Monday, April 13, 2009

Bóthair, cailín, áthas, bainne


The aul Irish. We're having a mini seachtain na gaeilge here this week, since himself is having an agallaimh (think that's how it's spelled) as gaeilge later in the week. Speaking in Irish as much as we can. Have to admit it's an interesting experience. Have discovered it's difficult to argue in a language you have little grasp of, and it's almost like meeting the person you're talking to for the first time again. You have to make that much more effort to understand and to be understood. Have to be creative in deciding how to get something across - happy easter became "happy East her", and so on. It leaves less room for being bitchy too, since you have to spend that bit more time thinking about what you're going to say, so you end up actually processing the thoughts a bit more before they get out, so while it's slower, it's slightly more peaceful too, relaxing.
Since we live in Dubland (and I'm sorry if I'm being a big wedding bore here), we're not obliged to go on one of those Premarriage courses, possibly because Dublin people are so good at getting on, but this talking another language thing, I think that it too might save a few marriages, so if you're on the rocks out there, give it a lash, you can thank me later.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cathaig mé an rud céanna a dhéanamh, mar níl an Rí abalta mé a thuiscint go mór mór - If I said what I think I said you'll gather that I approve. Ach níl aon gaeilge ag himself. Would that be a further problem?
DQ

Domestic Oub said...

agallaimh ??

Niamh B said...

DQ - Sea - beidh se sin nios deacair, ach beidir go mbeidh tusa nios mo "mysterious" nuair a dheanaigh tu e sin.

DO - Agallaimh le haigh post a fhail sa scoil gaeilge ag tabhairt cabhair don muinteoir.

So now that I've thoroughly alienated all my non irish readers, both of ye, I will apologise for my rudeness and switch back to the official planetary tongue.... Don't bother trying to google the above to figure out what I'm on about - my spelling is ridiculously poor...

swiss said...

my question is do you get irish keyboards?

as for the spelling, if it's anything like scottish gaelic then one has to assume that whoever invented the orthography wasn't actually that keen on anyone speaking it

Niamh B said...

No Irish Keyboards, you just hit the Alt Gr button to get the fada - like this á é í etc - only works on vowels....

However there are Irish Keyboard stickers, see below -

http://store.aramedia.com/product.php?xProd=7657

I've no idea what they'd be for, but I'd say they probably sell them in the Kleeneze catalogue.

As for the orthography - (a new word for me, thanking you) - it's probably not their fault, I'd just be stronger on the communicating aloud, as opposed to on paper, in Irish anyway. Like all languages I tend to guess when unsure - using an English word with a bit of an accent can work wonders sometimes.