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Corkirish
Member Username: Corkirish
Post Number: 798 Registered: 10-2010
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:09 am: | |
This is a very awkward query - hard to resolve. Chapter 37 of Niamh is entitled "cómhacht luibhneacha". Luibhneach is either an adjective meaning "digitated, with many fingers" - but it doesn't look like the adjective here. or Luibhneach is cross-referenced in NÓD1977 to luifearnach "weeds; dross, refuse, rubbish". Cómhacht luibhneacha - the power of dross? The context is a specialist in poison arriving at Kincora to enter Gormfhlaith's employ and try to poison Brian Ború, but there is no use in the chapter of the term cómhacht luibhneacha, so it stands alone in the chapter title. could it mean "the dregs of power", "the last gasp of Gormfhlaith's authority"? PSD1927 is no help here... it may be just one of those phrases that will be hard to figure out... |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 11285 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:24 am: | |
Luibh - an herb The power of herbs? |
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Corkirish
Member Username: Corkirish
Post Number: 799 Registered: 10-2010
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:27 am: | |
meaning maybe the herbs used to poison someone? But this point is not picked up in the chapter, which doesn't refer to plants or herbs. But it could be the meaning. |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 11287 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:28 am: | |
I would think that any eleventh century poison would involve herbs (or at least plants)! |
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Carmanach
Member Username: Carmanach
Post Number: 1190 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:30 am: | |
quote:This is a very awkward query - hard to resolve. Chapter 37 of Niamh is entitled "cómhacht luibhneacha". luibh, pl. luibhneacha - "the power of herbs". Clearly a variant plural of "luibheanna". |
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Corkirish
Member Username: Corkirish
Post Number: 801 Registered: 10-2010
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:32 am: | |
Thanks a lot to both of you. |
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Carmanach
Member Username: Carmanach
Post Number: 1192 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:42 am: | |
Here's an example from Clear Island: Luibheanacha [sic] an tailimh (AC:60) |
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Corkirish
Member Username: Corkirish
Post Number: 803 Registered: 10-2010
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 10:47 am: | |
it's great that you are able to find things in your files - it makes it worthwhile keeping electronic files - but a little disappointing that NÓD1977 came up short on the word. (as it did with "guin galáin" - Carmanach did you see the post about dying from running the gauntlet?) |
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Carmanach
Member Username: Carmanach
Post Number: 1194 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 11:06 am: | |
quote:it's great that you are able to find things in your files - it makes it worthwhile keeping electronic files - but a little disappointing that NÓD1977 came up short on the word. That's precisely why I started keeping electronic files of everything; it's much easier to find things in a hurry and you get to catalogue all the wonderful Irish which is contained in neither Ó Dónaill nor Dinneen. As I said before, I only include forms from native Gaeltacht speakers, I don't see the point of including non-natives. As for "guin galúin", I'll go and make a cup of tea and be back in a few minutes :o) |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 11288 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 11:15 am: | |
Súil agam nach mbeidh ort guin galúin na n-iriseoirí lasmuigh de Theach Laighean a fhulaingt ar an tslí! |
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Carmanach
Member Username: Carmanach
Post Number: 1196 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 11:57 am: | |
Níl siúlta thar thairseach Thigh Laighean agam le dhá bhliain anuas! |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 11292 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 12:03 pm: | |
Nach méanar dhuit! |
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Brídmhór
Member Username: Brídmhór
Post Number: 121 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 12:46 pm: | |
"I would think that any eleventh century poison would involve herbs (or at least plants)!" - some mashed up foxgloves would do nicely, and make it look like a natural death too LOL But herbs would have been the only healing remedies they would have had too. And they probably knew more about that than we know today. |
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Corkirish
Member Username: Corkirish
Post Number: 809 Registered: 10-2010
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 01:06 pm: | |
quote:Bhí an scéal socair eatarthu ansan. Níorbh fhada go bhfeictí iad coitianta ag imeacht tríd an ínse ar bhruach na glaise bige ag stathadh na luibhneacha agus dhá mbreithniú. Do chítí sa gháirdín iad agus an gnó céanna ar siúl acu. Agus d’admhaíodh Lonnán gurbh fheárr an t-eólas a bhí ag Gormfhlaith ar na luibhneacha agus ar na cómhachtaibh a bhí iontu chun uilc nú chun maitheasa ná mar a bhí aige féin. Dear all, I overlooked this paragraph in the chapter, which I thought didn't refer to plants, but I see that they are talking about the properties of plants. I think cómhacht is "property", not "power" here... The good and bad properties of plants. |
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Corkirish
Member Username: Corkirish
Post Number: 810 Registered: 10-2010
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 01:07 pm: | |
Bríd Mhór, I'm glad I don't know what foxgloves look like! |
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Carmanach
Member Username: Carmanach
Post Number: 1201 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 01:15 pm: | |
quote:Bríd Mhór, I'm glad I don't know what foxgloves look like! A common flower throughout Ireland. It's quite large with beautiful pink bell-like flowers arranged in whorls around the upper stem. They're called "méireasta na bpúcaí" in Corca Dhuibhne. It's widely known as a poisonous plant but nevertheless the heart drug digitalis is made from the very same poison! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digitalis |
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Corkirish
Member Username: Corkirish
Post Number: 811 Registered: 10-2010
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 01:30 pm: | |
That reminds me of the first time I found myself on Ireland's portach! How can ground be spongy? I wondered if I was going to sprain my ankle on the portach! |
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Carmanach
Member Username: Carmanach
Post Number: 1202 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 03:07 pm: | |
I remember walking across a peat bog on Achill Island in Mayo. Weird. Like walking across a trampoline. Of course, turf-cutting has its own myriad of special terms! Ag cnuchairt mhóna, caorán, stualainn, scúnsa portaigh, cos portaigh, athmhóin, barrfhód, scolpán, ceapadóir, fiacail an phortaigh, portaire, etc. Those are a few terms from Cork and Kerry. Other dialects have their own words. |
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Brídmhór
Member Username: Brídmhór
Post Number: 123 Registered: 04-2009
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 03:16 pm: | |
foxglove in Connemara is - méaracán púca (you know the thingy you put on your finger when sewing)which is a good discription. |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 11295 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Monday, January 24, 2011 - 03:26 pm: | |
Ceist cainníochta seachas cáilíochta is ea nimh. Digatalin an nimh atá sna méaracáin púca, ach tá leigheas ann má chuirtear an méid ceart ar fáil don othar cheart. |
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