And now that our very informative discussion about hyphens -- old and new -- seems to be over (see http://www.daltai.com/discus/messages/20/44626.html?1249065467) ...
could someone please tell me how to say "hyphenate" and "hyphenation"?
My dictionaries only list hyphen: fleiscín.

fleiscín a chuir i ....
fleiscíniú

Yes, hyphenation is "fleicíniú":

http://focal.ie/Search.aspx?term=hyphenation

It's one of those nouns that doesn't really have a corresponding verb (even though it denotes a process). If you want to verb it, you use an auxilliary verb: "déan fleiscíniú ar rud", literally "to do hyphenation on something". Or, as Aonghus says, "fleiscín a chur i rud", literally "to put a hyphen in something".

Thanks. Not exactly as concise as English but straight-forward, nevertheless.

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Aonghus: fleiscín a chuir i ...
Mbm: fleiscín a chur i rud

Is there a reason for the difference in spelling?



Would you say this verb is idiomatic, and therefore doesn't change with the number of the indirect object? That is to say, are all of the following possible, as they are in English, or just the first two?

1. cuireann sé fleiscín i focal ... = he hyphenates a word, he puts a hyphen in a word
2. cuireann sé fleiscín i focail ... = he hyphenates words, he puts a hyphen in words
3. cuireann sé fleiscíní i focail ... = he hyphenates words, he puts hyphens in words

How would you say "hyphenated word"? focal le fleiscín? focal le fleiscín ann?

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Is there a reason for the difference in spelling?

I'm afraid there is. I misspelt it.

I think the answer to your other questions is a) that 3 would mean several hyphens in each word, and either form woul dbe OK for hyphenated word. de Bhaldraithe also gives "focal fleiscín" as hyphenated word.

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I'm afraid there is. I misspelt it.

Ah well, helps to remind us newbies that you gurus are still human!

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3 would mean several hyphens in each word

Oh dear, hadn't thought of that. I haven't got a preposition, ending or mutation wrong somewhere, do I? (ie, did I goof in using i focail for "in words"?) Have to eliminate that possibility before I commit it to the idiom bank. (You wouldn't believe how long it took me to produce those 3 sentences.) _(lame)

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either form would be OK for hyphenated word. de Bhaldraithe also gives "focal fleiscín" as hyphenated word.

I got it right? I got it right! I can't believe I got it right! _(proud) 'Course, de Bhaldraithe's is far more elegant, which means mine will probably never be used again. Pride cometh before a fall. :)

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did I goof in using i focail for "in words"?

Dheinis. I without the article causes eclipsis, i.e. i bhfocail. (With the article, lenition in the singular, e.g. san fhocal.)

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I without the article causes eclipsis, i.e. i bhfocail. (With the article, lenition in the singular, e.g. san fhocal.)

Thank you. Struggling to produce a phrase in a new language helps me remember it, but correction by another leaves a much more lasting impression.

I've just realized that I don't know how to say "hyphenated words". I'm guessing that the second noun is the genitive, in which case it would remain singular, wouldn't it? (focail fleiscín, not focail fleiscíní)

Struggling to produce a phrase in a new language...

Coinnigh air, maith an cailín!

Keep at it.

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I've just realized that I don't know how to say "hyphenated words". I'm guessing that the second noun is the genitive, in which case it would remain singular, wouldn't it? (focail fleiscín, not focail fleiscíní)

bump

Rather focail fhleiscín. Attributive nouns in the genitive tend to act like adjectives with regard to lenition, and that means that they take aspiration after nouns which form their plural by slenderising.