Oidhreacht
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 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fé |
(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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|