Colourful Conversation 'As Gaeilge'
Here are a few colourful conversational titbits that could prove useful if you're ever stuck for a word while engaged in the rare art of speaking 'as Gaeilge' to another human being lost in the Connemara wilderness.
In English we can concede that there are two sides to a story but in Irish we use 'fishy' metaphoric language:
Tá dhá thaobh ar an mbád. There are two sides to the boat
Thug sé an eang leis. He got clear away
(Lit. He took the (fishing) net with him)
“Ní hé an té a rinne an bád a rinne an teach.” The guy who made the boat didn't make the house.
And if you're surprised by that then...
Níl guth agam ort, I don’t blame you
Difficulties abound in speaking Irish so repeat the next lines till someone in your household tells you to... Éist do bhéal! Be quiet!
Ní thig liom guth a chur ar, I can’t say/pronounce it.
(voice)
Níl a fhios agam go barainneach. I don’t know exactly.( very useful)
Christmas stocking fillers follow:
Mo dhearmad! By the way! I forgot!
Mó sa mhó, more and more
Measa sa measa, worse and worse
Mó sa chách, most of all
Faoi nó thairis, more or less, thereabouts
Tá mí-shásta leis. It’s awkward to do.
Ní dhéanfaidh sé spuaic ar do theanga, it won’t do you any harm to say it. (Lit.) It won’t make a blister on your tongue.
Níl an iomarca de maith agat, too much of it is not good for you
And although Irish might not blister your tongue it could incite annoyance in others, so learn this phrase to avoid danger:
“Tá ardú ag teacht air,”
He is getting agitated,
And when you hear these sort of phrases it's time to act:
Borráiste caca! Load of shite!
Cuir caol ort féin! make yourself scarce!
As you make your escape (agus tú ag tabhairt an eang leat) you might mutter under your breath:
Ní beag a bhfuil ráite, (there is) enough said
Tá a gha ionam. He has it in for me.
(Spear, dart)
Sutach! brat
Tá seachrán beag air. He’s a bit gone in the head
You might feel disappointed that instead of hearing compliments (e.g. Tá blas agus dath ar a chuid cainte, his speech is clear and colourful.)
You hear instead:Tá struip siúil faoi, he is travelling fast
Níl lámh ná cos air, he can do nothing right
Ní fiú seilog é! It’s not worth a damn.(Spit)
But others might be more willing to listen to your attempts at speaking 'as Gaeilge' even if you have a blas Béarla rather than the more coveted native Irish accent or blas Gaeilge.
Bhí sise ag tabhairt córas dó, She was giving him encouragement, urging him on.
But who cares about peoples opinions; you express indifference to them in Irish mar seo:
An inner voice reminds you of the following:
Ní de do mháthair a chuaigh tú mar sin! Céad slán di!
You didn’t take after your mother then! God help her
Ná bí i do dhuine seafóideach! Don’t be silly!
that you would exclaim in Irish because there are too many Púca na n-adharc, a bugbear in doing so.
However, is bheag leat an chontúirt go minic, you think little of danger at times.
And for some unknown reason you think of the phrase:
Is ionann an cás an t-éag is an bás. It amounts to the same thing ‘deceased’ and ‘dead’.Thinking in Irish gets gloomy as another phrase pops into your head:
Is orm a bhí an crann, I was the unfortunate one (to attempt Irish?) and then you brighten up thinking of all the great phrases in Irish that refer to trees:
(Yes! Irish speakers have them too)
Ar mo chrann atá sé, it’s my turn
I'm sure there are more phrases with 'crann' but I'll heed the advice that you can..
Dul chun seanbhróg le rud. To go too far with something
(lit. go to an old shoe with something)
Sin agat é, there you have it
Hope you find the odd 'focal spraoi' (humourous word) in the above text.
Ní chuireann tharat é sin a dhéanamh, I wouldn’t put it passed you to do so.
And keep in mind that our ancestors never talked in Irish behind anyone's back they talked behind their heads as the following phrase proves:
Ag caint orm ar chúl mo chinn, talking behind my back
(from ceann, head)
