Bunús na Gaeilge - Basic Irish Language

There is no other way to revive Irish than for a crowd of people to spread it.
- Douglas Hyde

On these pages, we will make a valiant effort to provide you with useful words and phrases. One of our subscribers, Aideen, grew up speaking Irish at her mother's knee. She has generously agreed to help us with our lessons. We have put her comments and pronunciations in green.

Note: The spellings and pronunciations used by Aideen are based in her own natural use of Connemara Irish but they have been kept simple, so as to be readily understood in any part of Ireland where there are differences in the language.
For example, the word 'feicfidh' is used only in Connemara Irish; in Leinster, Ulster and Munster the word is 'cífidh'. There are two pronunciations; Leinster/Munster - kee-fee; Ulster - chee-fee.

The biggest problem for people whose native language is English is that the soft 't' and 'd' are in the Irish language, but not in the English language; it's difficult to 'reproduce' them in writing in English. Where I use 'th' and 'dh' here, they are best achieved by putting your tongue gently behind your front upper teeth."

Click here for our words & phrases Index.

Lesson 43: Horse Shows

In Ireland, August is the month for major horse-racing meets, pony shows and horse fairs. So, since we've already done a lesson on horse-racing, this time around we're focusing on words and phrases related to shows.
Photo Credit: Irish Times/Anthony Devlin/PA Wire and Olivia Harris/Reuters

Phrase: Horse Show
Irish: Taispeántas Marcaíochta
Pronunciation: thahs-pawn-thahs mahr-kee-ukh-thah

Word: Equestrian (rider)
Irish: marcach
Pronunciation: mahr-kukh

Word: Ring (arena)
Irish: láthair
Pronunciation: law-hirr

Word: Jodphurs
Irish: triús marcaíochta
Pronunciation: throos mahr-kee-ukhth-thah

Word: Cup/Trophy (presentation cup)
Irish: corn
Pronunciation: kurn

Word: Judge (adjudicator)
Irish: moltóir
Pronunciation: mull-thoh-irr

Word: Points
Irish: poncanna
Pronunciation: punk-ah-nah

Word: Faults
Irish: lochtanna
Pronunciation: luhk-thah-nah

Word: Score
Irish: scór
Pronunciation: score

Phrase: The Big (high) Wall
Irish: an Falla Sár-Árd
Pronunciation: on fah-lah sawr-awrdh

Word: Obstacle
Irish: constaic
Pronunciation: kun-sthack

Word: Bar
Irish: barra
Pronunciation: bah-rah

Word: Height
Irish: airde
Pronunciation: ear-djeh

Word: Spread
Irish: fairsinge
Pronunciation: fahr-shing-eh

Word: Mare
Irish: áir
Pronunciation: aw-irr

Word: Foal
Irish: searrach
Pronunciation: shah-rahkh

Word: Stallion
Irish: stail
Pronunciation: sthah-ill

Word: Hunter
Irish: capall seilge
Pronunciation: copp-ull shell-geh

Word: Thoroughbred
Irish: capall folúil
Pronunciation: copp-ull ful-oo-ill

Word: Speed
Irish: luas
Pronunciation: loo-us

Word: Style
Irish: galántacht
Pronunciation: gahl-awn-thukth

Phrase: Pony Club
Irish: Club Ghearrchapaill
Pronunciation: club gih-ahr-khopp-ill

Word: Yearling
Irish: capall bliana
Pronunciation: copp-ull blee-nah

Phrase: Parade of Champion Jumpers
Irish: Paráid na gCapall Árdléime
Pronunciation: pahr-aw-idj nah gcopp-ull awrdh-lay-meh

Phrase: Ladies' Day
Irish: Lá na mBan
Pronunciation: law nah mahn

Word: Sportsmanship
Irish: Cothrom na Féinne
Pronunciation: kuh-rum nah fay-inn-yeh

Word: Team
Irish: foireann
Pronunciation: fwirr-un

Phrase: Our Pony Club will be organising a trip to the Horse Show next week
Irish: Beidh turas á eagrú ag an gClub Ghearrchaill s'againne ag an Taispeántas Marcaíochta an tseachtain seo chugainn
Pronunciation: bye thrus aw ahg-rú egg on glub shahg-inn-yeh egg on thahs-pawn-thahs mahr-kee-ukh-thah on tshokh-thin shuh hug-inn

Phrase: The most exciting feature is always the Big Wall. How high will it be this year?
Irish: Is é an Falla Sár-Árd an ceannaithe is fearr i gcónaí. Cén airde a bhéas sé i mbliana?
Pronunciation: shay on fah-lah sawr-awrdh on kiann-ih-heh iss fahr ih goh-nee. kayn eer-djeh ah vays shay i mbleen-ah?

Phrase: Isn't there always such wonderful sportmanship among the riders at Horse Shows?
Irish: Nach dtugann na marcaí Cothrom na Féinne íontach dá chéile ag na taispeántais marcaíochta?
Pronunciation: nahkh dthug-ahnn nah mahr-kee kuh-rum nah fay-inn-yeh een-thukh dhaw khay-leh egg nah thahs-pawn-thish mahr-kee-uk-thah?

Phrase: The Aga Khan Cup is the premier competition at the Dublin Horse Show
Irish: Is é Corn an Aga Khan an príomh chomorthas ag Taispeántas Marcaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath
Pronunciation: shay kurn on Aga Khan on preev-khum-ohr-thahs egg thahs-pawn-thahs mahr-kee-ukh-thah wahl-yeh aw-hah klee-ah

Phrase: That was a wonderful round of jumping
Irish: Ba uasladh an timpeallacht léime sin
Pronunciation: bah oos-lah on tjim-pahl-ukhth lay-meh shin

Phrase: She had no faults there
Irish: Ní raibh aon lochtanna aici ansin
Pronunciation: nee row (as in cow) ayn luhk-thah-nah ek-ee ah-shin

Phrase: That hunter is a marvellous jumper
Irish: Gearrann an capall seilge sin léim sár-mhaith
Pronunciation: giarr-ahn on copp-ull shell-geh shin laym sawr- wye

Phrase: On Ladies' Day, the results of judging the elegance of the hats is as important as the marks scored by the teams!
Irish: Ar Lá na mBan, bíonn an moltóireact ar ghalántacht na hataí ar chomh-chéim thábachta le poncanna na fóirne!
Pronunciation: err law nah mahn,bee-unn on mul-thoh-ir-ukhth err ghah-lawn-thukth nah hah-thee ar khoh-khaym leh punk-ah-nah fohr-nyeh


Note: Click here for Basic Irish on Horse Racing.

Note: This caught our eye. Yes, we know it isn't gaeilge, but it is fascinating. If nothing else, it is certainly language (and Irish language as well.)
Slanguage
by Bernard Share
...for all 'decent skins', 'crawthumpers', horse-protestants', 'hard chaws' and 'strong farmers'...a dictionary of Irish slang that's as amusing as it is informative.
Click here for Slanguage


For More Basic Irish please click here: Irish Index

Image: Gaeilge Beo from All Posters and Prints.