the words baby and sorrow. Thank you.

baby is babai or leanbh

Sorrow is bron (fada, accent, over the o)

Beir bua agus beannacht

There are several words for baby according to his/her age, and plenty of words that mean "sorrow". The most common ones are those given by Riona - note that babaí has a long i (long stroke).

My textbook used leanbh óg for baby in one dialogue. It means "young child" I think, but I don't know what the usage difference is.

Here's brón if you need the fada.

A hIntrigante, if you'd be willing to give the entire translation you wish to render, that would help the natives here give you something that's true to what you want to say.

(Not trying to preach to the choir here; it's just that I've learned to my chagrin that context frequently means absolutely everything in these matters.)

Is there a subtle difference between páiste and leanbh, or are they interchangeable words? Is one word preferred over the other in the various gaeltachtaí?

In 1997 the Department of Health became the Department of Health and Children and adopted the form An Roinn Sláinte agus Leanaí. I was working there at the time and there was some debate amongst my colleagues as to whether Páistí should be used.

Somebody offered the explanation at the time that leanbh specifically referred to a minor child but that páiste was more embracing and could refer to an adult child (i.e. an adult referring to his/her relationship with a parent). I suspected at the time that this was a spurious explanation, but never got to the bottom of it.

Any views?

I'd agree that leanbh is a minor.

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leanbh [ainmfhocal firinscneach den chéad díochlaonadh]
duine beag óg, páiste.

páiste [ainmfhocal firinscneach den cheathrú díochlaonadh]
duine beag óg; mac nó iníon.

gasúr [ainmfhocal firinscneach den chéad díochlaonadh]
buachaill; duine óg ar bith.

girseach [ainmfhocal baininscneach den dara díochlaonadh]
cailín óg.

buachaill [ainmfhocal firinscneach den tríú díochlaonadh]
fear óg; giolla (buachaill aimsire, buachaill siopa, buachaill bó).

cailín [ainmfhocal firinscneach den cheathrú díochlaonadh]
páiste baineann; bean óg shingil; seirbhíseach mná (cailín aimsire).

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Tá "gearrchaille" ar chailín óg ann chomh maith, ach ní bhfuair mé sa bhfoclóir beag é.

Gan trácht ar Naoinán (an infant)

Leanbh is a baby, páiste is a child.

An Roinn Sláinte agus Leanaí - Department of Health and Babies? While most government may pay lip service yo the lnaguage, I would be surprised if they did not have expert advice on a change of title

Usage varies, even within dialects.

Páiste is child yes, but the most comman term for 'baby' (where I live anyway-Dublin) is actually 'báibín'

As in 'bawbeen'?

perhaps Lughaidh is coming at this from the Donegal angle and that's why his definition is different than it is in the title of the department.

Beir bua agus beannacht

'Babóg' for baby in Donegal?

Gan trácht ar Naíonán (an infant)

Bhí mearbhall éigin orm níos luaithe.

naíonán [ainmfhocal firinscneach den chéad díochlaonadh]
páiste óg.

Páiste is child yes, but the most comman term for 'baby' (where I live anyway-Dublin) is actually 'báibín'

Well, actually, I think the most common term for baby is "baby" in Dublin, 'cause most people speak English and not Irish there ;-)

Babby is old Dublin term

Thank you everyone. There isn't any specific context around what I was looking for or a full translation. I wanted to create a memorial for a baby I miscarried so I just wanted a simple word.

Again, I appreciate the help.

Is oth liom do bhris.

I'd say "Leanbh" is best then.
And perhaps "cumha" rather than brón:

http://xreferplus.unext.com/results.jsp?new_meta=1&term=cumha&default=&type=volu me&volume=365&Submit.x=16&Submit.y=13

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At least, that is what I feel, we having had the same experience.