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Pronunciation Key |
Note: An English variant is "The secrets of two no further will go, the secret of three a hundred will know." Benjamin Franklin may have been paraphrasing this when he wrote, "Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead." Shakespeare wasn't sure even two could keep a secret:
Gossip is such an integral part of Ireland's oral tradition that this proverb is widely known in one of several variations, e.g., 'Rúin' is the genitive singular case of 'rún,' meaning secret, mystery, purpose, intention, love, or affection. Obviously, it is an ambiguous noun. On the other hand, 'scéal rúin' is an idiomatic expression that unambiguously means secret. A secret story (the literal meaning of 'scéal rúin') is the stuff of gossip, not the usual arcane grist of espionage. |

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