cad? (sometimes used on its own to mean "why?")
cad uime? literally, about, concerning what?
cad chuige? literally, towards what? to what end?
--tuige? (abbreviation of the above)
cén fath? literally, which reason?
cad é chúis? literally, what is the reason?
--d'é chúis? (abbreviation of the above)
cad 'na thaobh? literally, regarding what?

I thought I would post this from my files, as "cad" on its own and "cad uime" are less frequently cited as meaning why?

quote:

cad ba ghádh dhuit mé dh'fhásgadh chómh mór?

This is an example from PUL's Mo Sgéal Féin ("why did you have to squeeze me so hard?") showing "cad" on its own meaning "why?"

Corkirish, thanks for the post. I often have trouble with my c-question words.

I think it needs to be "Cad + something" always. "Cad ba ghá" in David's example.

"Cad" on it's own, as an interjection, would I believe be incorrect.

In the example given by CorkIrish, "cad" does not mean "why". "Cad" is a contraction of "cá rud", literally "what thing". So in the phrase quoted above:

cad ba ghádh dhuit mé dh'fhásgadh chómh mór?

One is literally saying "what thing is it that was a necessity for you to squeeze me so much?". Of course, you would not say it like that in English but as CorkIrish suggested "Why did you have to squeeze me so much?" but that doesn't mean that "cad" is the exact equivalent of "why". That is just the way an English speaker would say it. Such is the craft of the translator; you need to think in the language of your target reader when translating while also keeping in mind that languages are not like Lego. Words don't click exactly into the same blocks as Lego bricks do. The translator's job is to faithfully transmit the information given in the source language across to the target language. The words themselves become slaves to the meaning of the message; the message is everything and the aim is get the target reader to understand the same message and in literature (the hardest texts to translate) to get him or her to feel the same emotions as that of the source text.

quote:

"Cad" on it's own, as an interjection, would I believe be incorrect.

Aonghus is right. If you wish to say "What?" having misheard someone or something you would say "Cad deire?" (in Munster at least) never "Cad?".

If you wanted to say "What?! Are you crazy?" or the like out of incredulity or frustration you would say "Dherae/arú/airiú, as as do mheabhair atánn tú?!"

What is the literal translation of "Cad deire?" - I didn't know about this one - I was taught "Cad dúraís?"

Cad deire? what sayest thou?

or cad deirir?

Qué dices?

Question:
So the difference is between "What did you say (Cad dúraís?) and "What are you saying (Cad deirir/deire)?"

Ah, tuigim anois.

The form is most definitely "Cad deire?" in speech not "Cad deirir?". "Deire" is an old 2nd person singular present indicative form which has disappeared apart from this one expression. The normal form nowadays is "deireann tú" (or rarely "deireas tú"). Note that in the CO, it is "deir tú".

Dinneen gives "adeirir" as the absolute 2nd person singular present indicative but also "deire" and "deara" as alternative forms for the same person and tense.

Indeed, there's a little rhyme used for someone who incessantly asks you "What's that? What did you say? Come again?" and really is getting on your wick:

Cad deire?! Cad deire?!
Cac ar do dheireadh,
Is do dheireadh dúnta,
Is nead ag an seabhac,
I bpoll do thóna!

I think I read that one in Seanfhocail na Mumhan.

"Cad é a dúirís?" refers specifically to the past. "Cad deire?" means "What do you say?" but used for something which someone has just said but has been misheard by another.

I think it would be "cad é a duairís/duaraís?" in West Muskerry, if I'm not mistaken.

There's another expression as well that comes to mind, but I forget where I heard it: Cá rabhais aimsir na gcluas?! or Where were you when they were handing out ears?!

Well, I did specifically ask an old man in Muskerry about "cad deire?" and pointed to Dinneen's comments, and he insisted that it would be "cad deirir?" if anything. I don't expect the young people say either.

Séadna has:

quote:

Níor labhair aoinne de’n bheirt go ceann abhfad. Fé dheire do labhair an mháthair.

“Seadh!” ar sise. “Cad deirir anois leat féin?”

“Deirim gur neamh-choitchianta an suiríghe é,” arsa Micil. “Duine réidh chun a phósta, agus é ag dul chun cainte leis an mnaoi óig, agus é tar éis bheith ag caint leis an sagart, gan casóg gan hata air, aprún gréasaidhe air, céir ar a mhéireanaibh, agus coinneal ’na dhá shúil! Tá an sgeul ag dul sa mhuilion orm.”

I understand this example to mean roughly "what have you got to say about that?"

But PUL may have been "normalising?" on -ir, especially as the don't sound very different in rapid speech.

As far as -ir is concerned, I have only found táir, bhfuilir and deirir.

quote:

and he insisted that it would be "cad deirir?"

Both forms may well be in use.

quote:

As far as -ir is concerned, I have only found táir, bhfuilir and deirir.

Yes, and it also occurs in the modh guítheach in certain set phrases and expressions, such as:

Go mairir is go gcaithir é

and in the following rather ribald verse:

Sláinte chugat is cabhair,
Is dealbh go deo ná rabhair,
Go bhfása an ghruiag id' ghabhal,
Chomh fada le meigeall an ghabhair!

I had to look up gabhal!

Focal nua craicneach foghlamtha agat, mar sin!