Difference between revisions of "Ulster Irish/Dúlra"

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I (Jake Dalzell) spent two weeks in the Donegal Gaeltacht in June 2025. Here are some words I heard that refer to the natural world, animals, etc. Note here [è] is a vowel between [ɛ] and [e].
I (Jake Dalzell) spent two weeks in the Donegal Gaeltacht in June 2025. Here are some words I heard that refer to the natural world, animals, etc. Note here [è] is a vowel between [ɛ] and [e].
==== Aice ====
Poll/eag i gcarraig is maith le gliomaigh agus crúbógaí.
Rann na Feirste [ak´ə], pl. [nə ˈhak´iə̆hə]
==== Ain-bheathaigh ====
Ainmhithe contúirteacha na farraige (searcannaí srl)
Rann na Feirste [ˈan´ˌv´ɛhi]


==== Beathach ====
==== Beathach ====


''horse''
Béarla ''horse''
 
Árainn Mhór [b´èəx], ''ar a bheathach'' [ɛr ə ˈv´èəx]


Árainn Mhór [bèəx], ''ar a bheathach'' [ɛr ə ˈv´èəx]
Rann na Feirste [b´ɛəh]


Compare Toraigh [b´aː]<ref name="Hamilton"></ref>.
Compare Toraigh [b´aː]<ref name="Hamilton"></ref>.
==== Cailleach ====
1. Préataí beaga fágtha i ndiaidh an fhómhair
Rann na Feirste pl. [kaʟ´ahai]
2. (Cailleach dhubh) ''Phalacrocorax carbo'' (Béarla ''Cormorant'')


==== Cáitheadh na dtonn ====
==== Cáitheadh na dtonn ====


''sea spray''
Béarla ''sea spray''


Rann na Feirste [kæhu]
Rann na Feirste [kæhu]
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==== Clár ====
==== Clár ====


''flat plain (of the sea)''
Béarla ''flat plain (of the sea)''


Toraigh “Tá an fharraige 'na chlár.”
Toraigh “Tá an fharraige 'na chlár.”
==== Cloch bheag doirnín ====
Rann na Feirste [klɔʰ v´ɘg dɔrɴ´in´]
==== Cnuasach ====
Béarla ''foraging (on the shore)''
Rann na Feirste gen. [d´ænu cruːsi] Bheadh na mná ag déanamh cnuasaigh.


==== Creabhar ====
==== Creabhar ====


''cleg, horsefly''
Tabanidae (Béarla ''cleg, horsefly'')


Árainn Mhór [k´r´awer], pl. [nə ˈk´r´awer´]
Árainn Mhór [k´r´awer], pl. [nə ˈk´r´awer´]
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==== Creimeadh isteach ====
==== Creimeadh isteach ====


''Erosion, undercutting (of a cliff)''
Béarla ''Erosion, undercutting (of a cliff)''


Rann na Feirste [k´r´ɛm´u]
Rann na Feirste [k´r´ɛm´u]
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==== Crúbóg ====
==== Crúbóg ====


''Edible Crab (''Cancer pagurus'')''
''Cancer pagurus'' (Béarla ''Edible Crab)


Compare ''portán''. This distinction was known to speakers from Árainn Mhór and Rann na Feirste.
Compare ''portán''. This distinction was known to speakers from Árainn Mhór and Rann na Feirste.
==== Dorg ====
Líne iascaireachta.
Rann na Feirste [darəg]


==== Dos ====
==== Dos ====


''A small tuft of grass''
Béarla ''small tuft of grass''


Toraigh [dʌs] “Ní fhásfadh dos ar bith ansin” (of a barren place)
Toraigh [dʌs] “Ní fhásfadh dos ar bith ansin” (of a barren place)
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==== Gaoth chothrom ====
==== Gaoth chothrom ====


''Even wind''
Béarla ''even wind''


Toraigh [gɯː ˈxɔr̥əm]
Toraigh [gɯː ˈxɔr̥əm]
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==== Giobach ====
==== Giobach ====


''choppy, rough (of the sea)''
Béarla ''choppy, rough (of the sea)''


Toraigh [g´ʌbɑ]
Toraigh [g´ʌbɑ]
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==== Glas binne ====
==== Glas binne ====


''trapped below a cliff''
Béarla ''trapped below a cliff''


Rann na Feirste: Tá caora faoi ghlas binne [fiː ɰʟɑs b´ɪ̈ɴ´ə] ''A sheep has gone down a cliff and is now trapped below it.''
Rann na Feirste: Tá caora faoi ghlas binne [fiː ɰʟɑs b´ɪ̈ɴ´ə] ''A sheep has gone down a cliff and is now trapped below it.''
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==== Iomghaoth ====
==== Iomghaoth ====


''Sudden strong gust of wind''
Béarla ''Sudden strong gust of wind''


Toraigh pl. [ʌˈmiaha]
Toraigh pl. [ʌˈmiaha]
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==== Leathach ====
==== Leathach ====


''wrack (seaweed)''
Béarla ''wrack (seaweed)''


Árainn Mhór [L´èəx]
Árainn Mhór [L´èəx]
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==== Mea Ghabhair? ====
==== Mea Ghabhair? ====


''Snipe''
''Gallinago gallinago'' (Béarla ''Snipe'')


an Spidéal [ˌm´æː ˈɣawer´]
an Spidéal [ˌm´æː ˈɣawer´]


I know this isn't an Ulster dialect but I heard it when I was in Donegal so I'm putting it here...
I know this isn't an Ulster dialect but I heard it when I was in Donegal so I'm putting it here...
==== Mórtas farraige ====
Farraige gharbh
==== Mushroom ====
Toraigh [ˈmʌɕrumi ˈgɑːrl´ɔg´] mushroomaí gáirleoige


==== Portán ====
==== Portán ====


''Shore Crab''
Béarla ''Shore Crab''


Árainn Mhór [partan]
Árainn Mhór [partan]


Compare ''crúbóg''. This distinction was known to speakers from Árainn Mhór and Rann na Feirste.
Compare ''crúbóg''. This distinction was known to speakers from Árainn Mhór and Rann na Feirste.
==== Reithe ====
Rann na Feirste [raiçə]


==== Ruball ====
==== Ruball ====
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==== Saotharcán ====
==== Saotharcán ====


''Lapwing''
''Vanellus vanellus'' (Béarla ''Lapwing'')


Rann na Feirste [sᴇːrkan]
Rann na Feirste [sᴇːrkan]


Compare Toraigh ''saotharcóg'' [sᴇːrkɔg].<ref name="Hamilton"></ref>
Compare Toraigh ''saotharcóg'' [sᴇːrkɔg].<ref name="Hamilton"></ref>
==== Scaineagán ====
Clocha beaga thart fá 1.5cm – bíonn an t-iolra ann.
Rann na Feirste [skanagan´]


==== Sceartán ====
==== Sceartán ====


''tick''
Béarla ''tick''


Árainn Mhór [ɕk´artan]
Árainn Mhór [ɕk´artan]
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==== Sceith ====
==== Sceith ====


''spawning (of herring)''
Béarla ''spawning (of herring)''


Rann na Feirste [ɕk´e]
Rann na Feirste [ɕk´e]
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==== Stacán ====
==== Stacán ====


''sea stack''
Béarla ''sea stack''


Rann na Feirste [stakan]
Rann na Feirste [stakan]
==== Tréataí ====
Línte in áit a mbeadh uisce ina rith ar chloich, ar éadaigh ⁊rl. Dá mbeadh sé ag cur fearthanna bheadh tréataí ar do chuid éadaigh.
Rann na Feirste [t´r´eːti]


= References =
= References =
<ref name="Hamilton">Hamilton, J. N. (1974). ''A phonetic study of the Irish of Tory Island, Co. Donegal.'' Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen’s University of Belfast.
<ref name="Hamilton">Hamilton, J. N. (1974). ''A phonetic study of the Irish of Tory Island, Co. Donegal.'' Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen’s University of Belfast.
</ref>
</ref>

Revision as of 14:19, 27 June 2025

I (Jake Dalzell) spent two weeks in the Donegal Gaeltacht in June 2025. Here are some words I heard that refer to the natural world, animals, etc. Note here [è] is a vowel between [ɛ] and [e].

Aice

Poll/eag i gcarraig is maith le gliomaigh agus crúbógaí.

Rann na Feirste [ak´ə], pl. [nə ˈhak´iə̆hə]

Ain-bheathaigh

Ainmhithe contúirteacha na farraige (searcannaí srl)

Rann na Feirste [ˈan´ˌv´ɛhi]

Beathach

Béarla horse

Árainn Mhór [b´èəx], ar a bheathach [ɛr ə ˈv´èəx]

Rann na Feirste [b´ɛəh]

Compare Toraigh [b´aː][1].

Cailleach

1. Préataí beaga fágtha i ndiaidh an fhómhair

Rann na Feirste pl. [kaʟ´ahai]

2. (Cailleach dhubh) Phalacrocorax carbo (Béarla Cormorant)

Cáitheadh na dtonn

Béarla sea spray

Rann na Feirste [kæhu]

This has been merged with caitheadh which is pronounced the same way.

Caora

Rann na Feirste gen. pl. [ɴə gᴇːrəx]

This is the traditional genitive plural, with a different vowel [ᴇː] to the nominative [ɯː].

Clár

Béarla flat plain (of the sea)

Toraigh “Tá an fharraige 'na chlár.”

Cloch bheag doirnín

Rann na Feirste [klɔʰ v´ɘg dɔrɴ´in´]

Cnuasach

Béarla foraging (on the shore)

Rann na Feirste gen. [d´ænu cruːsi] Bheadh na mná ag déanamh cnuasaigh.

Creabhar

Tabanidae (Béarla cleg, horsefly)

Árainn Mhór [k´r´awer], pl. [nə ˈk´r´awer´]

Creimeadh isteach

Béarla Erosion, undercutting (of a cliff)

Rann na Feirste [k´r´ɛm´u]

Crúbóg

Cancer pagurus (Béarla Edible Crab)

Compare portán. This distinction was known to speakers from Árainn Mhór and Rann na Feirste.

Dorg

Líne iascaireachta.

Rann na Feirste [darəg]

Dos

Béarla small tuft of grass

Toraigh [dʌs] “Ní fhásfadh dos ar bith ansin” (of a barren place)

Gaoth chothrom

Béarla even wind

Toraigh [gɯː ˈxɔr̥əm]

Giobach

Béarla choppy, rough (of the sea)

Toraigh [g´ʌbɑ]

Glas binne

Béarla trapped below a cliff

Rann na Feirste: Tá caora faoi ghlas binne [fiː ɰʟɑs b´ɪ̈ɴ´ə] A sheep has gone down a cliff and is now trapped below it.

Iomghaoth

Béarla Sudden strong gust of wind

Toraigh pl. [ʌˈmiaha]

Interesting that the stress is on the second syllable – could be an idiosyncracy or perhaps due to the word having a compound origin (im- + gaoth). The speaker commented that this was a “focal a bhí ag na seandaoiní”.

Leathach

Béarla wrack (seaweed)

Árainn Mhór [L´èəx]

Compare Toraigh [ʟ´aː][1], which is rhymed with trágha [trɑː] in the song Beití Sailí Deain:

Nuair a théimse siar chun na trágha

A chur amach bodóg agus leathach

Mea Ghabhair?

Gallinago gallinago (Béarla Snipe)

an Spidéal [ˌm´æː ˈɣawer´]

I know this isn't an Ulster dialect but I heard it when I was in Donegal so I'm putting it here...

Mórtas farraige

Farraige gharbh

Mushroom

Toraigh [ˈmʌɕrumi ˈgɑːrl´ɔg´] mushroomaí gáirleoige

Portán

Béarla Shore Crab

Árainn Mhór [partan]

Compare crúbóg. This distinction was known to speakers from Árainn Mhór and Rann na Feirste.

Reithe

Rann na Feirste [raiçə]

Ruball

Rann na Feirste gen. [rʌb´l´ə ~ rʌbl´ə]

Saotharcán

Vanellus vanellus (Béarla Lapwing)

Rann na Feirste [sᴇːrkan]

Compare Toraigh saotharcóg [sᴇːrkɔg].[1]

Scaineagán

Clocha beaga thart fá 1.5cm – bíonn an t-iolra ann.

Rann na Feirste [skanagan´]

Sceartán

Béarla tick

Árainn Mhór [ɕk´artan]

Sceith

Béarla spawning (of herring)

Rann na Feirste [ɕk´e]

The vowel here was almost approaching [ɪ].

Stacán

Béarla sea stack

Rann na Feirste [stakan]

Tréataí

Línte in áit a mbeadh uisce ina rith ar chloich, ar éadaigh ⁊rl. Dá mbeadh sé ag cur fearthanna bheadh tréataí ar do chuid éadaigh.

Rann na Feirste [t´r´eːti]

References

[1]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Hamilton, J. N. (1974). A phonetic study of the Irish of Tory Island, Co. Donegal. Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen’s University of Belfast.