Posts tagged with "Celtic"

Ainmneacha na Míonna i nGaeilge (Names of the Months in Irish)

Posted by róislín 2 Comments
Sep 6 2011

(le Róislín)

We’ve discussed the Irish names of various months as this blog has continued, but this might be a good time to go over the liosta as a whole. 

First let’s look at “Meán Fómhair” (September).  By the way, if this is a new term for you, or if you’re new to the list, please note that the “-mh-“ in the middle of “Fómhair” is pronounced like a “w,” not like an “m” or like an “h” as they occur i mBéarla.  The word rhymes approximately with “mower” or “rower” (but not with “bower” or “cower,” a distinction that is due to the quirks of English spelling!).  More pronunciation notes below. 

Some of the months’ names are readily translatable, with everyday meanings in Modern Irish.  “Meán Fómhair” means “middle of (the) harvest-season.”  “Fómhar” (minus the “-i-“) is the Irish word for “harvest,” “harvest-season,” and for “Fall / Autumn.”  To say “of the harvest” (or “of Fall” or “of Autumn”), we insert the “-i-“ before the final consonant. That’s the same rule we follow for nouns like “bord” (table) and “capall” (horse).  “Of a table” is “boird” (as in mata boird, table-mat) and “of a horse” is “capaill” (as in crú capaill, horseshoe, shoe of a horse).  In other words, it’s the typical rule for first-declension nouns, as we’ve seen in http://www.transparent.com/irish/an-chead-diochlaonadh-newts-frogs-and-for-easter-baskets/ .

“Meán” means “middle” and can be translated by related words in English, like “average,” “middling,” or “intermediate”).  It shows up in words like “meánráta” (average rate), “meánscoth” (middling quality), “meánteistiméireacht” (intermediate certificate), and “meánscoil” (but remember this is not the same as “middle school” in the American context).

We can discuss the meaning and structure of more of the months’ names in future blogs, but for now, how about beagán meaitseála?  Keep in mind that of the 12 months, I’d say 5 are related to the Latin names (as the English versions are), 6 really reflect Celtic or specifically Irish roots, and one is a bit of both. 

1) Márta                                                               a) January

2) Lúnasa                                                             b) February

3) Iúil                                                                    c) March

4) Mí na Nollag                                                    d) April

5) Deireadh Fómhair [DJERzh-uh FOH-irzh]        e) May

6) Meitheamh [MEH-uv]                                       f) June

7) Eanáir                                                               g) July

8)) Meán Fómhair [myawn FOH-wirzh]                  h) August

9) Feabhra [FyOW-ruh]                                         i) September

10) Bealtaine                                                        j) October

11) Aibreán                                                           k) November

12) Mí na Samhna [mee nuh SOW-nuh]               l) December

Ádh mór agus sin é don bhlag seo.  SGF, ó Róislín

Freagraí: 1c, Márta, March (Latin), 2h, Lúnasa, August (Irish/Celtic); 3g, Iúil, July (Latin); 4l, Mí na Nollag, December (Latin and Irish), 5j, Deireadh Fómhair, October (Irish); 6f, Meitheamh, June (Celtic); 7a, Eanáir, January (Latin); 8i, Meán Fómhair, September (Irish); 9b, Feabhra, February (Irish); 10e, Bealtaine, May (Celtic); 11d, Aibreán, April (Latin); 12k, Mí na Samhna, November (Irish/Celtic)

Additional Pronunciation Notes:

Deireadh Fómhair [DJERzh-uh FOH-irzh]: the initial “d” is almost like an English “j”; the “zh” superscript indicates a “slender r,” completely different from the letter “r” in English, and also quite different from the Irish “broad r,” which is “flapped.” 

Feabhra [FyOW-ruh]: the “-eabh” is like the “-eabh” in “leabhar.”  If the word “leabhar” is new for you, consider the phrase “Leabhar Power” (as in www.leabharpower.com), and that will give you the pronunciation of the “-eabh.”  Nothing like the power of rhyme for a catchy slogan!  When combined with the next letter, “r,” it’s sort of like the English word “dowry,” except that the “r” is flapped (with one quick trill). 

Bealtaine [BAL-tin-yuh]: keep in mind that in Irish, this word has three syllables, unlike the anglicized version, “Beltane,” which is a two-syllable word.

Mí na Samhna [mee nuh SOW-nuh]: the transcription “sow” here is as in the pig (a sow), not as in “to sow seeds”  This one literally means “the month of Samhain,” and the word “mí” (month) must be used to distinguish the full month from the single day of “Samhain.”

Mí na Nollag: this literally means “the month of Christmas,” and, as with “Mí na Samhna,” the word “mí” must be included to distinguish the month from “an Nollaig,” which is Christmas Day.  The phrase “na Nollag” means “of Christmas Day.” 

 Nóta don Nóta faoi “leabharpower.com”: Northern speakers tend to pronounce “leabhar” (book) more like “lure,” rather than with the “-ow-“ vowel sound of words like “flower,” “power,” or, for that matter, “vowel” itself.

Samhain (November 1st) and Lá Caille (January 1st): Two New Years!

Posted by róislín No Comments
Oct 27 2010

I suppose one could see this as an opportunity for two ways of celebrating the New Year.  The traditional Celtic New Year was November 1st, recognized as Samhain [SOW-in] but not celebrated today as the official New Year.  The January 1st version of New Year’s Day is Lá Caille (lit. day of Calends) – and there are other terms for it as well, but for those, let’s wait till late December.  That’s when we’ll start discussing “an Bhliain Úr,” “Athbhliain,” and the term “Bliain Nua.” 

Samhain was also the beginning of winter, opposite to Lá Bealtaine (May 1st), which is the first day of summer in the Celtic calendar. 

To discuss Samhain and its eve (Oíche Shamhna) as the roots of modern Halloween could take a book or more, so the next few blogs will just address a few points related to the topic.  I know we covered Samhain around this time last year (ní nach ionadh!), but, given that last October there were around 1900 people reading this blog on Facebook and now there are over 9000 (!), I figured it wouldn’t hurt to revisit the topic.

Samhain, in the traditional Celtic calendar, was both the beginning of winter and the beginning of the New Year.  As with our December 31st-January 1st combo, it’s the eve (Oíche Shamhna) which is the focus of celebration, not so much the day itself. 

In Irish, “oíche” [EE-hyuh] means “night” or the portion of an evening that is after dark (changing according to the seasons).  For more on “evening” in general, see “tráthnóna” below.  “Oíche” is the term used for “eve of” for all the holidays I can think of (Oíche Nollag, Oíche Chinn Bhliana, srl.). 

Why “Shamhna” [HOW-nuh] and not simply “Samhain” after “Oíche”?  The answer involves grammatical gender, the genitive case, and lenition – a triple whammy.  I could add syncope – a quadruple whammy?

“Samhain” is feminine in terms of grammatical gender and changes to “Samhna” [SOW-nuh] in its genitive case (possessive form).  So you use the “Samhna” form to say “of Samhain” or “of Halloween, as in Lá Samhna (Day of Samhain) and Mí na Samhna (November, lit. the month of Samhain). 

Since “oíche” is a feminine noun, lenition is applied to adjectives that follow it (like “oíche mhaith”) and to nouns like “Samhna” that serve to further modify “oíche.”  So we get lenition, resulting in “Oíche Shamhna.” 

The second syllable of “Samhain,” (–ain) is reduced to just “-n” when the –a ending is added for the possessive form.   Hence syncope (the contraction or lost of a syllable).  A simple four-step process!

So, whatever way you may celebrate Halloween, keep in mind that it was probably the most festive of all the Celtic quarter days.  Samhain was both the New Year and the beginning of a season.  That has probably contributed to Halloween’s tenacity as a celebration even in the Christian era and to the fact that it has far more visibility in the Irish diaspora in America than the other three Celtic seasonal markers (August 1st, February 1st, and May 1st).  Of course, being juxtaposed with a modern Christian holiday, Lá (féile) na Naomh Uile (November 1), and adjacent to another, Lá na Marbh (November 2), didn’t hurt!           

Nóta a hAon: tráthnóna, evening up until dark and for most senses of “evening” in general, as in páipéar tráthnóna (evening paper, if any still exist); éadaí tráthnóna (evening dress), and Réalta an Tráthnóna, the Evening Star, although hmmm, how dark does it need to be in order to be able to see it?  Réalteolaithe ar bith amuigh ansin?  Of course, “tráthnóna” can also mean “afternoon,” just to add to the mix, but that’s coincheap eile for blag eile.  

Nóta a Dó: Pronunciation: athbhliain [AH-VLEE-in]; ionadh [EEN-uh] surprise; Samhain [SOW-in, that’s “sow” as in “cow” or “now,” not as in “show” or “blow”]; tráthnóna [TRAW-NOO-nuh or TRAW-NOH-nuh]

Táirge Gearrshaolach Guinness – An Cuimhin Leat É? Ar Bhlais Tú É?

Posted by róislín No Comments
Sep 28 2009

I’m still mulling over some good descriptions of Guinness in Irish and the one that comes first to mind, in English, doesn’t seem to exactly fit in Irish.  “Mellow” could be “méith” or “súmhar” or “maothlach” or “lánaibí.”  But these could also mean “fertile,” “succulent,” mushy,” or “fully ripe/mature,” in that order, and none of those terms seem to conjure up blas pionta Guinness, at least not “i mo shamhlaíocht féin.”  Smaointe ar bith ag duine ar bith?  Any ideas, any one?  If so, please send them in as comments on the www.transparent.com/irish/ page. 

 

So I’ll look for another Irish angle on Guinness for the time being, and wait to see what suggestions you might have for describing “a pint of plain” aka “your only man” aka “cara an oibrí,” to borrow rather loosely from Flann O’Brien aka Myles na gCopaleen aka Brian O’Nolan.  OK with the aka’s, just trying to be thorough and give credit where credit is due.

 

Bhíodh Guinness “Breó” ann agus deirtear go raibh blas “citreach” air sin.  Rinneadh as cruithneacht é agus bhi torthaí agus spíosraí ann. 

 

Too bad “Breó” didn’t catch on, since it showed that the company was trying to use Irish to promote a new product.  It was discontinued in 2000.  The word “Breó” was based on the Irish word “breo” (usually without any long mark), which has a variety of meanings.  Guinness defined it as “glow,” but it can also mean “fire,” “flame,” “torch,” or “brand” (the burnable kind).  In most cases, the word “breo” is a bit on the poetic side.  There are more basic words that I would say cover the same meanings: tine (fire), lasair or bladhm (flame), tóirse (torch, flashlight), and splanc (brand).  “Breo” is also used as part of the Irish word for “flint,” which is “breochloch” (lit. fire- or spark-stone). 

 

But as a product name, it was certainly tarraingteach (catchy, attractive).  I’m sure that that as a brand name, Breó’s similarity to the Italian word, brio (vigor, vivacity) was neither coincidental nor overlooked by the creators of Guinness’s advertising campaign for that brew.  In fact, though Italian, the word “brio” is believed to have Celtic roots, as are a small but interesting number of other Celtic words we know via Latin or the more modern Romance languages.  Of course, the idea of a “brew” that has both “brio” and “breo” is especially appealing, both from a marketing viewpoint and for the “blaslóga” (taste buds). 

 

An cuimhin le léitheoir ar bith “Breó?”  Ar bhlais duine ar bith agaibh “Breó?”

 

Nótaí: gearrshaolach [GYAR-HEEL-ukh, note silent “s”] short-lived; mo shamhlaíocht [muh HOW-lee-ukht] my imagination; bhíodh [VEE-ukh] used to be, used to exist; deirtear, it is said; rinneadh, was made; cruithneacht [KRIN-yukht, note: first “t” is silent], wheat; torthaí [TOR-hee] fruit; an cuimhin le X [un KIV-in le X] Does X remember; bhlais [vlash] tasted

 

Fuaimniú: méith [may], súmhar [SOO-wur], maothlach [MWEE-lukh]; bladhm [blime, that is more or less rhyming with the fruit, “lime,” the “d” being completely silent; breochloch [broh-khlukh]

Logainmneacha Ceilteacha agus Náisiúntachtaí a Trí: Celtic Place Names and Nationalities – Wales and the Welsh

Posted by róislín 4 Comments
May 3 2009

We’ve recently discussed the place names Albain (Scotland) and Éire (Ireland).  Now we’ll turn to ”An Bhreatain Bheag” (Wales).  Since “Breatain” is a feminine noun, the adjective that modifies it, “beag” (little) becomes “bheag.”  And since this country name includes the definite article “an” (the), it also causes “Breatain” to change to “Bhreatain,” pronounced with an initial “v” sound.  Here are some examples how to use the place name and how to indicate that someone is Welsh. 

 

Breatnach, a Welshman or Welsh person.  Like the terms for Irish and Scottish, it can be made feminine, “Breatnach mná,” but, as I’ve previously mentioned, most people don’t seem to bother.  The feminine form basically means “a woman Welshman.”  The Welsh themselves, though, quite regularly use the masculine and feminine forms in their own language (Breatnais, Welsh): Cymro (a Welshman) and Cymraes (a Welshwoman). 

 

an Breatnach, the Welshman.  Since “Breatnach” starts with a consonant, there are no special rules to remember for prefixing letters when you add the definite article. 

 

Breatnach is also the adjective form, as in “capaillín Breatnach” (Welsh pony).  A Welsh corgi, though, doesn’t need to be labeled “Welsh” when you’re speaking Irish; it’s just “corchú” (corgi, which literally means “dwarf dog” in Welsh).  Of course, the Welsh don’t need to label their iconic dog as being Welsh either – again, “corgi” alone suffices.   

 

In theory, there should be evidence for the existence of “Breatnachas” as a word to mean “Welshness,” but a quick online search reveals no cyberfootprint for it.  But with this blog, I guess I’ve started one!

 

Some phrases with the place name include:

 

An Bhreatain Bheag: used as the subject or direct object of a sentence

 

sa Bhreatain Bheag: in Wales

 

go dtí an Bhreatain Bheag:  to Wales

 

na Breataine Bige, of Wales, as in caisleáin na Breataine Bige (the castles of Wales)

 

Seo samplaí leis an bhfocal “Breatnach” nó leis an bhfrása “An Bhreatain Bheag”:

 

Is Breatnach í an t-amhránaí Charlotte Church.  The singer Charlotte Church is a Welsh person.    

 

Tá mé ag dul go dtí an Bhreatain Bheag ar mo laethe saoire.  I’m going to Wales on my holidays.   

 

Cá bhfuil Caerdydd (Cardiff)?  Tá Caerdydd sa Bhreatain Bheag.  Where is Cardiff? 

Cardiff is in Wales.

 

“Breatnach” or its anglicized form “Branagh” also shows up fairly often as a surname in Ireland.  One famous namesake is Belfast-born Kenneth Branagh.  Sometimes the surname is actually translated to “Welsh” or “Walsh.“

 

Anyone care to say their nationality in Irish?  After we finish the sraith Cheilteach (Celtic series), we’ll try some others from around the world.  You might be able to figure these out: Is Meiriceánach mé.  Is Ceanadach mé.  Is Francach mé.  Is Síneach mé.  Agus tusa (and you)? –  Bhur mblagálaí, Róislín

The Many Meanings of “Oireachtas”

Posted by róislín 4 Comments
Apr 18 2009

  For the week of April 5 to 12, 2009, many Philadelphians probably saw more samples of the Irish language in the media than ever before in the city’s history.  Why?  This year, Philadelphia hosted the first Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne (World Irish Dance Championship) to be held outside Ireland or the U.K.  Over 6000 dancers attended, most accompanied by family members, bringing about 20,000 visitors to the city.

 

  In addition to highlighting the name of the event in Irish, the organizing body, An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (www.clrg.ie) uses numerous Irish terms, even when its members are speaking English.  Key among these are “feiseanna,” (basically “festival” but CLRG uses it for regional competitions), ADCRG (Ard Diploma Choimisiúin le Rincí Gaelacha, with “ard” meaning “high”) and TCRG (Teagascóir Choimisiúin le Rincí Gaelacha, a Coimisiún-certified teacher).    

 

  The original meaning of “oireachtas” isn’t exactly “championship,” though; that would generally be “craobh” (literally, a branch).  An “oireachtas” is a gathering (business or cultural), or a deliberative assembly.  A related word is ”oireacht,” which historically meant an assembly of freemen or members of a tribe, gathered for deliberation; it could also mean a gathering or assembly in the general sense. 

 

  “Oireachtas” isn’t generally used now for everyday meetings.  Those could be “cruinniú,” (meeting, gathering) or a “tionól” (gathering, assembly, typically a large group of people, not just the handful that could constitute a “cruinniú”).

 

  “Oireachtas” is also the name of the legislature or national parliament of Poblacht na hÉireann (the Republic of Ireland) which has two houses, Dáil,  and Seanad.  There was also a predecessor, the Oireachtas in Saorstát Éireann (the Irish Free State, 1922-37.). 

 

  Yet another use of the word is “Oireachtas na Gaeilge,” a literary and cultural festival celebrating the Irish language and held in Ireland since the 1890s.  It is similar to two other Celtic events: in Wales, the Eisteddfod, which in revival dates to 1792, and in Scotland, Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail, run by An Comunn Gàidhealach, which dates to 1891.

 

  Finally, if you know anyone with the surname Geraghty, Gerrity, Gearty, or Gerty, they probably had a distant ancestor who was an “oireachtach” (advisor, assembly-man).  From “oireachtach” to “Gerty,” you might well ask!  Consider the possessive form, Mag Oireachtaigh (sometimes Mac Oireachtaigh), meaning “son of the advisor or assembly-man.”  The final “ch” has been softened to a vowel sound (-aigh, like “ee”) since we’re saying “of the advisor,” not just “advisor.”  The “ch” in the middle of the word may get softened or silenced when anglicized.  And often the full “mac” or “mag” sound (for “son”) gets shortened to just a “c” or “g” before vowels (as in “Keown” from “Mag Eoin”).  This results in names like Geraghty (with a silent “gh”) or Gerty.

 

Bhur mblagálaí – Róislín

 

 

 

 

 

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