Fòram na Gàidhlig

Several of the new words I’ve learned in the TAIC lessons seem to have the same meaning. Somehow I wind up using the ‘wrong’ word when I do the exercises....

Are there any differences between these words, or are they just two ways of saying the same thing? My small dictionary hasn’t been much help, but I’ve listed the definitions given for each.

rùm – room, space
seòmar – room
*bedroom is listed as both seòmar-cadail and rùm-cadail

làr –floor, ground
ùrlar – floor

allt – burn, stream
sruth – stream

còmhla ri – together with
cuide ri – together with

Tapadh leat

Allt is much more common that sruth so I would stick with Allt.

Urlar is user more for floor in the sense of stage, so unless you mean a stage I would use Làr here.

Rùm i think is quite recent and nothing more than a 'gaelicisation' of Room. I personally use Seòmar.

Còmhla ri and Cuide ri are pretty interchangeable although I have heard the former more than the latter - this case could be a dialect variation, my advice here would be to stick with one of them.

However I'm sure some of the other guys can give their views!

i think "cuide" is the dòigh leòdhasach (so use còmhla!! )

as stìophan said, rùm is just english. i've heard some people seperate them as seòmar being room, as in a bedroom or whatever, and rùm meaning room as in "is there room at the table for me?"
"a bheil rùm gu leòr anns an t-seòmar sin?"

i don't really use ùrlar on its own, people say "àrd-ùrlar" for stage where i live, làr for just the ground. i've heard, though, that làr only refers to natural ground, but i think (don't take my word for it) that this is an archaic definition, and làr can be used indoors too.

the only time i've heard sruth used much is in the expression "leis an t-sruth", i'd personally use allt but i don't know that that is a good thing

I associate 'sruth' more with the geographic/scientific term 'stream' or 'current', like the Gulf Stream: Sruth a' Chamais.

In fact generally more with sea currents than mountain streams, and also metaphorically.

For examle you hear it in a financial sense: sruth airgid - a cash-flow.

In songs you also get it as an alternative or addition to allt.

Mòran taing, a h-uile duine
Thanks a lot, everyone.

The explanations really help a lot! I hadn't even thought about the alternate uses of these words, like room at the table, or Gulf Stream, or cash flow. Tha seo glè inntinneach. This is very interesting.

I'm guessing this is going to happen quite often as I learn new words, so getting a better dictionary seems like it would be a good investment. I'd heard that the dictionary by Colin Mark is pretty good with usage and examples, but I haven't actually seen it myself. Would anyone recommend this?

I learned another set today -
Didòmhnaich - Sunday
Là na Sàbaid - Sunday


Latha math

Kahlan wrote: I learned another set today -
Didòmhnaich - Sunday
Là na Sàbaid - Sunday


Latha math

Without meaning to ruffle anyone's feathers Didòmhnaich is the 'Catholic' way to say Sunday and Là na Sàbaid is 'Protestant'. Because of my family background I always use Là na Sàbaid only unless I'm teaching, although as it happens I'm an agnostic

Là math dhuibh fhèin!

Tapadh leat, a' Choinneaich

Tha sin inntinneach.

Coinneach Cìr wrote: Because of my family background I always use Là na Sàbaid only unless I'm teaching

If I may ask, why must you change when you teach? Is Là na Sàbaid unacceptable in this situation?

You usually find DiDòmhnaich in learner's books, so it's easier to stick to one form in order not to confuse the students (even further )

GunChleoc wrote:You usually find DiDòmhnaich in learner's books, so it's easier to stick to one form in order not to confuse the students (even further )

This is from Scottish Gaelic in 3 Months, basically the same as what my first teacher taught our class, although Episcopalians weren't mentioned:

"The use of Di-Domhnaich and Latha na Sàbaid depends to a certain extent on social factors although there are no absolutely clear lines of demarcation between the use of both. Generally speaking Di-Domhnaich tends to be used by Catholics and Episcopalians, Latha na Sàbaid by Presbyterians."

Kahlan wrote:

Coinneach Cìr wrote: Because of my family background I always use Là na Sàbaid only unless I'm teaching

If I may ask, why must you change when you teach? Is Là na Sàbaid unacceptable in this situation?

I'm no expert on the DiDòmhnaich/Là na Sàbaid issue as I do not live in Scotland, but the consensus of everything I've read on the topic so far is simply that DiDòmhnaich has gained a broader, secular usage than Là na Sàbaid. I don't think it's a matter that Là na Sàbaid is unacceptable in broader, non-religious contexts so much as it's just not the contemporary practice.

Another thing between 'sruth' and 'allt' is that you have the verbal noun 'sruthadh' meaning flow, which is used in a variety of situations. I have never heard the word 'allt' used in this way.

Chuck

altachadh

Kahlan wrote:If I may ask, why must you change when you teach? Is Là na Sàbaid unacceptable in this situation?

It's not that its unacceptable, I teach my students both. I do so so as to not alienate any Catholics in my classes and because many Gaelic signs will have Didòmhnaich written on them so they will see the word. However if they ask me a question about Sunday in Gaelic my automatic reaction is to say Là na Sàbaid, similarly if I'm speaking to a Gaelic speaker from South Uist (say) talking about Sunday they will use Didòmhnaich for the whole conversation and I will use Là na Sàbaid. Its just what we're used to.
As an aside remember your accent marks, Là na Sabaid is the day of the fights. I will resist the temptation to make a swipe at how often churches fall out with each other and how, in some senses, it is a very apt pun.

Bhiodh sin a' chiad flame war againne, 's dòcha