Hello, peeps. Can somebody please tell me how to get the initial A in my last name on my username to be capitalized? It's driving me bananas.

Sincerely,

Domhnall Ó hAireachtaigh :)

I suppose you've tried the "shift" key?

;-)

>:o|

Why yes I did, An tUasal Mac Smartypants! :) But for some reason when the account got created it didn't carry through.

By the way ... is it correct to append the lower case h to my last name above, or could you also have the h stand separately?

Sorry, I didn't want to presume anything -- we get all kinds here.



For a surname, use the lowercase h right up against the uppercase vowel.

Regarding the registration problems, e-mail -- he may be offline at the moment, but I'm sure he'll get back to you straight away.

It's probably just a dumb piece of software which assumes only the first element of a surname is capitalized, and treats underscore as a letter.

Go direach.

Unfortunately, that's how it works.

Caoimhín

What I find even dumber is the people who address me as Fear_na_mbróg, underscores included. Sorry if I offend anyone, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think it made the person come across as utterly retarded.

but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think it made the person come across as utterly retarded.

Drochlá, a Fhir?

While I might take the liberty of removing the underscores when I address you, some (polite, well-intentioned) people will simply address you using the name they know you by, especially if they don't understand the vocative case.

I'd say it's the aforementioned software that's "retarded" by its being Anglo-centric.

Also, some of us retards might just copy-'n-paste your name, especially if you have a fada in it like you do. :)

<--- lazy

When was the last time you saw a langauge which put underscores between its words? Have_you_ever_seen_such_a_language? I don't see what someone wouldn't realise straight away that Fear_na_mbróg should be Fear na mBróg.

GRMA for telling me Fear na mbrog, I always assumed that you liked those underscores in your name, being as you have them in it every time it appears as your username.
And my computer doesn't do fadas so that is why I havn't any in your name. I hope you don't think me to be too retarted :)

Beir bua agus beannacht

Is maith liom underscores! Conas dearfa "underscore" as Gaeilge?. I'd also like to "underscore" my affinity towards punctuation in general, especially for the downtrodden underscore, which never seems to get the respect it deserves. So, I shall, for at least the near future be using the underscore in my pseuodonyms as much as possible. And, as always, y'all can call me whatever you'd like, underscores or no underscores.

Mac_Léinn_na_Gaeilge (aka_Fear_an_Illiomad_Leasainm)

A Chairde,
I don't know how many people are aware of (or care for that matter) the widespread loss of apostrophes in Irish surnames. A glance at a phone book will probably list a lot of Obriens etc. If your name begins with O'.. you will probably have your name misspelled by the IRS, the BVM, and a host of other government bodies. This is not just O's it applies to de/di/de la/von/van etc. Whoever came up with the program for personal names in data bases inadvertedly (or deliberately) overlooked prefixed surnames. (Actually the apostrophe in Irish surnames is probably an attempt to keep the 2 parts of the name separate or possibly represent the fada of the Gaelic original.) Given the fact that an apostrophe is unacceptable to the powers that be, why can't they use the underbar? You could have O_Sullivan instead of Osullivan for example. These Irish surnames have been around for a thousand years. On the positive side the computers have eliminated the pseudo-Irish O'Dell, O'Dette and O'Bradovich.

I have been waging a personal war for years on that damned apostrophe which ought to be a fada.

But if you look at the phonebook, you will find a mixed bag; I suspect it has to do with the data entry - although, because there are now several service providers, it may just be different systems.

And, as always, y'all can call me whatever you'd like, underscores or no underscores.

GRMA, a Late_For_Dinner.

GRMA, a Late_For_Dinner. Very funny, Cionaodh!!!

I'm speechless......my worst fear has finally happened.

I'm speechless

Somehow I doubt that.



It was begging to be said, a Mhic. Seanchastán is ea é, ach is maith liom é fós.

quote:

Given the fact that an apostrophe is unacceptable to the powers that be, why can't they use the underbar? You could have O_Sullivan instead of Osullivan for example. These Irish surnames have been around for a thousand years.

Most people are stupid, that's why. If your name is in any way unusual, you should expect working class idiots to get it wrong -- especially government bodies.

quote:

I have been waging a personal war for years on that damned apostrophe which ought to be a fada.

There are a few people who can't even get their own name right. I've seen a particular Irish man always write his surname with an apostophe rather than a fada -- and that's even what was put on the outside of his coffin.

Another example is the journalist who consitently refers to hereself as "Sorcha Ní hÉilidhe". Do a Google search and you'll see that there's a misplaced "h" every single time you see her name.

Well, color me ignant, but I though that h was supposed to be there, no?

Not usually after "Ní", only after Ó.

Whoops. Well, this is how one learns. Thank you Aonghus! I thought they both precipitated an h.

Cruinnscríobh na Gaeilge
Eagrán nua méadaithe
Ciarán Mac Murchaidh
COIS LIFE
BAILE ÁTHA CLIATH
2004


22.2 Sloinnte i nGaeilge
22.2.1 Mac-Shloinnte
Athraíonn Mac/Mag go Mhic/Mhig sa Tuiseal Gairmeach agus
Ginideach.
Athraíonn Mac go Mhic más ainm mná pósta atá i gceist.
Athraíonn Mac/Mag go Nic/Nig, más bean shingil atá i gceist.
Leanann séimhiú Mhic/Mhig agus Nic/Nig ach amháin roimh
C nó G*


22.2.2 Ó-Shloinnte
Athraíonn Ó go dtí Uí sa Tuiseal Gairmeach agus Ginideach.
Athraíonn Ó go dtí Uí más ainm mná pósta atá i gceist.
Athraíonn Ó go dtí Ní más bean shingil atá i gceist.
Ní leanann séimhiú Ó.
Leanann séimhiú Ní / Uí.
Ní chuireann Ní / Uí ‘h’ roimh ghuta.

May I ask a Q 2?

Does Mac become Mag before l n and r, especially, l and r and in Mag Reinn and the colloquially pronounced 'Maglorklin' for McLoughlin?

A flick thru MacLysaght does not show this to be frequent, but perhaps on occasion it occured/s

Ní heol dom.

MacLysacht says, "There are many MacGil names with variant forms beginning MacIl and MacEl...; and similarly MacG names, especially in Ulster, have been shortened to Mag.....the reader looking for a rare name may anticipate this possibility."

Sílim nach bhfuil rud ar bith faoi l,n, nó r ann. Ach bíonn iad déanta de ainmneacha ó 'MhacGiolla > MhacGil > MhacG > Mhag ansin.

(Message edited by Maidhc_Ó_G. on October 12, 2006)

Cad é "seanchastán," old saying?


FRC

"Ní heol dom"

would this be "i haven't any info" as opposed to "i don't know" ?

Cad é "seanchastán," old saying?

It's probably American idiom -- the "old chestnut" (I've also heard them called "old saws"). It usually involves some fairly well known phrase/saying that gets trotted out at expected moments.

The difficulty on worldwide discussion boards such as this one is that not everyone will "get" the humour.

quote:

would this be "i haven't any info" as opposed to "i don't know" ?

No!
eol [ainmfhocal firinscneach den chéad díochlaonadh]


is eol do ((leis an gcopail) tá a fhios ag).

It's probably American idiom -- the "old chestnut"

Go raibh maith agat a Chionaidh; that's what I thought it meant after finding "castán" to mean "chestnut." The more words I learn, the better.

FRC

Mac Léinn na Cnónna, aka Fear_an_Iliomad_Leasainm

Mac Léinn na gCnónna

Go raibh maith agat a Fhear na mbróg.