Greetings --

I tried to create an account here a few days ago, since I am considering going back to learning Irish, but I have not yet been approved. Then I realized just now that I can actually post without the account. D'oh!

Anyway...I was directed here from the Irish Translation Forums by someone going by the handle Pwyll2, who told me very few people there know much about Old Irish, and that I should get someone here named Dennis to help me. :)

So...here I am! I am looking for an Old Irish translation of the sentence/command "Seek the mysteries!" Someone on the LiveJournal community Linguaphiles gave me "Saig inna rúna" with the caveat that they are no expert. So I'm looking for a second opinion confirmation. Second person singular imperative for the verb and I believe accusative plural for rúna. The rationale seemed to make sense to me from prior language experience, though I have no clue about Modern Irish these days, and never knew anything about Old Irish.

Any help that can be given would be greatly appreciated!

Cuardaigh lena rúna /dona rúna maybe in Modern Irish 'Search for the mysteries'

Dunno about OI

Thank you for the tips for Modern Irish, as it may be something I'll need to pursue if I cannot find a translation into Old Irish.

A Dhennis, an bhfuil tú linn ?

Hurray, my account has been approved!

Just wanted to point out that K. Wilbanks = breosaighit for future reference.

I just thought I'd follow up to bring the original post to the attention of anyone with knowledge of Old Irish who may now be on the radar, so to speak.

If no one here can help directly, is there anyone I can write to in order to get an accurate translation?

Apologies for pestering the list with this, but the accuracy is very important to me because I don't feel as though I can proceed with my work with this concept of "Seek the mysteries" until I can get a correct translation of it into Old Irish.

Thanks again in advance for any help given.

A Dennis, an bhfuil tu anseo? He's the one who knows old Irish and must have accidently overlooked this post ...

Beir bua agus beannacht

Tá mé ann, ceart go leor. What is your "work with this concept", a Bhreosaighit?

Íarfaig inna rúnna. = Inquire after / seek the mysteries.

The earlier suggestion, "Saig inna rúna", is also good, meaning roughly "reach for / strive for the mysteries".


(Message edited by dennis on March 04, 2008)

Thank you ever so much, Dennis, for your confirmation and alternate translation!

I am working with this concept as a sort of magical formula in trying to connect with spiritual and magico-religious practices of the pre-Christian Celts, in particular those speakers of the Goidelic group of languages who used Ogham.

I am guessing "Saig inna rúna" is pronounced "sahg ihnnah roona" and "íarfaig" is either "EERfahg/fahk" or "EERee"?

Edit: I just noticed the double "n" in your alternate translation (rúnna). Is there a difference or grammatical significance to that?

(Message edited by breosaighit on March 04, 2008)

SIGH in-nuh ROO-nuh.

EE-uhr-fee in-nuh ROO-nuh.

quote:

Edit: I just noticed the double "n" in your alternate translation (rúnna).

A typo. A possible example of "dittography", actually, since the double "nn" of "inna" seems to have lodged in my head long enough to intrude into "rúna".

Thank you for your help, Dennis; it's been invaluable!