I plan on getting a tattoo that reads, "Is breá an rud beag" ... I THINK that translates to "love the little things" but I'm not sure. Does anyone know if this is correct or if it isn't what the correct irish translation would be? My father frequents this site and suggested I ask. Thank you so much

Is brea leis na rudaí beaga

may be. but i'm sure there is probably another way

Hey Guys/Gals...she's mine. I've tried to talk her out of it but she's going to do it anyway so help her get it right.

Go raibh mile maith agaibh.

Le meas,

James

Go bhfóire Dia ort!

Is breá an rud beag actually means "The small thing is fine"

Some alternatives

Is breá liom na rudaí beaga	I really like the small things
Na rudaí beaga is ansa liom	I prefer the small things
Tá mo chroí istigh sna rudaí beaga	I love the little things (Literally my heart is in the little things)

However: what kind of things do you mean, and what do you mean by love? "rudaí" wouldn't really be suitable for living things.

(I'm sure your father warned you about asking questions here too.. we like to be thorough!)

Shelby..listen to Aonghus. Irish isn't a "one for one" translation. Think about the concept or idea you are trying to convey and Aonghus (and others) will help you get it right.

This is permanent...

Love,

Dad

And is it "(I) love the little things." or the imperative "Love the little things"? And "the little things" could even refer to kids.

(Message edited by Hugo on October 25, 2010)

James
you might need to get in the loop - unregistered messages can take a couple of days to show up!

I'll do that. I know she was thinking about doing it this week....

What do you do with your kids? You have to let them grow up sooner or later, you know?

Quite.

But my daughter is quite a bit away from wanting to ink yet (a body marker does just fine); and my sons show no signs of wanting to yet, thank God.

Best not to have the little feckers at all... Yeah, I know they're a necessary evil.LOL.

The message I want to convey would be that joy can be found in the seemingly insignificant moments of life. How would I go about saying that? In as few words as possible.
I like: Tá mo chroí istigh sna rudaí beaga

There is a similar proverb: bíonn blas ar an mbeagán - but the "beagán" there normally means a little of something, rather than something little.

"Rudaí" really are things. I wouldn't call moments or happenings "rudaí".

Let's have a bit more of a think about this.

You could use "Nithe"

A quick look into Dennis collection throws up

http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/253

Is súail ní is budi ri bocht.

(note: this is OLD Irish!)

How about

Bí buíoch as beagán

Be thankful for small things

Muirnigh na mion-nithe

Cherish the small things

Tús grá do na nithe bunaidh

quote:

Tá mo chroí istigh sna rudaí beaga

= I am utterly devoted to the little things

"bunaidh"?

Nach é sin "the basic things"? Rud nach ionann, dar liom, agus na mion-nithe.

"Tús grá" - is that the Phrase of the Day then?

Not so sure it fits here though.

Tús grá síordhearcadh... the beginning of love is continual looking.

but Tús grá [grá] do na nithe bunaidh... the beginning of love is love for the little/basic things?

A nice sentiment but I am not sure it was the sentiment intended! I don't understand Shelby's "love the little things" to mean that you have to love little things first, or that loving them is somehow the beginning of love.

Well, doesn't the "little things" refer to the fundamental things in one's life? Those things we take for granted but are nonetheless vital. Not sure "rudaí/nithe beaga" is quite the best way to translate "little things". Not so sure either anyone would say "na mion-nithe" in everyday speech but I could be mistaken. I'm always wary about translating that ubiquitous English expression "things" as "rudaí". I often hear L2 Irish speakers here in Dublin saying things like "Conas tá rudaí?" when good native speakers would say "Conas tá agatsa?" or "Conas tánn tú ag cuir díot?" or "Conas tá an saol agatsa?".

Séard a dúirt Shelby ná:

quote:

The message I want to convey would be that joy can be found in the seemingly insignificant moments of life.

Aontaím leat maidir le mion-nithe; ach ní fheileann nithe beaga.

Táim in amhras faoi bunaidh; ach is féidir go bhfuil an ceart agat.

(Message edited by aonghus on October 26, 2010)

quote:

Táim in amhras faoi bunaidh; ach is féidir go bhfuil an cheart agat.

Caith do shúil thar phointe 4 aige Niall san iontráil "bunadh".

An é fundamental atá mar chiall agat leis? (Níl an Dálach le lámh agam).
Sin an chiall a bheadh agam leis, ach nílim cinnte an bunaidh nó fánach atá i gceist ag Shelby.

Shelby if your "seemingly insignificant things" refers to the fundamental things in life, then

"Tús grá do na nithe bunaidh"

gets my vote.

'Muirnigh nóiméadaí beaga' Could one use uaireanta in this sense.

This avoids the rudai= concrete things problem.But maybe Shelby doesn't really mean 'little moments',if not it's back to the drawing board.I also jumped to the conclusion she means 'love' in the imperative,maybe wrongly.

I like the sentiment a lot though,reminds me of Chesterton's phrase 'the ecstasy of the ordinary' - which I think all parents will know straight off.I bet there is an old Irish proverb tailor made ( no pun intended) for this feeling.

quote:

Could one use uaireanta in this sense.

Not really. uaireanta = sometimes

(Uair doesn't exactly correspond to hour - you need to qualify it, for example by saying "uaireanta an chloig)

Mo ghrása an mionrud.

Tá dán ag Ó Ríordáin ina santaíonn sé gnáth-rudaí an tsaoil, na mionrudaí, gnáthchaint na miondaoine srl

quote:

'Muirnigh nóiméadaí beaga' Could one use uaireanta in this sense.

One might think you are talking about minutes and hours of time here.

quote:

(Uair doesn't exactly correspond to hour - you need to qualify it, for example by saying "uaireanta an chloig)

Uair can mean hour but where there is a risk of confustion with "times" one needs to qualify it with "an chloig". I remember Nicholas Williams years ago in UCD getting a great laugh out of an ad by the ESB which talked of "Leictreachas ar fáil duit ceithre huaire fichead in aghaidh an lae" which left unqualified as it was could mean "Electricity available twenty four times a day". :)

quote:

Mo ghrása an mionrud.

Tá dán ag Ó Ríordáin ina santaíonn sé gnáth-rudaí an tsaoil, na mionrudaí, gnáthchaint na miondaoine srl

Tá blas mós seanbhlastúil dar liomsa ar "mionrud", "miondaoine". Daoine, rud gan mhaith.

Mo ghrása an mionrud = I love minor things, trivialities.

M'iarracht:

Faightear áthas as na [nó sna] mionrudaí.

Líontar an saol [nó an croí] leis na mionrudaí.

nó rud inteacht mar sin.

Do me a favor...give her a synopsis of the "Gaeilge" chat so you don't lose her....

If she's going to do it I want it do be right!

Well,

Faightear áthas as na [nó sna] mionrudaí.

Means:
One gets joy from the little things.
One finds joy in the little things.
Joy is gotten from the little things.
Joy is found in the little things.

Joy here is in the sense of being glad. I used joy because little things can be annoying too, right? Like someone not using their signal when changing lanes?

Líontar an saol [nó an croí] leis na mionrudaí.

One fills life with/by the little things.
One fills the heart with/by the little things.
Life is filled with/by the little things.
The heart is filled with/by the little things.


Of course there is debate going on, but that's the gist.

James,
there are some questions/information in English for her already interspersed. The rest was a backwards and forwards about the precise meaning of words!
Most of the substance is there in English already.

---

I wrote above:

Shelby, if your "seemingly insignificant things" refers to the fundamental things in life, then

"Tús grá do na nithe bunaidh"

gets my vote

I still don't see where "tús grá" fits in. She never said that you should love the little things most, or best, or even first.

Which is it, Shelby - love *even* the little things - or love *especially* the little things?

quote:

Faightear áthas as na [nó sna] mionrudaí.

Faightear? One obtains/gets? Sorry, Seán, I can't imagine any good native speaker using "faigh" and "áthas" in the same sentence. "Bítear áthasach as X" would be more natural, I believe. Learners often misuse "faigh" to translate "get" or "find" whenever they see it in English. I've heard people saying things like "Faigheann tú radharc breá ó mhullach an chnoic úd", literally "You obtain a great view from the top of that hill". A Gaeltacht speaker would be more inclined to see "Tá an-radharc ó mhullach an chnoic úd", literally "There is a fine view . . . ".

As I said above, I believe "mionrudaí" could have a negative sense of something trivial or unimportant.

quote:

I still don't see where "tús grá" fits in. She never said that you should love the little things most, or best, or even first.

Point taken. What would you say to "Bíodh beann/toradh agat ar na nithe bunaidh i do shaol" in the sense of appreciating or being mindful of the fundamentals of life?

quote:

What would you say to "Bíodh beann/toradh agat ar na nithe bunaidh i do shaol" in the sense of appreciating or being mindful of the fundamentals of life?

An iomarca péine! Tatú atá i gceist.

I don't really like using grá as a verb: but Muirnigh = cherish/pet/love might work
How about:


Muirnigh na nithe bunaidh

quote:

I don't really like using grá as a verb: but Muirnigh = cherish/pet/love might work
How about:


Muirnigh na nithe bunaidh

The problem with "muirnigh" is that it doesn't tally with what Ó Dónaill and Dinneen say.

muirnigh: Fondle, caress, cherish. Leanbh a mhuirniú, to cuddle a child (Ó Dónaill)

muirnighim: I caress, fondle, treat affectionately (Dinneen)

Yes, I know. I was using it in the sense of cherish, which is a form of love.

But what are the alternatives?

"Car" few people have heard of; and grá as a verb is seldom used.

quote:

"Car" few people have heard of; and grá as a verb is seldom used.

Well, Donnchadh Shéamais Ó Drisceoil from Cléire uses "gráigh" quite a lot in his book Aistí ó Chléire. Here are a few examples:

Éan a ghráigh ár sinsear [sic] go léir ab ea an traona; A bird that all of our ancestors loved was the corncrake, (AC:83),
ní raibh fás ná cnuasach trá nár ghrádar mar anlann (AC), an té nár ghráigh an fharraige (AC),
níor ghrás riamh an rud iasachta de bhrí nár dh'éirigh liom teacht isteach i gceart air=I never warmed to foreign things (CD),
nuair a ghráimid giotaí páipéir daite i bhfad níos mó ná mar a ghráimid na nithe nádúrtha; when we love, are much more fond of pieces of coloured paper than the natural things, (AC:84)

The second last example above comes from Pádraig Ua Maoileoin.

Gráigh na nithe bunaidh

Maith go leor.

That is probably the best and least painful version, then.

Gráigh na nithe bunaidh

Carmanach,
I took the basic structure from proverbs (Seanfhocla Uladh). Using faigh for getting/finding/discovering is quite common there. It is also used not only in cases of things (like your keys), but also abstract ideas (like annoyance), so I don't see a leap in finding joy as such. There is also the implicit ideas that something is hidden or not readily found, which emphasizes why the "things" are considered "little" -- most people overlook them. The typical error I see for the use of faigh is becoming/getting, which is not the meaning intended here.

I guess that using love or gráigh as an order is unusual in any language really. Optionally, and this is only a suggestion as I'm not sure but how does the likes of 'An rud simplí is fearr'/'Na rudaí is simplí is fearr', etc. sound for this? It's not as literal a translation but I think it gets the meaning across.

Go deas, ach b'fhearr "nithe" ná "rudaí" ar na cúiseanna a pléadh thuas.

quote:

Using faigh for getting/finding/discovering is quite common there. It is also used not only in cases of things (like your keys), but also abstract ideas (like annoyance), so I don't see a leap in finding joy as such

Can you give some more examples please?

I see what you mean Aonghus, rudaí for inanimate more so, nithe for the living things, but I don't seem to hear/pick up nithe when I listen to Conamara Irish. I'll have to start listening out for it. I looked in Ó Siadhail and he does give ní as 'thing', 'in set phrases'. So does this mean out and out that it's just used in set phrases and not so much on its own outside of these set phrases? Na nithe sounds more literary or Munster/Donegal... that's just my impression and good chance I am way off on that, but definitely I'd love to know more about Conamara use of that word.
I have heard a native speaker say 'cé chaoi bhfuil rudaí?' on Ardtráthnóna but that might just be the Béarlachas coming in there. Came across it last night by coincidence!

quote:

I see what you mean Aonghus, rudaí for inanimate more so, nithe for the living things

I've never heard of that myself. Indeed, if anything, the contrary is true. "Na rudaí beaga" meaning the "little ones" in reference to young animals. As far as I can see, "ní" and "rud" are largely interchangeable in the south. de Bhaldraithe (Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge: An Deilbhíocht) doesn't seem to say anything in particular about "ní" but does give a number of phrases where it is used.

The discussion above concluded (I thought) that rudaí were concrete things, and that nithe was wider in meaning, and therefore more suitable.

quote:

The discussion above concluded (I thought) that rudaí were concrete things, and that nithe was wider in meaning, and therefore more suitable.

Sorry, when was that conlcluded and what is that supposition based on?

Do you have those phrases with ní? I've not got that book yet and I can't find the set phrases themselves in Ó Siadhail. Anyway I think rudaí vs nithe as inanimate vs. animate is a general guide that gets taught and I definitely was told that/read that but it's a while back and I'd forgotten it until today.
But now that I think of it 'rud nach bhfuil beo' was = 'ní' in an old Foinse crossword.
I'd also forgotten na rudaí beaga can mean the little ones! This came up here with David Webb before. Maybe this usage of rud is rare or in the south?

Scríobh tusa:

quote:

I'm always wary about translating that ubiquitous English expression "things" as "rudaí".

Aonghus, what I said about translating "things" as "rudaí" in "How are things?", "Things are pretty quiet around here at the moment" etc. applies equally to "nithe". I thought that was fairly obvious.

quote:

Do you have those phrases with ní?

Yes, but I have to rush out of the room in five minutes.

quote:

Anyway I think rudaí vs nithe as inanimate vs. animate is a general guide that gets taught and I definitely was told that/read that but it's a while back and I'd forgotten it until today.

I've never heard of that. Dinneen says nothing of it.

quote:

But now that I think of it 'rud nach bhfuil beo' was = 'ní' in an old Foinse crossword

Perhaps, but of course Foinse is hardly a reliable source.

Tá roinnt samplaí anseo

http://www.potafocal.com/Search.aspx?Text=nithe

(ach seachain: ní "ní" gach ní sna nithe sin!)

Agus maidir leis na rudaí eile

http://www.potafocal.com/Search.aspx?Text=ruda%C3%AD#beo

(Message edited by aonghus on October 27, 2010)

I suggested "Mo ghrása na mionrudaí" and Carmanach shot it down on the grounds that "mionrudaí" had a "blas mós seanbhlastúil" about it. By which I presume he means that the word is pejorative. I disagree. Mionrudaí certainly means trifles but one of my beloved teachers long ago urged us to pay heed to the trifles because trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle. He was an enthusiast.

"Mo ghrása na mionrudaí" has that grace much beloved of our Irish-speaking ancestors (I have a direct line to them :-): gontacht, brevity. I suggest my phrase means "I love the little things (that others overlook)" with stress on the "I" conveyed by the suffix "~sa". There is nothing "mós seanbhlastúil" about it.

An alternative might be "Mionrudaí is ansa liom" (Little things are what I most like.)

Some of the longer circumlocutions suggested above might just about fit around a person's waist but if a small discrete tatu is required I suggest mine is as good as any.

Tatoos are frequently discrete, but not so often discreet!

Mionduine I would certainly see as pejorative: not sure about mionrudaí (and Sean Ó Riordáin could be quite a miserable elitist when he wanted too...)

B'fhéidir go raibh breall orm maidir le nithe vs rudaí, ach sin scéal eile.

I did a search in the Corpas and references with nithe are endless. Unlike rudaí nithe seem to be more so used in official type documents, na nithe seo a leanas etc.! Definitely nothing to do with animate things so out goes that 'rule' I picked up somewhere. Sorry, disregard!

Regards rudaí there are even more results for this not surprisingly and there are so many examples of it being used in a general sense as we use 'things' in English. I think there's no big problem using it where we would think it should be okay.

E.g. "Ach sílim , b' fhéidir , go bhfuil rudaí ... bhuel ... ag feabhsú de réir a chéile"

They reference this as Ulster dialect.

So, Tús grá do na nithe bunaidh is out? She sent me a text last night with this as an option.

I think today is "the day"...

No, it is very much in.

Gráigh na nithe bunaidh

is just slightly more compact...

Just two brief points before I have to go back to work:

Aonghus mentions examples from Pota Focal. However, please note that many of the examples given are from articles written by non-Gaeltacht speakers such as Donncha Ó hÉallaithe, Colm Ó Snodaigh, etc.

Sinéad speaks of the Corpas. Are you referring to Corpas na Gaeilge by the RIA? I know An Coiste Téarmaíochta have another corpas but much if not most of the stuff there is not from native Gaeltacht speakers, as far as I know.

James,
What is she rushing for? She spent how many years without one, so couldn't she wait for a solid answer before dong something like this? I give you and her the warning because my sister got a tattoo that she later regretted, and she got it removed. And now she has scars that she regrets. Tell her to slow down, or leave her body the way its been for the last [blank] years!

SeanW...no arguments from me. But...have YOU ever tried to reason with a 19 year old?!?!?!?!

I've had the tattoo/regret/scar conversation with her many times. She's 19....has the whole world figured out, etc.

quote:

She's 19....has the whole world figured out, etc.

James,
I haven't met one person my age (32), who doesn't regret some or all of their tattoos. That's not to say, of course, that there aren't people happy with them, I just haven't met any of those people. I also imagine that we'll have 30-50 years down the line a whole class of elderly people with big ink blotches over their bodies. But then maybe we'll have some new technology to fix all that by then. But, she's 19, you did your job, so maith thú to you as a dad for giving her the warnings.

quote:

Can you give some more examples please?

Carmanach,
221c, lch. 42
http://www.archive.org/details/seanfhoclauladh00muuoft

Dá siúlfá ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go Doire, gheofá a bhuaireamh beag féin os coinne achan duine.

(Message edited by seánw on October 27, 2010)

quote:

I suggested "Mo ghrása na mionrudaí" and Carmanach shot it down on the grounds that "mionrudaí" had a "blas mós seanbhlastúil" about it. By which I presume he means that the word is pejorative. I disagree. Mionrudaí certainly means trifles but one of my beloved teachers long ago urged us to pay heed to the trifles because trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle. He was an enthusiast.

You can presume all you like, Taidhgín. Unlike you, though, I try to make as few presumptions about language as I can and search for evidence first. If it doesn’t interfere with your hectic schedule too much you might take the time to look up “mionrud” in Ó Dónaill’s dictionary. “Mionrud” may well mean “little thing” but also “thing of little importance”.

quote:

"Mo ghrása na mionrudaí" has that grace much beloved of our Irish-speaking ancestors (I have a direct line to them :-): gontacht, brevity.

You have a direct line to your forebears? Does that involve using a Ouija board by any chance? You know, one thing that always leaves me scratching my head is why learners always presume shorter is better? Who told them this or where did they pick this notion up? I’m a member of another Irish language forum where certain individuals would gladly tear the grammaticality and semantic system of the Irish language to ribbons so that the little tin god known as “gontacht” can be placated.

quote:

I suggest my phrase means "I love the little things (that others overlook)" with stress on the "I" conveyed by the suffix "~sa". There is nothing "mós seanbhlastúil" about it.

If you go back and read very carefully my last posts here you will see that I make no comment critical or otherwise on the merits of “Mo ghrása”. My comments related solely to “mionrudaí”.

quote:

An alternative might be "Mionrudaí is ansa liom" (Little things are what I most like.)

Well, “Mionrudaí is ansa liom” sounds most ungrammatical without at least the article or the copula. “Is iad na mionrudaí is ansa liom”, yes, “Mionrudaí is ansa liom”, I’ve never heard or read such a construction. I believe you are thinking in English here where one would say “I love small things” – no need for article.

quote:

Unlike rudaí nithe seem to be more so used in official type documents

Sorry, Sinéad, but I'm not aware of native-spoken Irish being used in any official type documents so I can't see how this is sufficient proof of the authenticity or otherwise of rudaí v. nithe.

quote:

You know, one thing that always leaves me scratching my head is why learners always presume shorter is better?

Short is better with tattoos!

quote:

Carmanach,
221c, lch. 42
http://www.archive.org/details/seanfhoclauladh00muuoft

Dá siúlfá ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go Doire, gheofá a bhuaireamh beag féin os coinne achan duine.

Go raibh maith agat ach ní hin go díreach an sampla a bhí uaim. Ag caint ar leithéid "Faightear áthas as rud" a bhí i gcás agam. An bhfuil aon tsampla do san agat?

quote:

Short is better with tattoos!

I've heard the same argument from others for a myriad of other scenarios such as signage where the Irish must be squeezed and squashed and wedged into a small space pre-designed for the English text instead of doing the proper thing and designing the sign around the length of both the English and Irish versions. Instead of giving the Irish version its due respect, the language must be mangled, which is defended by certain individuals as being "níosa ghonta" and so "níosa bhfearr".

quote:

An bhfuil aon tsampla do san agat?

Níl agam.

quote:

I've heard the same argument from others for a myriad of other scenarios such as signage where the Irish must be squeezed and squashed and wedged into a small space pre-designed for the English text instead of doing the proper thing and designing the sign around the length of both the English and Irish versions.

Ní hionann sin is tatú!

Re. nithe I was mentioning how it is used instead of rudaí in official documents as that was news to me so I thought it might be of interest to others too. And it was proof enough that nithe refers to things in general, even inanimate.

Nua-Chorpas na hÉireann as in http://corpas.focloir.ie is the one I meant. You type in your word and every instance of it in the results page is referenced so you get title of book, author's name, author's dialect, etc. I use it to find out about where certain words are used the most etc.

quote:

Re. nithe I was mentioning how it is used instead of rudaí in official documents as that was news to me so I thought it might be of interest to others too. And it was proof enough that nithe refers to things in general, even inanimate.

It isn't quite true that "nithe" is used instead of "rudaí" in official documents. In legislation, for example, a long-standing custom is to use "nithe" for "matters" and "rudaí" for things in general. This has no relation at all to the spoken language of the Gaeltacht or that of the manscripts of the pre-20th century scribes before native Anglophones took over the language movement. Examining official documents for instances of "nithe" tells us nothing of the correct usage of "nithe". It merely tells us how "nithe" is used in official documents written in a language largely invented for bureaucratic purposes over the course of the 20th century.

To establish the correct usage of words and structures, we must look to Ó Dónaill, Dinneen, Corpas na Gaeilge (Royal Irish Academy), Tobar na Gaedhilge, and the many many texts by strong Gaeltacht speakers and writers where we find texts by native Gaeltacht speakers and scribes.

quote:

Nua-Chorpas na hÉireann as in http://corpas.focloir.ie is the one I meant. You type in your word and every instance of it in the results page is referenced so you get title of book, author's name, author's dialect, etc. I use it to find out about where certain words are used the most etc.

The problem again with this is that you have loads of stuff from Brussels and other institutions for example which is very unlikely to have been written by good Gaeltacht speakers. I typed "nithe" in and it came up with a rake of examples from EU legislation. I know that the compilers of the dictionary had to include all examples of words used by both native and non-native speakers because those in the Irish language sector are overwhelmingly native English speakers but needs to be mindful of this when using such sources to verify whether terms or structures are correct.

Carmanach I do appreciate your input on all things here okay but seriously, you don't need to explain to me that native speaker Irish and 'official' speak are different, and I know how to recognise both. I had found out that nithe was used where I had expected rudaí in the context of official documents, it makes sense now but it was new to me then and I thought it added something to the whole nithe vs. rudaí thing! It wasn't all-out proof of the difference between nithe and rudaí. I'm not expert enough to give a definitive breakdown, I can only offer the bits I know/have found out. That's why I generally ask more questions here than give answers!

And regards the Nua-Chorpas, I always check the source as that is the whole point of my using this resource, i.e. to see if a word is used by a native speaker or not. I'm learning Irish long enough now to be aware of the differences and like I said before I aspire to near native fluency, not caighdeán fluency, so I listen and read endlessly anything by native speakers.

quote:

And regards the Nua-Chorpas, I always check the source as that is the whole point of my using this resource, i.e. to see if a word is used by a native speaker or not. I'm learning Irish long enough now to be aware of the differences and like I said before I aspire to near native fluency, not caighdeán fluency, so I listen and read endlessly anything by native speakers.

Bravo. It's really nice to hear that. Fair play (honestly).

Well once you remember that for again!

quote:

Ní hionann sin is tatú!

Níl do dheifir ideir na leaganacha a moladh ach dhá fhocal nó trí cinn! Ab ea ná fuil a dóthain craicinn ar a colainn ag an gcailín?

Ba chóir go bhfuil sé ceart agus comh gairid agus is féidir, dar liom.

quote:

Well once you remember that for again!

Only if you're very very good, Sinéad ;)

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Ba chóir go bhfuil sé ceart agus comh gairid agus is féidir, dar liom.

Ba chóir go mbeadh sé ceart agus gairid MÁS féidir é. Bíodh tosaíocht agena chirte ar a fhaid.

GReat , so you will cooperate then :)

It seems

Tús grá do na nithe bunaidh

won the debate..at least from a 19 year old's perspective. It is now indelibly imprinted on my child's body.

Why, oh why, oh why do they do these things?????

To teach us fathers to let go?

quote:

GReat , so you will cooperate then :)

Sinéad, I will do as I have always endeavoured to do here, in providing my expertise and knowledge of the Irish language for the benefit of others while also helping to - how shall one put it - rein in some of the giddier elements on here :)

As for the young lady whose skin is to be tatooed, I don't believe anything can or should be done to stop her, if she has already made a firm decision on the matter. I would also advise her father not to worry himself too much. Look at it this way: she's tattooing something harmless in Irish onto herself. There are many worse things she could be up to.

Bhuel, Ailín, is deacair ag aithreacha glacadh leis go bhfuil a n-iníonacha ag éirí neamhspleách. Sin cuid den aithreachas is dual d'athair.

Ach maidir le comhairle a ghlacadh ó fhear gan bhean, gan chlann, ó fhear gan bheann ar aoinne, .....



(Message edited by aonghus on October 28, 2010)

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Ach maidir le comhairle a ghlacadh ó fear gan bhean, gan chlann, fear gan bheann ar aoinne, .....

"ó fhear", a Aonghuis. Séimhítear consain inséimhithe ar lorg an réamhfhocail ó. Bíonn "beann" agamsa i gcónaí ar cheartghramadach na Gaelainne, ní hionann is daoine eile, an dtuigeann tú ;)

Is iomaí beann de chuid na gramadaí a bhaineann tuisle asamsa, monuar.

(Message edited by aonghus on October 28, 2010)

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fear gan bheann ar aoinne

Recte: fear gan beann ar aoinne - tá "beann" cáilithe. Tabhair aird ar leith ar na nithe bunaidh (!) seo, a Aonghuis.

quote:

Is iomaí beann de chuid na gramadaí a bhaineann tuisle asamsa, monuar

Fear gan beann ar cheart ná ar chruinneas?

Tá beann agam orthu: ach is amhlaidh gur deacair scaradh le drochnósanna na blianta, atá neadaithe im intinn. Ní raibh tú ann i gcónaí le feidhmiú mar anamchara gramadaí agam!

Le do ghairm agus de do dlúth agus inneach na ceisteanna seo; bíodh tuiscint éigin agat dóibh siúd a bhfuil cúraimí eile orthu agus atá ag déanamh iarrachta éigin le pé Gaeilge a chroch siad leo.

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Le do ghairm agus de do dlúth agus inneach na ceisteanna seo;

Ar an gcéad dul amach, níl aon bhaint aiges na ceisteanna so lem ghairm féin. Bainid siad leis an dteangain as a hiomláine. Sin é tosach agus deireadh an scéil. Iad so a cheap na rialacha, níorbh aistritheoirí iad a bhformhór mór ach gnáthdhaoine don bpobal in imeacht na gcéadta bliain. Ní Gaeilgeoirí gairmiúla iad mórchuid mhuintir na Gaeltachta.

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bíodh tuiscint éigin agat dóibh siúd a bhfuil cúraimí eile orthu agus atá ag déanamh iarrachta éigin le pé Gaeilge a chroch siad leo.

Agus dar leat féin éinne ná fuil clann air nó uirthi go bhfuil sé nó sí - do réir bhriathra do bhéil féin - "gan bhean, gan chlann, fear gan bheann ar aoinne". "Gan beann ar aoinne". Fágann san ná fuil aon bheann agamsa ar aon chomhdhuine liom mar go bhfuilimse in éagmais "cúraimí eile". Go raibh maith agat as do chuid tuairimí Críostúla a roinnt linn, a Aonghuis.

In ainm dílis Dé.

Ag baint casadh greannmhar as seanfhocal a bhíos leis an "gan beann ar aoinne". Shíleas é sin a bheith intuigthe as an straiseog a chuireas leis.

Maidir leis an méid eile a dúirt, séard a bhí i gceist agam ná go bhfuil grinn-staidéir déanta agatsa ar na ceisteanna seo, murab ionann agus mo leithéidí, a tógadh le Gaeilge (lochtach) sa Ghalltacht. Ag iarraidh roinnt foighne uait a bhíos, sin uile. Ní neamhchúraim beartaithe go baileach is cúis leis na lochtanna i mo chuid gramadaí, ach sleamchúis na blianta.

Gabhaim leithscéal leat más rud é gur ghoin aon rud a dúirt mé ar bhealach éigin tú; ní sin a bhí i gceist in aon chor. Táim buíoch as na ceartúcháin, bíodh is gur deacair dom gan a bheadh cantalach, colgach ar uairibh. Agus nach tugaim slán liom iad ró mhinic.

So far the one's I feel best convey what I want are:

Tá mo chroí istigh sna rudaí beaga

Muirnigh na mion-nithe

Tús grá do na nithe bunaidh

Which of those makes me most sense grammatically and semantically?

By the way, thank you all so much for your help. I speak no Irish what so ever, and these forums have really helped me with the complexities of the language.

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Which of those makes the most sense grammatically and semantically?

There is little to choose between the first and the third option.

The second is a bit stilted.

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Tá mo chroí istigh sna rudaí beaga

This would mean "I'm passionately devoted to the little things".