yourself, and I try to put people in the way of doing so.

    If you have to constantly spoon-feed someone, they are more than likely to give up long before they can use the language (or any other endeavor) independently. It is tiring for the person giving the help, and in my experience almost always useless in the long run.

    Actually I did look elsewhere first. You shouldn't be so quick to judge others.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,851 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Drop the personal argument, all three of you.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 FriendXY


    Hello!

    I've being trying to translate the sentence "the free bird flies alone" with different web pages, but the results don't convince me, becouse it is translated to "cuileoga an t-éan saor in aisce ina n-aonar" wich i think means literally "the bird flies free of charge alone". Can someone enlighten me?

    Thank you!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29 thedodger


    FriendXY wrote: »
    Hello!

    I've being trying to translate the sentence "the free bird flies alone" with different web pages, but the results don't convince me, becouse it is translated to "cuileoga an t-éan saor in aisce ina n-aonar" wich i think means literally "the bird flies free of charge alone". Can someone enlighten me?

    Thank you!

    One way is "Eitileann an t-ean saor ina aonar"

    But

    "Eitileann ean saor ina aonar"

    or

    "Eitileann ean saor leis fein"

    (insert fada on both the e in ean and in fein)



    sound better, literally translates as a free bird not the free bird.


    ps: cuileog is a fly, the noun.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    Eitlíonn an t-éan saor ina aonar


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,664 ✭✭✭Worztron


    Which of these is more accurate for Get back on the horse!

    Fháil ar ais ar an capall | Fháil ar ais ar an gcapall

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,851 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Faigh ar ais ar an gcapall.


  • Registered Users Posts: 941 ✭✭✭An gal gréine


    Gabh ar ais ar an...
    Fill ar an..
    "faigh"= to obtain


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,851 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Good point, "fill" works much better.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭Bears and Vodka


    Seeing as I have my Leaving Cert oral exam in just over a week I shall frequent this thread more!

    How would you say ''I was a bit disappointed with the result/grade?''


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    subz3r0 wrote: »
    ...
    How would you say ''I was a bit disappointed with the result/grade?''
    I wouldn't! Not because I never got poor results, because I got plenty of them. It's just that isn't the way I'd come at it in Irish. I'd say Ní raibh mé ro-shásta leis an dtoradh sin, which I am sure that you will understand.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,664 ✭✭✭Worztron


    How would I say these in Irish?

    bespeak - focal a chur ar rud?
    bespoke - ?

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,246 ✭✭✭conor.hogan.2


    Could you put it in a sentence in English or give it further meaning? Both of them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,664 ✭✭✭Worztron


    Could you put it in a sentence in English or give it further meaning? Both of them.

    Certainly.

    "Your actions will bespeak your motives."

    As a verb, ‘bespoke’ can be the past tense or past participle of the ‘bespeak’, which can mean ‘to ask for in advance’, ‘to reserve beforehand’, or ‘to show’.

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



  • Registered Users Posts: 147 ✭✭68508224


    Conas a déarfá 'eighty children'? Go raibh maith agaibh


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,851 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    "Ochtó páiste."


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 941 ✭✭✭An gal gréine


    Worztron wrote: »
    Certainly.

    "Your actions will bespeak your motives."

    As a verb, ‘bespoke’ can be the past tense or past participle of the ‘bespeak’, which can mean ‘to ask for in advance’, ‘to reserve beforehand’, or ‘to show’.

    Léiróidh do bhearta (ghníomhartha) a spreag thú.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,664 ✭✭✭Worztron


    I know the Irish word for Camel = Camall/camaill. What is the Irish word for camels?

    Are both these correct for Lady/Woman = Bean/ban?

    Mitch Hedberg: "Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something."



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    Worztron wrote: »
    I know the Irish word for Camel = Camall/camaill. What is the Irish word for camels?

    Are both these correct for Lady/Woman = Bean/ban?

    camaill = camels

    bean = woman/wife

    ban is a prefix banrion queen banphrionsa princess etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 941 ✭✭✭An gal gréine


    Ginideach iolra.....Seomra na mban....the ladies loo


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,698 ✭✭✭Gumbi


    Crosáidí wrote: »
    camaill = camels

    bean = woman/wife

    ban is a prefix banrion queen banphrionsa princess etc.

    It is also the genitive plural of "bean".

    Woops, d'éirigh leis an ngal gréine freagra a thabhairt romham :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,698 ✭✭✭Gumbi


    "Ochtó páiste."

    Though likely more old-fashioned ceithre fichid páiste works too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭An Cuinneach


    Gumbi wrote: »
    Though likely more old-fashioned ceithre fichid páiste works too.

    How very French! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,698 ✭✭✭Gumbi


    Offaly for ever.
    Uíbh Fhailí go brách is the same.
    To be honest, I would prefer to render it as "Up Offaly"


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,698 ✭✭✭Gumbi


    subz3r0 wrote: »
    ...
    How would you say ''I was a bit disappointed with the result/grade?''
    I wouldn't! Not because I never got poor results, because I got plenty of them. It's just that isn't the way I'd come at it in Irish. I'd say Ní raibh mé ro-shásta leis an dtoradh sin, which I am sure that you will understand.
    In standard Irish, t doesn't get the d like that ( yeah, my terminology sucks! Haha). It's still used in Munster, though. Don't forget the fada on the o.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    Gumbi wrote: »
    In standard Irish, t doesn't get the d like that ( yeah, my terminology sucks! Haha). It's still used in Munster, though. Don't forget the fada on the o.
    I hadn't even thought about the rules, and I agree that the rules don't require the urú. But my idiosyncratic feel for the language makes me put it there.

    The missing fada was simply a lapse in attention.


Advertisement