Oidhreacht

An Clár

 

Gaoluinn Mhúscraí/A Glossary of Músgraighe Gaelic

 

 

 

The following is a sort of mini Irish dictionary which gives emphasis to words and phrases particular to the area, or to Munster Irish generally.  Several are found, with slight variations, in “Standard Irish.” (This is the dreaded Caighdeán Oifigiúil, the myopic abuse of which has grievously mutilated surviving regional dialects).  The spellings here deliberately reflect pronunciation within the dialect.  Far from being slang, they are at least as historically and linguistically valid as the artificially contrived “Standard”.   Indeed, many are to be found in Ó Dónaill’s Irish/English dictionary.   Pronounciation is that of Gaoluinn Mhúsgraighe (West-Cork Gaelic), with phonetics based upon the English of that district. These are greatly similar to the other Munster dialects, though somewhat different to those of Connacht and Ulster.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                           

Baile

(bile-yuh)

A home; a dwelling-place; a village

 

Baile Mór

(bile-yuh moor)

Town

 

 

 

Clann

(clown)

One’s children/offspring. NOT other family members

 

 

 

(fay)

Under. Munster pronunciation/spelling of “faoi”

Foclóir

(fuc-lore)

Vocabulary; dictionary

 

 

 

Forbairt

(for-birt)

Expansion, developments

Gael

(guayle)

One of gaelic blood/heritige NOT pronounced “gwayle

 

 

An Ghaeidhlg

(un ghaalig)

Scots Gaelic word for the Gaelic language

An Ghaelic

(un ghaal-ic)

The Ulster dialect word for the Gaelic language

An Ghaeilge

(un ghuaeyl-guh)

The Connacht dialect word for the Gaelic language

Yn Ghailg

(un ghyle-k)

The Manx Gaelic word for the Gaelic language

An Ghaoluinn

(un ghuay-ling)

The Munster dialect word for the Gaelic language

 

 

An Ghaeltacht

(un ghuayl-tucht)

In Ireland, a Gaelic-speaking area;

In Scotland, the Highlands

 

 

An Ghalltacht

(un ghowl-tucht)

English-speaking area

 

 

Gabhall

(gowl)

A fork; a junction

 

 

 

Gall

(gowl)

A foreigner, esp. English

 

 

 

Gríanán

(gree-un-awn)

A mannerly, happy, honest person

 

 

 

Hainceasúir

(hank-us-oor)

Handkerchief

 

 

 

Hoibín

(hibeen)

Load carried upon the back

Leog

(lyug)

Let-out, release.  Munster pronunciation of Connacht “Lig”

 

 

 

Iomparán

(oomperawn)

Lorry

 

 

 

Mise...

(mish-uh)

I am... as in “Mise Éire”

 

Misleán

(mish-lawn)

A sweet. Munster pronounciation/spelling of “milseán”

Meitheal

(mi-hul)

A working contingent, co-operation in an endeavour of work

Mogalra

(muggal-ruh)

A network, a mesh

 

 

 

Mór

(moor)

Big

 

 

 

Muintear

(mweentur)

Family; people

 

 

 

Muirghín

(mwireen)

Literally “a load”, but used to refer, and not derisively, to one’s dependants

 

 

 

Peidhleachán

(pile-a-chawn)

Butterfly

 

 

 

Plaosc

(play-usc)

Shell (of egg)

 

 

 

Ragairne

(rog-rn-yuh)

Revelry, dissipation

 

 

 

Sínsear

(sheen-sher)

Ancestors

 

 

 

Sulán (An)

(su-lawn) (un)

The Sulán River

 

 

 

Ullamh

(ulluv)

Ready, prepared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oidhreacht

An Clár