Hello again!! thank you for your feedback on my last post. I have a new idea and want to make sure i have it all correct.

Life = Beatha
Laughter = Gáire
Love = Grá

Now and Forever = Anois agus go brách

Thank you for your time!!

laura

A Laura,

There are some other words for "life," for example "saol." So, the answer to your question about "life" may depend on what is the context in which it is used.

Just my two cents.

well i read in the archives that someone was looking for live, love, laugh, but that the verbs, live and laugh weren't used in gaelic, so to change them to life, laughter, and love. So I guess the context of Life would be in exchange for "to live". Let me know what you think! Thank you Laura

A Laura,

It's very observant on your part to review the archives - maith thú! In regard to "live!" that would be mair in Irish. The controversy that occurred in the archives had to do with at least one contributor's insistence that if a verb in its imperative form also has a seanfhocal (proverb) associated with it, then one is required to use the proverbial form. I can't understand that line of thinking, since there are hundreds of verbs in Irish that one can simply use the imperative form, which in this case would be mair (live!). Another controversial point was that using imperatives in Irish is rude. I can't understand that line of thinking also, because I think in the right context, imperatives like mair can easily be construed as polite and encouraging. It's analogous to saying to someone in English. "Eat, drink and be merry!" I don't see how that could be taken as rude.

But if you're inclined to avoid the imperative, mair, then I think you're correct in using the associated noun form "beatha" for "life."

Please wait for input/corrections from others, especially if this is a tatoo.

thank you so much, i am researching for a tattoo...and i will try and get a second opinion but your advice will go far. and as i've read in the archives, so many people say that they need translations in order for tattoos, but no one ever sees them i'll be sure and post a finished photo when i'm done. i already have a beautiful celtic knot shamrock on my lower back just trying to emphasize it a bit more. thank you for all your help!!! it's greatly appreciated. I'll keep you posted!!

Laura :)

It's been a while and I don't remember the thread, only vaguely that there was one. But I very much doubt anyone said you can't use "mair" unless you put it in a seanfhocal.

I'd also be surprised if anyone had stated categorically that imperatives in Irish were rude. As a way of requesting someone to do something for you, they're certainly less polite than "Will you?" or "Would you?" but I doubt anyone said or meant that they were always impolite.

With that said, I still wouldn't use "mair" here. The main problem is that it means "live" primarily in the sense of "survive," "continue to exist"; it really doesn't capture this get-the-most-out-of-life stuff very well at all.

Either "beatha" or "saol" would be fine as a noun, "life." There's a fair amount of overlap between them, but I'd understand that "beatha" generally tends to refer to the quality of being alive (that which distinguishes a live person from a corpse) and "saol" tends to refer to the period of life, or the sum of a person's experiences.

Abigail

seconded, abigail.

punchy english slogans don't translate well.

but laura's original doesn't look too bad.

thanks again everyone!! i can't wait to get this done, and i promise i will post it here for all to see thanks thanks thanks....Laura

Being just a student of Irish, I defer to Abigail and Aonghus on this subject, since they are well-versed in the use of the Irish language. But I can't help noticing the following:

An example of mair from this website's Proverbs section being used which seems to imply more than existing or surviving.

Sláinte chuig na fir agus go maire na mná go deo!
Health to the men and may the women live forever!


In regard to "punchy English slogans," here are a few from this website's Proverbs section which seem to be a little punchy in both Irish and English:

Luigh leis an uan, agus éirigh leis an éan.
Lie with the lamb, and rise with the bird.

Más maith leat siocháin, cairdeas, agus moladh,
éist, feic, agus fan balbh.
If you wish for peace, friendship, and praise,
listen, look, and stay mute.

Based on the examples above, I get the impression that in Irish, as in English also, that in the written form, "will you" or "would you" is not needed to be polite, but that in the spoken form most folks would say "will you" or "would you" to be more polite.

I wouldn't read "live" there to mean anything but "continue to be alive; not die; survive." It's nothing (necessarily) to do with enjoying life or getting the most out of it.

Go maire na mná go deo!
May the women live/survive/continue-to-exist forever!


The difference between commands and requests in Irish is just the same as in English. Commands aren't necessarily rude, but they are generally less polite than the equivalent requests. It depends greatly on the situation: on the content of the request, on the urgency of the occasion, and on the relationship of the speakers.

In descending order, from most to least likely to ruffle feathers:
Dún an doras. Close the door.
An ndúnfaidh tú an doras? Will you close the door?
An ndúnfá an doras? Would you close the door?
(One can also add "le do thoil" or "más é do thoil é" to any of these, of course.)


I haven't observed any difference in this regard between written English and spoken English. Did you have some examples in mind?

Scríobh Abigail: I wouldn't read "live" there to mean anything but "continue to be alive; not die; survive."

But I didn't read in Laura's request that, in regard to living, that she was looking for a word meaning anymore than than to be alive or survive. Did you?

Scríobh Abigail Did you have some examples in mind?

Perhaps I didn't phrase what I'm trying to get at when it comes to mottos or sayings. Maybe there isn't any difference between a written motto/saying or a spoken motto/saying. I just feel that in those instances "will you" or "would you" isn't necessary to imply a sufficient level of politeness. Here are some examples of mottos/sayings that all seem to be polite yet do not contain "will you" or "would you."

Eat, drink and be merry!
Seize the moment.
Don't worry, be happy.
Have a nice day.
And probably my favorite example:

Button up your overcoat, (continued)
Eat an apple every day.....
Be careful crossing streets, ooh-ooh,.....
Wear your flannel underwear,.....
Don't sit on hornet's tails, ooh-ooh!.....
Keep away from bootleg hooch......

Keep the spoon out of your cup,
When you're drinking tea,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

From the song BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT
(DeSylva / Brown / Henderson)
Helen Kane)

Well, I think I'm calling it quits for tonight. So, take care..... ummm..... I mean.... will you or would you take care.

Sorry, couldn't help the last one.

Another example of a "punchy" Irish saying, this time with the imperative mair (live).

Mair, a chapaill, agus gheobhaidh tú féar.
Live, horse, and you will get grass.

I would suspect that the above saying is sufficiently polite without the presence of "would you" or "will you," considering this other saying:

Bó le bata agus capall le ceansact.
A stick for a cow and kindness for a horse.

Actually, it is quite a harsh saying.
Along the lines of "Put up or shut up"