]> http://www.sengoidelc.com/taxonomy/term/7/0 en http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/10 <p>A cenna dona druídib ocus dona filedaib!</p> <p>(their * heads * from the * druids * and * from the * poets)</p> <p>Off with the heads of the druids and the poets!</p> <p>This is what Scoriath threatens in "Orgain Denna Ríg", if his men of wisdom do not find out who has taken his daughter's virginity.</p> Fri, 04 Feb 2005 01:03:57 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/15 <p>Am trú-sa trá!</p> <p>(I am * a doomed man - emphatic * indeed)</p> <p>I'm doomed for sure!</p> <p>So says Cú Chulainn in "Serglige Con Culainn" when he misses his second shot with a sling stone at a pair of magical birds who are flying in tandem, linked by a chain of gold. His failure to hit them shocks him because, as he goes on to explain, "Ó gabus-sa gaisced níro lá iomroll mo urchur cuss indíu." ("Since I took up arms my aim has never failed until today.")</p> Fri, 04 Feb 2005 01:05:53 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/16 <p>Amrae n-amrae!</p> <p>(wonder * of wonders)</p> <p>Wonder of wonders!</p> <p>This is the sentiment of the crowd when Conaire, a beardless lad, fulfils a prophecy and wins the kingship of Ireland, in the tale "Togail Bruidne Da Derga". In today's Irish they would say "Iontas na n-iontas!"</p> Sun, 13 Mar 2005 19:38:53 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/41 <p>Colla dem inchaib!<br /> (go away * from my * face)</p> <p>Get out of my sight!</p> <p>In the tale "Aided Guill", Cú Chulainn's charioteer, Lóeg, berates the hero for failing miserably in his first encounter with Goll, flinging a string of tauting comparisons at him (see Rot·naisc...), ending with those words. </p> <p>In the tale "Goire Conaill i Cruachain ocus Aided Ailella ocus Conaill Chernaig", edited and translated by Meyer in ZCP i, Ailill uses a similar expression when he tells Conall Cernach:</p> <p>"Not·beir éim as dem inchaib, resiu ba marb-sa." = Take yourself out of my presence, before I die." Conall had just mortally wounded Ailill, and the king's command is actually a kindness, intended to allow Conall a chance to escape. In the end, Conall dies, too, as the title of the tale makes clear.</p> Sat, 21 Jul 2007 20:04:09 -0400 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/202 <p>Dar fír ar cubais!</p> <p>(by * truth * of our * conscience)</p> <p>Upon our conscience! By what we deem right!</p> <p>The first thing that Fergus exclaims upon hearing Medb's plan to wipe out a company of her own allies at the beginning of the Táin, before going on to tell her "Over my dead body!" ("Ní dingnea bás dóib-siút acht intí dogéna bás dam-sa!") Keating uses the expression "Dar mo chubhas" in an Early Modern Irish poem, and the modern version of the same is "Dar mo chúis!" For another example of the Early Irish use of the potent word "fír" (truth), see "For fír th'ainich ocus t'anama!"</p> Thu, 09 Jun 2005 23:26:04 -0400 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/59 <p>Fé amae!<br /> (alas * indeed)</p> <p>Woe is me!</p> <p>A formulaic expression, spoken by Cú Chulainn in "Serglige Con Culainn", and by others elsewhere. The druid Ollgáeth in "Tochmarc Ferbe" exclaims "All amae" when he sees a bad omen.</p> Thu, 31 Mar 2005 14:23:25 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/64 <p>Fir gontair, mná bertair, baí aegtair!</p> <p>(men * are slain * women * are abducted * cattle * are driven)</p> <p>Men are killed, women are carried off, cattle are driven away!</p> <p>This is the dire warning that Súaltaim repeated again and again to the Ulstermen at the behest of his son, Cú Chulainn, when he was unable to resist the invading army, in the LL version of "Táin Bó Cúailnge".</p> Fri, 04 Feb 2005 01:26:28 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/75 <p>In comram beus!</p> <p>(the * contest * still)</p> <p>On with the contest!</p> <p>Spoken by Cet in "Scéla Muicce Meic Da Thó", as the gathered warriors compete for the "curadmír" or "champion's portion" (the best cut of meat at the feast) by boasting of their deeds of prowess.</p> Thu, 03 Feb 2005 12:53:14 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/90 <p>Is mór in bét!</p> <p>(great * the * calamity)</p> <p>What a pity!</p> <p>This exclamation, used as a cheville in a short poem found in "Sanas Cormaic", is still alive virtually unchanged 1,100 years later in Scottish Gaelic as "Is mór am beud". See also the quatrain that begins "Mór in bét!" in this collection.</p> Fri, 22 Apr 2005 23:18:30 -0400 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/98 <p>Mairg dam-sa ría cách, mairg íar cách!</p> <p>(woe * to me - emphatic * before * everyone * woe * after * everyone)</p> <p>Woe to me before everyone, woe after everyone!</p> <p>The anguished exclamation of Lomnae Drúth in "Togail Bruidne Da Derga".</p> Fri, 04 Feb 2005 01:06:26 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/99 <p>Mani má in talam fue!</p> <p>(if not * break * the * earth * under it(self))</p> <p>Unless the earth breaks asunder!</p> <p>Thus Gér, Gabar and Fer Rogain assure Ingcél that the deed will surely be done, in "Togail Bruidne Da Derga". </p> <p>Similar expressions are found elsewhere in Irish literature. In the LL Táin, Conchobar says that he will certainly bring back the stolen cattle and the abducted women "munu tháeth in firmimint cona frossaib rétland bar dunadgnúis in talman ná mono máe in talam assa thalamchumscugud ná mono thí inn fhairge eithrech ochorgorm for tulmoing in bethad" (unless the sky with its showers of stars comes down on the surface of the earth, or unless the earth breaks from an earthquake, or unless the fish-finny, blue-bordered sea come over the surface of life).</p> <p>In the later tale "Cath Maige Léna", a warrior tells his king "Is briathar dúinne, nó go sluigi an talam síss sinn, nó go tuiti an fhirmaimint anuass oraind, nach béram oired ordlaig tar ar n-ais nó céim ar cúlaib 'gut chosnam-sa!" (It is our word that unless the earth swallow us, or unless the sky fall down upon us, we will not give as much as an inch, or take one step back in defending you!)</p> Thu, 09 Jun 2005 23:27:01 -0400 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/107 <p>Ní hansae!</p> <p>(not * difficult)</p> <p>That's easy!</p> <p>This exprssion is used countless times in Early Irish literature to begin to reply to a question.</p> Thu, 03 Feb 2005 13:06:04 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/333 <p>Nom-choimmdiu-coíma!</p> <p>(may me * lord * protect)</p> <p>May the Lord preserve me!</p> <p>We find this exclamation is written down in the "Thesaurus" (ii 290.11). The word order is archaic, involving a feature called tmesis, which allows a noun to intervene right in the middle of the verbal complex, something like "May pro-the Lord-tect me!"</p> Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:59:03 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/190 <p>Scéfe día·tuidchis ní bus mó!</p> <p>(I will vomit * if you were to come * anything * that would be * more)</p> <p>I'll vomit if you come any closer!</p> <p>In "Scéla Cano Meic Gartnáin" the legendary poet Senchán Torpéist is described as a strange dissicated little man, all wrapped up in his woolen cloak. When his enormous wife goes off on a trip, the wife's handmaid attempts to serve him the mid-day meal. The poet responds in alarm approaching hysteria, warning her off and ending his speech with the above threat!</p> Mon, 28 Feb 2005 20:51:50 -0500 http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/129 <p>Tíagam ass trá!</p> <p>(let's go * out of it * then)</p> <p>Let's get moving, then! Let's set out!</p> <p>Spoken by Ailill in "Táin Bó Cúailnge", to put his army in motion.</p> Thu, 03 Feb 2005 15:50:44 -0500