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julia (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted From:
| | Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 01:54 am: |   
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I'm curious about the connotations of these "synonyms". My dictionary says that they can all mean "girl" (although I've never heard "iníon" used except to mean "daughter"--is it an uncommon usage of the word?).
the specific definitions given:
Cailín: girl, girlfriend, maid
Iníon: daughter, girl, maiden
Caile: girl, wench
does anyone have a sense for the accuracy of these definitions? A chainteoirí líofa, are there certain contexts where one term would be more appropriate or preferable to use?
Also, if "caile" means "wench", does it carry the same negative connotations as Gaeilge that "wench" can have as Béarla?
Tá fiosracht agam--go raibh maith agaibh! |
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Aonghus
Member
Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 2881
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 05:40 am: |
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Iníon can be used as girl, but usually only in literary contexts.
I've rarely seen caile, but gearrchaile would be common, and not have negative connotations.
Cailín is diminutive of caile. |
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Lughaidh
Member
Username: Lughaidh
Post Number: 1221
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 08:12 am: |
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I think "caile" is an old word that isn't used any more.
As Aonghus said, "iníon" basically means daughter. It would mean "girl" as well in Old Irish (it was spelled "ingen" then), but I don't think it would be used for "girl" today, except, as A. said, in literary (and I'll add, archaic) contexts.
I think that a cailín can be a young girl and till 25 years old, maybe, although a gearrchaile is a young girl (3-12 years old?). It comes from gearr = short and caile = girl.
Tír Chonaill abú!
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Domhnall
Member
Username: Domhnall
Post Number: 468
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 06:24 pm: |
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Goile,
There's "girseach" aswell.. that's still used.
A people without a language of its own is only half a nation.A nation should guard its language more than its territories, 'tis a surer barrier and a more important frontier than mountain or river
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Lughaidh
Member
Username: Lughaidh
Post Number: 1222
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 07:39 am: |
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Yeah, girseach (pronounced giorsach [ɟɔɾsˠah] in Donegal) is used, in Donegal it is just like cailín: it can be used for young girl, girl, young woman.
Tír Chonaill abú!
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julia (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted From:
| | Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 02:22 am: |
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thanks so much for the clarifications--very helpful!
grma |
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