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LANGUAGE
What is the Irish Language, you ask? Well, it isn't English --
and it is. English is spoken by the vast majority of the Irish
people, but the official language is Irish -- or Gaelic, as we
sometimes call it.
Irish is related to Scottish Gaelic, as well as to Manx, Breton
and Welsh, all members of the Gaelic language group. It is an
ancient language, as old if not older than Latin, and they come
from the same basic family (Indo-European) group of languages.
Irish Gaelic is still part of English today, usually showing
up in words with difficult spellings, like laughter or through.
Cobh, (cove) is a town in Ireland that many believe started that
word in English.
There has been a growing movement to bring Irish back from the
dead, after centuries of oppression by the English rulers. Children
are taught Irish in school, teachers must pass an Irish test before
being certified. All street signs are in both Irish and English,
while in the Gaeleacth (Irish-speaking area of the west) only
Irish is allowed on the signs. The government court sessions are
conducted in Irish.
For more information, please click HERE.
For a great lesson-by-lesson tutorial, click HERE.
Some useful words:
Slainte (SLAWNchay) - 'Cheers' or 'Good Health'
Craic (crack) - Conversation, fun or environment in a pub
Cead mile failte (kade MEELa FALLcheh) - 'A hundred thousand welcomes!'
Stad! (Stadd) - 'Stop!'
Hi or Hello: Dia Duit (DEE-ah GEET) (literally means ‘how
do you do’)
Goodbye: slán a fhágáil ag duine; (SLAWN
ahGAWL ah DINye)
Thank you: go raibh maith agat; (guh RAH mah ah-GAHT)
No thanks: níor mhaith, go raibh maith agat; (NEER vah,
guh RAH mah ah-GAHT)(literally ‘it isn’t, thank you’
– no direct word for ‘no’ in Irish!)
Yes please: is ea, le do thoil; (i-SHEE, leh doh HOYLE) (literally
‘it is, if you please’…. There is no direct word
for ‘yes’ in Irish!)
You're welcome: tá fáilte romhat; (taw FAYL-chay
ROW-out)
And for the hopeful singles:
Ta tu go halainn (taw two guh HAULinn) - you are beautiful
An Bposfaidh tu me? (on BOESigg two may?) - will you marry me?
Nil moran Gaeilge agam (kneel MORon GAYLEigeh aGUM) - I don't
have much Irish
Go hifreann leat! (guh HIFFirrin lat) - To hell with you!
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