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| Celtic Radio Community > Gaelic Languages > Celtic Questions |
| Posted by: Danann 02-Aug-2004, 08:23 AM |
| OK, I've thought for a bit, and instead of me just posting lessons alone, what do you want to know? Is there a phrase you want translated? A bit of history you want discussed? Is there anything you want me to research so you can understand not only the language but the mentality? Let me know, and I'll get crackin'! |
| Posted by: Ceciliastar1 02-Aug-2004, 10:18 AM |
| Hmmm...good question. I personally want to learn how to pronounce the words. I have a really cool dictionary but I have no idea how to pronounce the words. That would be totally cool to know. Thanks so much for doing this! |
| Posted by: Danann 02-Aug-2004, 12:57 PM |
| OK, sounds fair and good. How about this. I'll do a pronounciation lesson, and you can post words to it and give me a "I think this is how you say it based on the lesson" and I'll let you know if that's right, or if there's another way to pronounce it. |
| Posted by: Ceciliastar1 02-Aug-2004, 01:18 PM |
| Cool! |
| Posted by: dundee 02-Aug-2004, 03:01 PM |
danann now i am curious..... you mean you actually speak gaelic? like could you go to one of them gaelic islands and actually order dinner?  like you are fluent?how did this come about?? *very impressed*  |
| Posted by: Danann 02-Aug-2004, 03:31 PM |
| Well... I could go to one of the Islands and try to order, and possibly get laughed at! I've learned from teh web, a CD, and several books. I know enough to say Hi, how are you, what's that, can I have a beer, and pass the whiskey... oh and where's the bathroom, I've got to be sick, and bye... lol Actually a bit more than that. I've been studying Irish Gaelic now for a bit in order to develop a language for a novel I've been working on. Since that, I got real interested in all the Gaelic languages. So, I started studying. From there it moved to all the Celtic languages... and so on and so forth. But, yes. I can carry on a pretty good verbal conversation. Written, I'm not so good at, since I am a auditory learner. |
| Posted by: Lyra Luminara 12-Aug-2004, 01:24 PM |
| What does 'Erin Go Bragh' actually mean? I've always wanted to know, haha I bet everyone knows and I don't |
| Posted by: Danann 12-Aug-2004, 02:53 PM |
| Erin go bragh literally means "Ireland Forever" Ireland is Eireann or Éire and go bragh is "forever" . So, in its anglicized version, its "Erin go Bragh" But in actuallity its "Eireann go braugh" or "Eire go braugh". Yet the correct Gaelic is "Éire go brách" And its sort of the motto of American Irish, and some native Irish too, I believe. |
| Posted by: MacAibhistin 19-Aug-2004, 05:40 PM |
| Thanks for the service Danann. Here's a few questions. 1. Do you speak in Irish or Scottish Gaelic? 2. Do you have others in your area who speak Gaelic? 3. I recently picked up a cassette tape Scottish Gaelic series from my library. Is this one of the types of reseources you used? 4. What does Danann mean? Thanks, Rory MacAibhistin |
| Posted by: Danann 20-Aug-2004, 10:29 AM |
| ohhh goodie! questions!!! 1. Do you speak in Irish or Scottish Gaelic? Yes... *laughs* I speak Irish Gaelic better, but I know enough Scottish Gaelic to get myself confused when I am actually trying to type or speak it. For the most part, I'd say I speak Irish (Gaeilge) and I can read Scottish (Gàidhlig) 2. Do you have others in your area who speak Gaelic? There's another person here that speaks a touch of Gaeilge, and we say hi to each other and exchange pleasantries, and I have to admit, when I get steamed at something, I'll switch into Gaelic to say what I think of the situation/person without them understanding. A bad habit, but I'm working on it. 3. I recently picked up a cassette tape Scottish Gaelic series from my library. Is this one of the types of resources you used? Pretty much. I used the internet for a lot of sources, mostly for pronunciation guides, and so I could see the words in a written form. The CDs that I got were really helpful for pronounciation, but I couldn't figure the word out when I saw it in print, so that's why its better to mix your mediums. Get some from each source, that way you can figure out a word if you come across it. 4. What does Danann mean? Danann is short for Tuatha de Danann or "The People of the Goddess" Dana or Danu is one of the Celtic Goddesses in the Celtic Pantheon. Her people are the faeries, Sprites, and nymphs... so I chose Danann as the name - one because my real name is Dannah, and it seemed like a good match! |
| Posted by: MacAibhistin 20-Aug-2004, 07:35 PM |
| Ah, ha. Thanks for the reply. Well, I am going to start the long process of learning Scots Gaelic. My great grandparents spoke it, and I wish they were still alive. I am gald to see a few people on here are doing their part to revive the Celtic languages. Rory |
| Posted by: Danann 21-Aug-2004, 07:30 PM |
| Well, this board has several Scottish lessons on here, so feel free to use them. Also, if you have any questions. If I don't know off the top of my head, then I can find it from several of my sources. |
| Posted by: whistlenrun 05-Sep-2004, 01:35 PM |
| Hey Danann! I know what you mean switching into Gaelic when people make you made. I do it too. I'm glad there so many people interested in the language. How exactly do you say good luck in Irish gaelic is it. Maith ádh? I wish there were someone in my area to speak gaelic with. I've been teaching my girlfriend as much as I can. So at least I can practice with her. Go raibh maith agat. Sláinte |
| Posted by: Danann 05-Sep-2004, 10:45 PM |
| There are several ways to wish someone good luck, so here we go... Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat. (Guh n'ayr'ee an tah leath) which directly translated means "May luck rise to you." Go n-éirí leat. (Guh n'ayr'ee leath) which directly translated means "That things will rise to you" Go gcuire Dia an t-ádh ort! (Guh gir'uh d'eeuh uhn tah ort} which directly translated means "May God put luck on you" or "Best of luck to you" Or some of the more obscure... Go n-éirí an bóthar leat! (guh n'ayr'ee uhn boehuhr l'aet) which directly translated means "May the road succeed with you" and I think that's about all I can think of right away. Keep the questions coming! Danann |
| Posted by: ANNHAM 22-Sep-2004, 09:40 PM |
| Hi Dannan, This is a great idea, Thank you I have been wondering what the legend behind the song Skellig by Loreena McKinnett is if any? Do you know? Anne |
| Posted by: Danann 22-Sep-2004, 10:27 PM |
Well, First off, Skellig is an Island in County Kerry... a very remote and harsh place from what I hear. She wrote the song to depict the great lengths that people will go to in order to completely isolate themselves from humanity in order to gain a better understanding and connection of/with God. Here is a monk who has traveled the world over, and finally come to basically the end of civilization, in order to be alone with God. He's telling his young acolyte all his travels, his journey, and passing it along. He's watching life slip through like sand in the hourglass (so are the days of our lives...  ). Loreena McKennitt when she was writing and producing Book of Secrets was trying to show Celtic or Irish influence that the Celts had on European society. She visited a monastery in Italy, Bibbio I believe which was the first Irish settlement in Italy. She equated its mountainus isolation with the islandic isolation of Skellig. So the song Skellig picks up on that correlation. It was the Irish who reintroduced classic literature back to Europe. The medieval Irish monks were very avid on copying and preserving all the ancient classical religious and historical texts. Skellig its self has a rich history. First... since this is the Gaelic Area.. hehe.. Skellig is the anglocized version of sceilg which means "rock". It was presumed to be one of the first monastic settlements in Ireland. From a distance they look like floating pyramids of sandstone. When you are closer to them, they look rugged and uninviting. Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichil) and Little Skellig (Sceilg Bheag) became a haven for many Catholics whose beliefs and rights were being suppressed. These monks of St. Fionan's monastery led simple lives and lived in stone, beehive shaped huts. They would descend the 670 steps early every morning and fish for the morning's breakfast. They would spend most of the day praying in the church, tending to their gardens and studying. These huts, which were round on the outside and rectangular on the inside, were carefully built so that no drop of rain ever entered between the stones. The monks left the island in the thirteenth century and it became a place of pilgrimage. |
| Posted by: Danann 22-Sep-2004, 10:28 PM |
| here's an image of the huts... or cells since they were the monk's chambers. |
| Posted by: ANNHAM 26-Sep-2004, 06:15 PM |
| Hi Danann, WOW, Thanks very much for the explanation, history and pictures, very interesting!! Anne  |
| Posted by: roguepagan 22-Dec-2004, 08:00 AM |
I am absolutely interested in this forum and very grateful for it . I've been trying to teach myself Gaelic off and on for about 6 months. I bought a book (Beginner's Irish, Rosenstock, Hippocrene Books), but it just sucks (how do you say THAT in Gaelic?)!! It has a great history of the language, but no real useful pronunciation guide (unless, of course, I'm just plain stupid  ). I've finally resorted to printing pages from the internet and reading and practicing at night before bed. I was wondering if it would be possible to post some good reference material (books, tapes, CDs, etc.). I don't mind spending the money on them as long as I know they're useful and good resources. . . . .I just hate wasting the time/money on something that really doesn't work and at this point, I'm a really poor judge until it's too late.Thanks again, Rogue |
| Posted by: Rindy1202 22-Dec-2004, 09:32 PM |
| Ok you see the word Slainte a lot. I have heard that it means cheers which I don't think is correct and I have heard good health, I think it is health. When we are posting how do you get the astric above it without a space??? Thank you Rindy |
| Posted by: Jamie09 14-Mar-2010, 09:17 PM |
| Hi, So I recently went to Ireland and got a tattoo in Gaelic. The tattoo artist said she knew Gaelic and so I trusted her with the translation but I'm still a little nervous that it says/means something totally different. I wanted it to say, " I will hold your hand and walk with you" and this is what she translated it to, " Togfaidh me do lamh agus suilfaidh me leat." I really hope that's right. |