Is this how you would say ...
So ... I was wondering ...
I've recently learned I'm going to become a grandmother - (ackk!!)
My daughter lives far away, and so we're communicating via e-mail most of the time ... and in discussing the imminent birth, we keep saying "the baby" all the time. It's occurred to me that there is probably a more meaningful and somewhat charming Gaelic colloquialism for "baby" or "unborn child" or such ... (we think she's having a girl, but the ultra-sound could be misleading). I just think saying the word "the baby" all the time is beginning to sound rather sterile ...
So I was wondering how I could introduce a different way to refer to the the first leaf of my daughter's branch of our family tree without it sounding so clinical?? Does anyone have some suggestions??
Much obliged ...
My daughter lives far away, and so we're communicating via e-mail most of the time ... and in discussing the imminent birth, we keep saying "the baby" all the time. It's occurred to me that there is probably a more meaningful and somewhat charming Gaelic colloquialism for "baby" or "unborn child" or such ... (we think she's having a girl, but the ultra-sound could be misleading). I just think saying the word "the baby" all the time is beginning to sound rather sterile ...
So I was wondering how I could introduce a different way to refer to the the first leaf of my daughter's branch of our family tree without it sounding so clinical?? Does anyone have some suggestions??
Much obliged ...
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- Rianaire
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In Gaeldom you can use the name of pretty much any young animal to refer to a child, such as isean (chick) or cuilean (puppy).
I have never seen references to talking about unborn children much apart from stating the mother is expecting a child. I'm not aware of such a thing in Gaeldom but in many societies there are taboos surrounding talking too much about unborn children or even giving them names before they are older than a year or 5 for the fear of attracting "evil influences" at a stage when the baby is not "mature". It may well have been the case that you didn't "do that" in Gaelic either.
I have never seen references to talking about unborn children much apart from stating the mother is expecting a child. I'm not aware of such a thing in Gaeldom but in many societies there are taboos surrounding talking too much about unborn children or even giving them names before they are older than a year or 5 for the fear of attracting "evil influences" at a stage when the baby is not "mature". It may well have been the case that you didn't "do that" in Gaelic either.
Do, or do not. There is no try.
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- Maor
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Tha Gàidhlig gu math àbhaisteach ri taobh Latin. (Dè tha Gàidhlig air "Latin" is "compared to/in comparaison to"? Cha d'fhuair mi iad 'san fhaclair).
I absolutely HATE the stòr-dàta Briathrachas dictionary. It gives you the verb root and not the verbal noun, expecting you to magically geuss the verbal noun which is not always possible. I'd kill for an alternative dictionary that's actually, you know, useful.
I absolutely HATE the stòr-dàta Briathrachas dictionary. It gives you the verb root and not the verbal noun, expecting you to magically geuss the verbal noun which is not always possible. I'd kill for an alternative dictionary that's actually, you know, useful.
I presume you mean an ONLINE dictionary that does that? (The print ones tend to give both forms.)
Try the wonderful Dwelly online - eg look up 'compare' Beurla gu Gàidhlig, and you get (among other things) samlaich, a' samhlachadh, or look up coimeas, another possible tr*nsl*t**n given, in Faclair air fad (or G. gu B.) and you get all sorts of variations on it.
www.dwelly.info
Try the wonderful Dwelly online - eg look up 'compare' Beurla gu Gàidhlig, and you get (among other things) samlaich, a' samhlachadh, or look up coimeas, another possible tr*nsl*t**n given, in Faclair air fad (or G. gu B.) and you get all sorts of variations on it.
www.dwelly.info