[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference tallis::celt

Title:Celt Notefile
Moderator:TALLIS::DARCY
Created:Wed Feb 19 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1632
Total number of notes:20523

489.0. "Celtic phrases needed for bands!*!" by DPDMAI::GRIFFITH () Wed Jan 11 1989 15:05

    We would appreciate any suggestions for nice Irish/Celtic phrases/words
    to put in our wedding bands...any traditions/customs we should be
    aware of out there???
    
    Gratefully....Getting Married Soon!*!
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
489.1strike up the band...GAO::MHUGHESThu Jan 12 1989 15:5611
    Leaprechauns could try.
    
    Now, you'll have to excuse my lack of knowlege of the matrimonial
    process that you are alluding to :-).
    
    If you explain to me what "wedding bands" are, and what puropse
    they serve then I'll be delighted to give it a shot.
    
    Snake had a band at his wedding and they played "the siege of Ennis".
    
    
489.2TPVAX2::CULBERTFree Michael CulbertThu Jan 12 1989 20:4911
    
    
        Snake I may be able to help a bit. In keVins wedding Mary, (his
    wife) inserted the wedding band in the center of his NOSE, with
    a cute little ten foot chain attached  8*)                            
    
      I'm really sorry but I couldn't help myself, I think God made
    me do it......
    
    paddy
489.3STRIKE UP THE BAND?DPDMAI::GRIFFITHSat Jan 14 1989 09:3211
    Do ye think I used the wrong "term", now?  It's wedding "rings"
    - not "bands" or "rings thru the nose" - and I thought someone out
    there would know the translation of "LOVE" into Gaelic or something
    relatively more romantic than the date that we could get engraved
    into our wedding rings as a special remembrance.  Personally, I
    thought "Thanks, Knute" was appropriate as we were watching -
    KNUTE ROCKNEY - THE STORY OF NOTRE DAME on TV whence he proposed
    - or we could put "Novstrovia" - one of our favorite toasts - but
    since it's an Irish Wedding and neither of us is Polish we decided
    against it!  The wedding's two weeks from today - any suggestions?
    
489.4Oh! you meant wedding rings......!!GAO::MHUGHESWed Jan 18 1989 06:0618
    Leaprechauns will assist.
    
    The Irish for "love" is gr� (its pronounced graw as in Ali McGraw).
    
    If you want to make a phrase using the term then I can help you
    also.
    
    " I love you Tom" =  Mo gr� th� a Thom�is (literally translated
    it means my love to you, Tom).
    
    For such a phrase I would need the relevant christian names, but
    I will make no promises for non-common Irish christian names.
    
    Try me with a few things that you'd like to see in there and 
    I'll give it a whirl.
    
    Snake is "an athar nimhe".
    
489.5THANKS BE TO LEAPRECHAUNS!DPDMAI::GRIFFITHWed Jan 18 1989 14:1410
    SNAKE:
    
    "MO GRA THU" WILL DO BEAUTIFULLY - IT SUITS THE SITUATION PERFECTLY!
    
    YOU'RE AMAZING!  THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN!  I SHOULD BE READY FOR
    GAELIC LESSONS AFTER THE HONEYMOON - HAWAII SHOULD SET ME IN THE
    MOOD, DON'T YA' THINK?  ANY GOOD BOOKS ON THE LANGUAGE YOU WOULD
    RECOMMEND FOR BEACH READING?
    
    REGARDS...CHRIS (ALMOST - 10 DAYS AWAY - MEEHAN) 
489.6ON SECOND THOUGHT...DPDMAI::GRIFFITHWed Jan 18 1989 14:175
    On second thought, perhaps we could add our Christian names to the
    end of the sentence - as you demonstrated.  What about Christina
    & Michael for translation stumpers?!?
    
    Awaiting your reply...Chris
489.7Explanatory Pictures To Boot.FSLPRD::KSULLIVANThu Jan 19 1989 09:062
    Recommended gaelic beach reading..."Athais An Gneas" by Uuna More.
    
489.8stick and stones....GAO::MHUGHESThu Jan 19 1989 09:2934
    Leaprechauns never read that one Murphy, :-)
    
    re .6
    
    Mo gr� th�, a Mhich�l  (pronounced thus: "Muh graw who, ah Vih-heel)
    
    M�che�l (me-haul) is the gaelic for Michael but in the context of
    the above phrase it is altered by the "h" after the M, and its 
    pronounciation also changes as a result of its context indicating
    its linkage to you the speaker. (tuiseal gineadach, if my gaelic
    grammar scholars want to rant at me).
    
    Literally translated it means " My love is to you, my dearest Michael".
    English is too young a language to embrace such a complex romantic
    sense in so few words.
    
    Now here is the bad news.  There is no Gealic for Christina. The
    name was not in common use in Gaelic until the last couple of
    hundred years so no difference in spelling exists.
    
    However the phrase  Mo gr� th�, a Christina, is quiet valid and
    would be entirely accurate.
    
    The Irish for Christina must be Cristina (without the "h" after
    the C), but you need the "h" in the phrase for the reasons I have
    alluded to above in Michael's case.
    
    The way to pronounce your phrase would be "Muh graw who, a Hristine".
    
    Its almost impossible to find a similar English sound for "Ch" as
    its used in Gaelic.
    
    Snake tries.
    
489.9FROM GALWAY TO DALLAS...DPDMAI::GRIFFITHThu Jan 19 1989 10:4622
    Snake:
    
    Somehow we were disconnected - winter storms, eh?  Thanks for the
    call - I will try back later - the line was busy!  I have learned
    so much from our communications and your call made my day!  Digital
    technology is amazing - from Galway to Dallas!  Believe me, we wouldn't
    be able to have our Irish wedding without everyone's kind assistance.
    J'OR in Austin has shared invaluable information, as well.
    
    I shall pr�ctice pronouncing the phrase as you demonstrated.  The
    Dallas ACT will never be the same if I learn Gaelic!  Seriously,
    how much are lessons and where do I sign up?  
    
    And how do you say, "Many thanks, Vih-heel, for sharing all this
    valuable information with us!"  
    
    Now, what can we translate into Texan for you?
    
    Best Regards...Hristine
    
    
    thanks, Vih-heel, for sharing  
489.10More ....EGAV01::MHUGHESTue Jan 24 1989 06:2918
    Leaprechauns will get back to you when the pressure is off.
    
    Many thanks Mick = M�le buiochais, a Mhich�l
    
    pronounced  Meela bwee-kish, a Viheel.
    
    In fact it means "a thousand thanks". The Irish word for many does
    not apply in this context.
    
    The Irish for many is "go leor" meaning plentiful. it is pronounced
    guh lore and the english word galore comes from this Gealic root.
    
    If you are familair with the use of galore in English you will 
    understand why you cannot say "galore thanks".   See you are 
    learning Gaelic idiom already.
    
    Snake will oblige.
    
489.11The (Pro)Vocative Case.HPSTEK::OTOOLEJohn O'TooleTue Jan 24 1989 13:3531
    Re .8

================================================================================
Note 489.8             Celtic phrases needed for bands!*!                8 of 10
GAO::MHUGHES                                         34 lines  19-JAN-1989 09:29
                           -< stick and stones.... >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
>    M�che�l (me-haul) is the gaelic for Michael but in the context of
>    the above phrase it is altered by the "h" after the M, and its 
>    pronounciation also changes as a result of its context indicating
>    its linkage to you the speaker. (tuiseal gineadach, if my gaelic
>    grammar scholars want to rant at me).
    
 Mike, while I can't claim to be a "gaelic grammar scholar", I can't resist
 the opportunity to "rant" at you nonetheless!...

	In the sentence "mo ghra thu a Mhichil" the word "Mhichil" is in
 the Vocative case, that is, an Tuiseal Gairmeach, not Gineadach (genative
 case).   It so happens that endings and alterations are identical in both
 cases but gramatically speaking they are not the same.

 Nit-pickingly Yours,

 John.


    
 
489.12How's Considines "Ham-String" ? (ha ha)STEREO::BURNSUp The BannerTue Jan 24 1989 14:1014
    re .11
    
    
    	Is this the same Big John O'Toole of "Wild Geese" fame ??	:-)

         
                             
    
    
    
    	keVin