The following are the two best contemporary translations of the same passage from the Old Irish "Táin Bó Cúailnge". The question is: which do you like better? The question was also put to the members of Old-Irish-L, but I won't prejudice you by mentioning their repsonses --- or by naming the two translators (cé go mbeidh a fhios ag cuid agaibh cé hiad).

A)

"Another great imposing company came to the hill at Slane in Meath," said Mac Roth. "They were wonderfully equipped. At their head was a fine, tall figure of a man with brilliant hair and eyes and skin, magnificently proportioned. He held himself with immense aplomb. He wore five gold chains, a green cloak pinned at the shoulder with a gold brooch, and a white hooded tunic. In his hand was a spear like the turret of a palace. A gold-hilted sword was slung on his back."
"Fearsome and formidable indeed the same conquering hero," said Fergus. "That was Amargin son of Eiccet Salach the smith, from Buais in the north."

B)

"Another great grim company came to the hill at Slemain Midi," Mac Roth said, "in weird apparel, bringing strife before them, with a fine fair hero at their head, magnificent in every way -- for his hair and eyes and pallor, his stature, structure and ferocity. He wore five chains of gold, a white hooded tunic, and a green cloak wrapped around him and fastened at the shoulder with a gold brooch. He held a spear like a palace pillar in his hand. A gold-hilted sword hung at his shoulder."
"That was a battle-hungry hero, very quick to wrath," Fergus said: "Amargin the son of the smith Ecet Salach, the grimy one, from Buais in the north."

they both offer something valuable...it would depend on why i was reading the táin. the first is an easier read, the second is probably more faithful to the actual wording.

I've read kinsalla's, but when I finally get around to doing it seriously, i have the one from the Irish Texts Society sitting on my shelf in parallel text.

From my standpoint as a non academic the first one sounds more pleasant and the hero sounds way hotter. :) Hence the first one dominates in my view.

Beir bua agus beannacht

Oh, but Antaine is probably right about the second one sounding more authentic.

There is more detail in the second -and there is a big difference between been 'wonderfully equipped' and been in 'weird apparel'!

B.

Ach bheadh leagan i nGaeilge na hAoise seo níos fearr fós!

Tá A ró shibhialta.

A dom fhéin, ach níl an sliocht sa ghaeilge feicthe agamsa. Mar sin, is deacair a rá!

Ach bheadh leagan i nGaeilge na hAoise seo níos fearr fós!

Bhain tú as mo bhéal é!

"Ach bheadh leagan i nGaeilge na hAoise seo níos fearr fós!"

"Bhain tú as mo bhéal é!"

Cén fáth nach bhfuil ceann ann? :(

quote:

Cén fáth nach bhfuil ceann ann?

Tá ceann ann: An Táin le hEoghan Ó Loingsigh (1989). Tabharfaidh mé a leagan-sean den sliocht seo daoibh... ach tá cúpla rud eile le déanamh agam anseo ar dtús.

Ach níl fáil air!

Níl againn ach an leagan le pictiúrí deasa

http://www.leabhar.com/tain.htm

Seo agaibh é. NB, áfach, go bhfuil dhá leagan (nó recensions) den téacs ann. Na haistriúcháin thuas go Béarla, is ó Recension 1 a rinneadh iad. Is ó Recension 2 a rinne Ó Loinsigh an leagan seo thíos. Tá Recension 1 níos gonta, agus tá meas air dá réir i measc lucht léinn agus litríochta. Tá Recension 2 níos iomláine, áfach, agus tá teanga an téacs sin níos giorra do theanga an lae inniu.

"Tháinig buíon eile ar an tulach chéanna i Sleamhain Mí," arsa Mac Roth, "agus í daingean éagsúil. Laoch álainn, éasca i dtosach na buíne sin. Lena chneas bhí gormanairt chaol, chortharach, lúba míne fionndruine fite fuaite inti agus cnaipí fíora, doscaoilte de dheargór ar a bearnaí agus a brollach. Brat taibhseach de bhua gach datha uime. Cúig roth óir, is é sin sciath, air. Claíomh crua, righin, colgdhíreach in ardghreim churaidh ar a chlé. Sleá dhíreach, dhruimneach ar dearglasadh ina láimh.'
"Cé hé siúd?" arsa Ailill le Fearghas.
"Tá a fhios againne é sin," arsa Fearghas. "Is rogha rífhilí é sin. Is ruathar rátha é. Is ród don bháire é. Is tairpeach é gal an té a tháinig ansin. Is é sin Aimhirghean mac Eacalsalaigh Gobhann an file maith ó Bhuais aduaidh."

Ana dheas.
Caithfidh mé dul sa tóir air.
Táin eile. Cá bhfuil Seanchán Toirpheist?

Leagan B a thoghfainnse freisin. An "great grim company" a chinntigh domsa é.

Chuir mé an cheist chéanna ar lucht Old-Irish-L inné freisin. Thaitin leagan B leis an bhformhór mór acu. Is é Kinsella a d'aistrigh B, agus tá A le Ciaran Carson. Is maith liom an dá cheann. Níl sé féaráilte gan ach sliocht beag amháin a thabhairt mar shampla, is dócha. Go raibh maith agaibh as bhur bhfreagraí!

Tá mise ag léamh aistriúcháin Carson faoi láthair - cheannaigh mo chailín é domh do mo bhreithlá - agus dar liom go bhfuil sé iontach maith.

quote:

Tá mise ag léamh aistriúcháin Carson...

Shíl mé go raibh sé an-éasca a léamh, go raibh sruth agus fuinneamh ann a fuair gréim ar an léitheoir. Is maith ann é. Tá áthas orm go bhfuil tú ag baint suilt as.