Irish Translation Forum

Hi everybody!

Hope you can help me; I want to enter a writing contest and I thought an Irish penname would be pretty neat, but alas, I know zilch Irish. My two options would be either the meaning of my true name, which can be translated to "beautiful altar" or "altar of war", OR "green wolf", but not like an artificially dyed one or anything like that. Thanks in advance!

Psellia.

psellia wrote:Hi everybody!

Hope you can help me; I want to enter a writing contest and I thought an Irish penname would be pretty neat, but alas, I know zilch Irish. My two options would be either the meaning of my true name, which can be translated to "beautiful altar" or "altar of war", OR "green wolf", but not like an artificially dyed one or anything like that. Thanks in advance!

Psellia.

Altóir álainn Beautiful altar
Altóir Chogaidh Altar of war

Mactíre glas Green wolf

Wait for more.

Thanks a lot, Gumbi! Is there any other way to say "wolf", though? I don't fancy the thought of people calling me "Mac" or mistaking me for a guy .

psellia wrote:Thanks a lot, Gumbi! Is there any other way to say "wolf", though? I don't fancy the thought of people calling me "Mac" or mistaking me for a guy .

Yes, there are: Madra allta is one (though that literally means "wild dog") Faolchú is probably better, though. Just so you know, "mac" would be pronounced "MOK" (at least in Munster).

psellia wrote:Thanks a lot, Gumbi! Is there any other way to say "wolf", though? I don't fancy the thought of people calling me "Mac" or mistaking me for a guy .

Welcome to my world! I used to use "Mac Tíre Rua" on some forums, but stopped because I got tired of being called "Mac."

Another word for "wolf" is "Faolchú," so you could go with "Faolchú Glas." Or, if you want it shorter, even "Faol Glas" would work (my license plate says "FAOLRUA").

Redwolf

psellia wrote: I thought an Irish penname would be pretty neat, but alas, I know zilch Irish. My two options would be either the meaning of my true name, which can be translated to "beautiful altar" or "altar of war"

I'm curious. Why would you think an Irish pen-name "neat" (given your zilch Irish), and in which language can your true name be translated as "beautiful altar" or "altar of war". War being anything but beautiful.

Gumbi wrote:Mactíre glas Green wolf

The thing about "glas" is that it means green when referring to grass, but when referring to animals (well mammals anyhow) it means "grey".

BridMhor wrote:

Gumbi wrote:Mactíre glas Green wolf

The thing about "glas" is that it means green when referring to grass, but when referring to animals (well mammals anyhow) it means "grey".

You're right. Rinne mé dearmad ar an bpointe eolais sin. Mactíre/Faolchú uaine then.

Gumbi wrote:

BridMhor wrote:

Gumbi wrote:Mactíre glas Green wolf

The thing about "glas" is that it means green when referring to grass, but when referring to animals (well mammals anyhow) it means "grey".

You're right. Rinne mé dearmad ar an bpointe eolais sin. Mactíre/Faolchú uaine then.

I'd forgotten that as well. Uaine it is.

Is "liath" ever used in reference to animals? (just curious)

Redwolf

Yes. De Bhaldy uses the example of "chomh liath le broc". But for horses and cows it's "glas".