Anyone tell me the Irish for 'Susan'....and, please, don't offer Siobhain.
Thanks.

Susan is not an Irish name so giving you the "Irish for Susan" would be a bit pointless. However, if you want to put an "Irishness" on Susan, it would probably be Sosanna.

To be more literal in the translation, we must at least consider the origin of the name, Susan. It seems that Susan is derived from Susanna which is taken from an old Hebrew word meaning "Lily" as in "Lily of the Valley." So, in order to keep the contextual intent of the name, we probably should consider the Irish word for Lily which is...Lile.

James, Go raibh maith agat. I left Dublin twenty years ago, and came here to Canada. Irish was never my best subject, and, as a psychologist, this was 'bugging' me, and you have settled a contentious issue. (In my favour).
Sláinte agus Saol Agat.

And against your favour:
Over the years habits built up of using particular, often unrelated names in English as equivalent to Irish names.

Hence Susan <-> Siobhán
Jeremiah <-> Diarmuid

etc.

James agus Aonghus, thanks again....Just received this e-mail from Susan, in Dublin, (high-ranking career civil servant, ministerial level, and fluent). Copied and pasted for you, should provoke some interesting discussion. I am now registered with Daltai, and look forward to many more enjoyable and productive interactions.
Ray.



Hi Ray,

Your friend is 99% correct. Susanna is Hebrew, does mean Lily, but not “Lily of the Valley”. The meaning of lily in this case is more akin to “pure white lily”, and its associated symbolism of purity.



There is no official translation of the name, however, Súsanna is used for the name Susanna. Ergo Súsan can or is sometimes used as an Irish version of the name Susan.



Síodhbhán meaning white fairy (woman) or (new spelling) Síobhán has been used but strictly is used as a translation for Joan.



Other versions that have been used for Susan include Siubhán, now spelled Siúan or Suán or Susie or Shusie.



The other one, I used to use in primary was Siún but that is also officially used for June.



ractions.

quote:

Síodhbhán meaning white fairy (woman) or (new spelling) Síobhán has been used but strictly is used as a translation for Joan.

I have never, ever, heard of "Síodhbhán" with a fada on the first "í" and that etymology. The common name "Siobhán" with a short "i" is a loan word from Norman French "Jehan(n)e", which was the feminine form of "Jehan" (modern "Jean") which gives us "Seán".

"Seán" and "Siobhán" are a related pair, just as their English cognates "John" and "Joan" are, and they all go back to French, and to Latin before that.

To James and Aonghus...thank you, and it's time to close this thread. I truly appreciate your help.
Dennis, sadly, I considered your response to be pretentious, self-absorbed and totally irrlevant. Your website, I might add, I found to be a complete exercise in self-promotion and egocentricity.
Thanks to Daltaí,and look forward to productive interaction in the future.
Ray.

Ray,
That is not called for.

Dennis knowledge of old Irish is excellent.
I agree with what he said above re Siobhán, btw - and the sources I have (Woulfe & Ó Corráin and Maguire) bear it out.

Ad Hominem attack on a prominent contributor here is not likely to get you help in future.

quote:

I am now registered with Daltai, and look forward to many more enjoyable and productive interactions.

Beag an baol!

I agree. My comments were knee-jerk, and unjustified. I recently experienced a prolonged hospital stay in which a motorist took me out on a crosswalk, and shattered every bone in my left leg. I do not offer this as an excuse, simply a factor which may have contributed to my inexcusable comments. Dennis, if you will, please accept my sincere apology and regrets. I am truly sorry.
I do hope to continue with all of you at Daltai now and again..........we do have Comhaltas here in Saskatoon, believe it or not !
I appreciate that all of you took the time, interest and selfless donation of your knowledge, and I sincerely appreciate all of you. Perhaps in time, when I feel considerably better, our dialogue will be as friendly as it is productive. My best wishes to everyone,
Slan Go foill.
Ray.

Biseach luath ort, Ray.

(Get better soon!)

(Message edited by aonghus on July 03, 2008)

OK. OK,... but now can someone tell me what the Irish is for Jeannette? I had been told it was Sinéad, not Siobhan...and since "Jeannette" is presumably the French for "little Jean" (French man's name for "John" ) how come one can't say "Seanean"? (Not sure of the last part spelling)

Thanks.

Because Seáinín is a male name!


From Ó Corráin and Maguire "Irish Names"
Lilliput Press
ISBN O 946640 66 1

SIBÁN: SIOBHÁN f. This is a borrowing of Jehane or Jehanne, a French feminine form of John, which came into favour in the twelfth century and was brought into Ireland by the Anglo Normans....In the nineteenth century Sibán became anglicised Susan, Judith and Judy in the North, Johanna, Joan and Hannah in the south and West. It was also rendered Susanna, Julia, Jude and Nonie. Sinéad and Sineaid are Irish forms of the French and English diminutives Jonet, Janeta and Jennet

---

As shown there, names didn't always get anglicised the same way everywhere.

Aonghus, Go raibh míle maith agat....I have to go back into hospital in about four or five weeks, and have my leg re-broken,and straightened, but bottom line, i'm going to be okay.
When I return, many people in Daltai will, I am sure aid me in improving my very poor recollection of Irish class.

Níl aon tintéan mar do thintéan féin.
Ray.

Níl aon cos tinn mar do chos tinn féin!

Go n-eirí leat.

Cheap mé go bheadh sé 'tinneas cois.' (?) Áfach, is maith liom do imeartas focal.

tinneas coise -> a leg/foot disease/pain
cos thinn -> a sore leg/foot

tinn [aidiacht den chéad díochlaonadh]
pianmhar, gan a bheith ar fónamh (cos thinn, súile tinne); cráite (tá mo chroí tinn dóite); breoite (tá sé tinn sa leaba).

tinneas [ainmfhocal firinscneach den chéad díochlaonadh]
pian, taom tinn (tinneas cinn, droma); cráiteacht (tinneas croí); buairt (ní hé atá ag cur tinnis air); breoiteacht (tinneas farraige); íona tuismidh (tinneas clainne; tinneas lao).

(Message edited by aonghus on July 04, 2008)

An bhfuil sé a sé in aghaibh leathdosaen?

Not quite.
One is an adjective, the other a noun.