Caught the tail-end of a comment on Iris Aniar this morning where Eibhlín Ní Choisdealbha said 'tá smáis ar an dream sin'.. Has anyone any idea what the 'smáis' word is/means? I know my spelling is off, but it sounds very like the english 'smash' with a fada on the 'a' if that helps.

Might it have been "díomais"? Arrogance.

http://www.potafocal.com/Search.aspx?Text=d%C3%ADomas

It could be a variant of maise, but it may be hard to know if there is no context, but it may be a common expression with someone.

Sómás? tá sómás ar an dream san? they are really comfortable?

sómas [ainmfhocal firinscneach den chéad díochlaonadh]
compord.

Not a long a, but sounds plausible.

Chuile sheans gur chuala tú 'smais', focal a luanns Brian Ó Curnáin sa bhfoclóirín a chuir sé le chéile. Is é an chiall atá leis 'good condition', agus é in úsáid sna comhthéacsanna diúltacha, cuir i gcás:

Ní raibh smais ariamh air, Ní mórán smais a bhí air

nó Ní mórán smais thú 'You look bad'

(Message edited by peter on November 23, 2010)

Ah that sounds like it alright Peter. I actually sent in a text to Rónán Mac Aodha Bhuí's show today as he had the dialect experts on as usual and he pronounced it as 'smais' and not 'smáis' (maybe donegal pronunciation?) when he asked them about it.

He did read out the spelling as 'smáis' though (that is with the fada) and funnily Máire the Conamara dialect speaker said that she thought this 'smais' (she repeated it as it was spoken by Rónán i.e. without the fada) was coming from 'is maith sin' as in 'smashing'. Fabulous eh!

I agree with Peter.
But it can be used in the positive as well, like the Iris Aniar comment. There is actually a beauty salon I know with that name. In modern meaning it can also mean make-up.
(but never put an "o" in there as that's a totally different word)

Cool Bhríd. I'd only heard of smideadh for make-up. I've a couple of questions for ya still! Hope you don't mind my asking. Do you pronounce it with a long a, or without the fada? And would you by any chance have an example of it used in a positive sentence so I can see it in context? Anything that comes to mind. Only when/if you get a chance! Hate lobbing questions at ya

Niall Ó Dónaill gives "smais" as a variant form of "maise". Might it perhaps have come from "is maise"?

P.S. Seems like this smaise is a variation of maise that Seanw suggested earlier.

sorry,didn't see your post Carmanach

People from Conamara and Cois Fhairrge are well known for lengthening short vowels or making them half-long. See The Irish of Cois Fhairrge by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.

quote:

sorry,didn't see your post Carmanach

No worries!

No Sinéad it doesn't have a fada sound.
I'm happy to answer any question that I'm able to.

Tá smais deas air/uirthi/ort. You look nice. (the way you look clothing wise or make-up, not natural beauty. )
Probably comes from maise/maisiúchán.


2%2C-4.36,http://maps.google.ie/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=An+cheathr% C3%BA+rua,+&sll=53.401034,-8.307638&sspn=5.752736,19.753418&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ca rraroe,+County+Galway&ll=53.263147,-9.600677&spn=0.005634,0.01929&t=h&z=16&layer =c&cbll=53.263113,-9.600775&panoid=kcGbQyQ14Pg1YXHH3xGKcg&cbp=12,140.4,,2,-4.36

and zoom it. You might also have to spin around across the road.

(Message edited by Brídmhór on November 23, 2010)

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(Message edited by Brídmhór on November 23, 2010)

Bríd, it is wonderful to have a Connemara expert on the board!

I'm far from being an expert but thank you for your comment.

Would this have connection with the English word "smashing", which I have heard originated in the Connaught Rangers?

Oxford English Dictionary has it as:

Probably imitative: cf. Norwegian dialect smaska to crush, slaa i smask to knock to smash (Ross).

I doubt it is from is maith sin. I think that is a case of folk etymology. The earliest uses of smashing are as an adjective. Later it became more like a interjection.

(Message edited by seánw on November 23, 2010)

well if not Smáshing maybe :)

Bríd thanks for that!