Posts from October 2009

Bia Fáistineachta um Shamhain: Bairín Breac (Barmbrack) agus Cál Ceannann (Colcannon)

Posted by róislín 1 Comment
Oct 31 2009

One could fill a volume on nósanna Oíche Shamhna (Halloween customs), and indeed, it has been done.  But I’ll wrap-up this year’s season with a discussion of some of the ways that ordinary foods can be used for divination.  If it’s been a bit of a tuile (flood) of Halloween lore lately, what can I say but “Nuair a thig cith tig bailc” (It never rains but it pours, lit. when a shower comes, a downpour comes).

 

Bairín Breac, lit. “speckled loaf,” is made with raisins and/or currants, hence the name.  It can be served at any time of the year.  The “barm” part of the English name is believed to be a contraction of “bairín” (loaf).  Some interpret it as related to “barm” (yeast, and source of the English adjective “barmy”), but it has always seemed to me less likely that you’d call this food “speckled yeast,” with a hybrid half-English, half-Irish name, and more likely that “speckled” would describe the loaf itself.  Unless the “breac” part (speckled) stands for the loaf itself mar shampla de shineicdicé (as an example of synecdoche). 

 

At this time of year, various items can be baked into the loaf, predicting the future for whoever gets them in their slice.  These could include a pingin, or these days a ceint (i.e. saibhreas [SEV-rus], wealth), fáinne for a bainis (ring, wedding), or a méaracán (thimble), indicating that a man would sew on his own buttons for at least another year.  The symbolism of a thimble for a woman seems less clear.  Status quo, is dócha.

 

Cál ceannann, lit. white-faced or white-topped kale or cabbage.  It seems this was originally cabbage served with butter, as opposed to without butter.  A family might have been saving their home-made butter to sell at market days, to get actual cash income.  These days, though, potatoes are an equally important ingredient, with chopped up cabbage added.  Or oinniúin or síobhais ([SHEE-uv-ish] chives), srl.  This could also be served at any time of year but for Halloween, coins or other charms would be added.  Maybe today children would expect a euro, not a ceint!

 

By the way, if you try these, I recommend wrapping the charms in scragall alúmanaim (aluminum or “tin” foil) before cooking.  And maybe a metal thimble, not a plastic one, if you’re baking.  I don’t know how much heat it would take to melt a plastic thimble, but I don’t intend to find out.   

 

At any rate, it seems that the Celts didn’t need the iconographic liathróid chriostail.  .

 

Nótaí: fáistineacht [FAWSH-tin-yukht], divination; thig [hig]; liathróid [LEE-uh-hrohdj, silent “t”] ball; chriostail [HRISS-til, silent “c”] of crystal 

 

When the letter “h” is added to “sineicdicé” for lenition, resulting in “shineicdicé,” remember the initial “s” becomes silent and the first syllable (shin-) is pronounced “hin.”

Tuilleadh Téarmaí Oíche Shamhna

Posted by róislín No Comments
Oct 31 2009

An bhfuil culaith Oíche Shamhna agat?  Do you have a Halloween costume?

Má tá, cén sórt culaithe atá ann? 

An mbeidh tú i do vaimpír?  [un may too ih duh VAM-peer?]     

Beidh [bay] / Ní bheidh [nee vay]

 

For these questions, note that you’re literally saying something like, “Will you be in your vampire?” and the answer is either “will be” or “won’t be.”  It doesn’t mean inside your own “vampireness,” but is simply a way to link a noun or pronoun, in this case “tú” with another noun, in this case, “vaimpír.”  It’s very important to include the phrase “i do” (in your” for sentences like this; normally one can’t use the verb “tá” to link two nouns. 

 

The full answer to a question like this is:

Beidh mé i mo vaimpír (I will be a vampire, using “i mo” for “in my”)

or for the negative, Ní bheidh mé i mo vaimpír. 

 

But one might simply answer “beidh” or answer “Ní bheidh” and then say what you’ll actually be, like “Ní bheidh, beidh mé i mo chonriocht.”  (No, I’ll be a werewolf).  

 

Hmm, that would actually be a tricky (úúps!) costume to create, wouldn’t it?  How would people know you were a werewolf and not just a regular wolf?  Maybe a costume that was “leathchonriocht” agus “leathdhuine” (half werewolf, half human), a sort of “fráma reoite beo” (living freeze frame) in the act of “trasdul” (transition). 

Seo cúpla ceann eile:

An mbeidh tú i do thaibhse? [… ih duh HAIV-shuh, silent “t” and “b”]     

An mbeidh tú i do dhiabhal? [… ih duh YEE-uh-wul?

An mbeidh tú i do chat dubh? [… ih duh khaht duv?]

An mbeidh tú i do bhuachaill bó? [… ih duh WOO-ukh-il boh?]

An mbeidh tú i do phíoráid? [… ih duh FEE-ur-awdj?[

 

And of course, now that Halloween costumes for pets have become popular, we could have a series of questions like:

An mbeidh do mhadra ina chat dubh?  Will your dog [male] be a black cat?

An mbeidh do mhadra ina cat dubh?  Will your dog [female] be a black cat? 

 

Or, thinking of an adorable costume I saw on a “smutmhadra” (pug dog) the other day:

Tá an smutmhadra ina phuimcín  (if the dog is male) or Tá an smutmhadra ina puimcín (if the dog is female). 

 

Please do note the pronunciation of the first part of the compound word for “pug.”   The “u” is like the sound in English “put” or “book,” not as in “putt” (in golf) or “buck.”  And please keep in mind that the compound “smutmhadra” literally means “stump-dog” or “snout-dog”  The first element may look like English, but that is, in this case, sheer coincidence.

 

If you’re trying to put a culaith on your cat, I’d say, “Ádh mór!”  I’ve also seen costumes for pearóidí, but have never actually seen a parrot wearing one.  Tusa?    

 

And  “mar fhocal scoir” for this topic, all of these questions imply a temporary state.  That is, you’re not permanently a devil, even though you’re wearing a devil costume.  

 

If you’re truly and inherently a vampire or if your pug is truly and inherently a pumpkin, you’d use the linking verb and say “Is vaimpír mé” (I’m a vampire) or “Is puimcín é an smutmhadra sin” (That pug is a pumpkin).  The first of those sentences might be reasonably useful, depending on what kind of company you hang out with.  The second one is a stretch, at least as I understand eiseadh (existence).  Perhaps we should say, “Is smutmadra é an puimcín sin” [That pumpkin is (actually) a pug].  To me, that would suggest that some wizard had transformed a pug into a pumpkin and you were pointing this out, since most people would think the pumpkin was simply a pumpkin.  But if you wanted to imply that the pumpkin could be transformed back into a pug, you could say, “Tá an puimcín sin ina smutmhadra” (That pumpkin is a pug). 

 

Of course, if your sense of identity with your costumed persona is really strong, you could use the “is” verb as well.  But if you wanted to say “I’m a vampire tonight, but if you want to know my job, I’m a programmer,” you’d say: 

Tá mé i mo vaimpír anocht ach má tá tú ag iarraidh a fháil amach cén post atá agam, is cláraitheoir mé. 

 

Whatever you choose to say with the Irish verb “is,” remember that it is pronounced like “hiss” or “miss,” not like its English look-alike, “is,” which is pronounced “izz.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Lá Náisiúnta Arbhar Candaí sna S.A.M. = an 30ú Deireadh Fómhair (October 30th)

Posted by róislín No Comments
Oct 29 2009

Although there don’t seem to be any taifid ó Chomhdháil na Stát Aontaithe or forógraí uachtaráin for this holiday, it has some popularity in what I’ll call the penchant for Laethe Náisiúnta Mic Uí Rudaí (National Days of Thingamajigs), sna Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá, ar a laghad.  And these days, we have more and more ways to mark these days, thanks to an tIdirlíon (le cártaí agus féilirí leictreonacha). 

 

Cad is “arbhar candaí” ann?  What is “candy corn”?

 

Fad m’eolais ní dhíoltar in Éirinn é ach díoltar i Meiriceá agus i gCeanada é (aon áit eile, a léitheoirí?).  Siúcra, mil, agus síoróp arbhair na comhábhair is mó atá ann.  Bagairt faoi thrí é!  Tá cruth eithne (kernel) arbhar Indiach air. 

 

Tá gach píosa trídhathach (tri-colored).  San Fhómhar bíonn na dathanna ina siombail ar arbhar Indiach: buí, bán agus flannbhuí (nó “oráiste” mar a deir a lán daoine inniu) ach níl aon eithne arbhar Indiach chomh siméadrach [SHIM-ayd-rukh, symmetrical] sa leagan amach (layout)!  Déantar thart fá 35 milliún punt d’arbhar candaí i Meiriceá sa bhliain.  Díoltar an chuid is mó de idir aimsir Shamhna agus Lá an Altaithe (Thanksgiving). 

 

Ag am Lá an Altaithe i Meiriceá díoltar “arbhar candaí” le scéim dathanna (color scheme) eile: flannbhuí (oráiste), bán, agus donn (mar thurcaí rósta?).  Deirtear go bhfuil scéimeanna dathanna eile ann freisin don Nollaig (Arbhar Réinfhia), do Lá Vailintín (Arbhar Cúipid), agus don Cháisc (Arbhar Coinín) ach ní fhaca mé riamh iad.  

 

Maidir leis an bhfocal “candaí” — ní úsáidtear mórán i nGaeilge é ach tá sé sa téarmaí seo: flas candaí, candy floss (aka “cotton candy”) agus cé gur lú i bhfad a blastacht, an leithphéist stríoca candaí (candy-striped worm, Prostheceraeus vittatus)

 

An gnáthfhocal Gaeilge ar an ainmfhocal “sweet” — milseán (rud atá “milis,” sweet).  Tá a lán cineálacha ann, searbhmhilseán (SHAR-uv-VIL-shawn] acid drop sweet) agus milseán miontais (peppermint humbug) ina measc. 

 

Ag caint ar “Laethe Náisiúnta Mic Uí Rudaí,” seo cuid de na hábhair eile a bhfuil a lá speisialta acu: foclóirí, galf, seacláid, agus frappes (focal Bostúnach ar chreatháin bhainne).  Caveat lector, is dócha go dtabharfaidh mé cuairt ar ábhair mar seo ó am go ham i rith na bliana.  Níos neamhiomráití, níos fearr!

 

Nótaí: taifead, record (n); forógraí, proclamation; Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá, the U.S.A.; na Stát Aontaithe, of the U.S. (note the change from “Stáit” to “Stát” for the possessive form); comhábhar, ingredient; díoltar, is sold; bagairt, threat; faoi thrí [fwee hree], triple; eithne [EH-nyuh, silent “t” but very breathy in the middle] kernel; lú, less; stríoca, striped; gnáth-, ordinary; ábhar, topic; creathán bainne, milkshake; neamhiomráiteach [NYOW-UM-rawtch-ukh] little-known; níos neamhiomráití, more little-known (!)

 

Arbhar (can be pronounced “AR-uh-vur” or “AR-oor”), corn, grain (in general).  The phrase “arbhar Indiach” can be used to specify “maize,” but “Indiach” is often dropped in compound words or phrases, like “arbhar ar an dias” (corn on the cob).

Bob nó Bia – Trick or Treat

Posted by róislín 5 Comments
Oct 24 2009

Sorry, all you Bobs in the Bob Club (www.thebobclub.com).  This blog’s not specifically about you, though I hope you’ll find it of interest if you’ve made it this far through cibearspás [KIB-yar-SPAWSS],. 

 

“Bob” is an Irish word that means “a trick” or “a target (in games).  Pronunciation is straightforward enough, but please remember it’s not quite the “ah” sound we find in the English name “Bob,” but rather the Irish short “o” sound as in “pota.”     

 

I should also mention that there’s another word in Irish that’s probably more widely used for “trick” in general, that is “cleas,” which also means “a feat” or “an act.”  And for talking about targets in general, we have “sprioc” and “targaid” [TAR-uh-gidj], the latter largely used in sports terminology. 

 

“Bia” is a word many of you will already recognize, “food.” 

 

No doubt a key factor in the phrase “bob nó bia” is “uaim” (alliteration), which also contributes to the tarraingteacht (catchiness) of the English “trick or treat.”  In fact, as I look for this frása in some other languages, I find a lot of emphasis on uaim.  Numerous phrases exist, although a lot of discussions indicate that the phrase is not traditional, as such.  Some contributors say something to the effect of, “Well, we don’t really say that but you could say …”  In some cases, the English phrase seems to be used in other languages.  Nonetheless, many of the samplaí are a great fóram uama (forum of alliteration):

 

Possible phrases for Trick or Treat in other languages, seachas an Ghaeilge:

 

Spáinnis: Truco o trato

Fraincis: bonbons ou bâton

Iodáilis: dolcetto o scherzetto

Portaingéilis: doces ou travessuras

Rómáinis: ne daţi ori nu ne daţi

Seicis: koleda při Halloweenu

 

Which brings me to another point.  I’ve been wondering about the Irish for “Trick or treat” for about 20 years, but never encountered the phrase in a traditional context, despite having read volumes about the Irish origin of Halloween.  So, while, this phrase is certainly part of the Irish lexicon now, it remains unclear just how traidisiúnta this particular phrase is.  A quick turas ar an Idirlíon yielded only 13 searchable examples for “bob nó bia,” which showed up presumably because of how they were tagged.  The vast comparison with the number of hits for ”trick or treat” is, well, more or less, a foregone conclusion, but I just checked and got about deich milliún (10,000,000).

 

There seems to be some reverse marketing going on, regarding Halloween, in that it is an Old World custom brought to the United States.  Now it is being exported back to Europe, mostly in a more commercial sense.  I’ve talked to European adults from various countries who say that no, it was not part of their childhood.  But now it has caught on, at least in the commercial sense (pop culture costumes, special candy manufacturing, etc.).  Of course, many of these countries have their own festivities held at other times of the year, replete with cultacha traidisiúnta nó cruthaitheacha (creative), nathanna cainte (sayings), agus bianósanna.

 

And, by the way, Bob(s), if you’ve read this far, I probably will devote a future blog to your namesake, since there are all kinds of interesting Irish words that either equate to one of the dozen or so meanings “bob” has in English, or are borrowed from English and are, therefore, also spelled “bob.”  Now if all the Bobs in the Bob Club (Cumann na mBob?) start reading this blog, that will be quite an impressive number!  An bhfuil sibh ann, a lucht na mBob? 

 

Nóta: na mBob [num ob, the first “b” becomes silent] of the Bobs

Oíche Shamhna – The Eve of Samhain (October 31)

Posted by róislín No Comments
Oct 21 2009

Uair amháin agus mé ag spaisteoireacht i bpasáiste na ngníomhfhigiúirí i siopa ilrannach, cé a chonaic mé ag stánadh anuas orm trí phacáistíocht thrédhearcach phlaisteach ach carachtar ó Ghostbusters darbh ainm “Sam Hain”!  Bhain sin preab asam!  That startled me!

 

So, what was that all about? 

 

As late October settles in and we prepare for Oíche Shamhna, we’ll no doubt hear many references to the Irish origins of Halloween.  First let’s clarify the terminology itself, and then, in the next upcoming blogs, we’ll look at some of the sprideanna that might be abroad ar an aonú lá is tríocha de mhí Dheireadh Fómhair (an 31ú Deireadh Fómhair) [err un AYN-oo law iss TREE-uh-khuh djeh vee YERzh-uh FOH-irzh]. 

 

Samhain [SOW-in], an chéad lá de mhí na Samhna, November 1st (the Celtic New Year).  The first syllable is pronounced “sow,” as in the pig (rhyming with “cow” or “now” or “Tau,”not as in “mow” (the lawn) or “sowing” seeds.  At least that’s “cow” and “now” as they are pronounced in most American English; I can’t vouch for some of your Scottish or even Canadian vowels, or maybe other areas as well, any place where a “coo” might be “oot” in a field.  The main thing is that the –mh- in the middle is basically just a “w” sound. 

 

An tSamhain [un TOW-in]: sometimes this word will take the definite article (“the”), as Irish does for Christmas (An Nollaig) or Easter (An Cháisc).  Adding “the” also means the “S” of Samhain will be prefixed by a lower-case “t” and the new pronunciation is “un TOW-in.”  Again, that’s not like “tow-trucks,” but like “Tau” crosses, “towel,” or “tower.”  Most importantly, the “S” has become silent. 

 

na Samhna [nuh SOW-nuh]: this means “of Samhain” and shows up in phrases like “Mí na Samhna” (November, lit. “the month of Samhain”).  Note that as “Samhain” changes to its possessive form, it loses the original middle syllable and adds a vowel at the end.  Remember that “nuh” is used here to indicate the unstressed vowel sounds, as in “um, uh, I dunno,” not as in German “Huhn” or Turkish “uhlan.” 

 

Shamhna [HOW-nuh]: this is also the possessive form, as used in the phrase “Oíche Shamhna” [EE-hyeh HOW-nuh] (eve of Samhain).  Since “oíche” (eve, night) is feminine, the word following is lenited (“s” changes to “sh”) and only the “h” is pronounced. 

 

As for “oíche,” many of you already know this word, from phrases like “Oíche mhaith!” [EE-hyeh wah] (“Good night!”).  As with using “uh” for the vowel sound in “fun,” I use “eh” to indicate the vowel sound of “pet” or “met.”  Why add the final “h” at all, you might wonder?  If I don’t include it, I’ve found that people assume that the unadorned “e” is the long vowel sound in “me” or “be.”  The “y” in “hyeh” indicates breathiness, like the “h” sound in English “Hugh,” “hue,” or “hew” (not as in “who,” or the “hoo” of Sutton Hoo or the “hoo” that Horton heard).  Key point, then, the “c” of “oíche” is silent.

 

Now (the noo!) that the pronunciation of Samhain is safely under our belts, we can look at our original first paragraph, and hopefully you’ll find the situation as humorous as I did. 

 

Uair amháin, once

agus mé ag spaisteoireacht, while I was wandering

i bpasáiste na ngníomhfhigiúirí [nung NEEV-IG-yoorzh-ee], in the action figures aisle

i siopa ilrannach, in a department store,

cé a chonaic mé ag stánadh anuas orm, who did I see peering down at me

trí phacáistíocht thrédhearcach phlaisteach, through clear plastic packaging,

ach carachtar ó Ghostbusters, but a Ghostbusters character

darbh ainm “Sam Hain”!, named “Sam Hain”

Bhain sin preab asam!, lit. that struck a start out of me!

 

There was his name, on the package, and probably trademarked, as if “Sam” was his “ainm” and “Hain” was his “sloinne.”  A great onomastic pun, actually, as long as people don’t use that pronunciation for the holiday itself – which, ar an drochuair, I have heard often enough.  It sounds about as authentic as if pronounced the “f-i-e” of “fiesta” to rhyme with “apple pie” or the “fie” of “fie upon you!”

 

Anyway, there are lots of other points to discuss regarding “Samhain,” so keep your eyes “scafa,” skinned, or as said in the U.S., peeled (!) for some upcoming blaganna séasúracha (seasonal).  “Peeled eyes” – now there’s an íomhá ghúlach (ghoulish image) for you!

 

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