Irish Translation Forum

I think it is about time I added something of significent value to this site. Maybe it reflects somewhat my mental or situational make-up at the moment but regardless, the topic is LOVE.

One: Types of Love | Two: Ways to say it | Three: Endearments.

NOTE: This piece is only meant to add to the material that already exists and should only be used as a guide. I take no responsibility for errors for the simple reason that I did this out of my own free time. In no way is this piece definitive or exhaustive. It is mainly my own views which I hope will help those in the future with queries and questions on this topic. I am a learner too. Ní bhíonn saoi gan locht. Nobody truly knows all.

Love is one of those complex concepts isn't it. Love is abstract so it is no wonder that there are so many ways to express how you feel about another.

ONE: Types of Love

There are many different nouns:
Here is a rough guide. Nouns in nomitive form.

Grá – This is the generic word for love. From love of person, an abstract concept, your country, between lovers, neighbourly love…

Grá a bheith agat ar, do, dhuine – To love someone.
Bheith i ngrá le duine – To be in love with someone.

Grá na fírinne – Love of truth
Ar ghrá, de ghrá, ruda – For love, for the sake or, something

Fíorghrá - True love
Amhrán grá – Love song
Bheith i bpian an ghrá, á c(h)loí le grá – To be lovesick

Others: Verb Noun of Gráigh; Charity; Beloved Person; (Literature) Aos Grá – Confidents, chosen followers.

Cion – Love as in ‘affection’.

Cion croí an dhéanamh le leanbh – To hug a child to one’s bosom.
Ainm ceana – Pet name.

Other: Regard, Esteem; Effect, Influence

Gean – Affection also. Less widely used than Cion.

Also: Gean gáire – Smile.

Searc – Love (between lovers)

Searc a thabhairt do dhuine – To love someone.
Le searc air – For love of him
Céadsearc - Firtslove

Also: Beloved one.

Páirt – Fellowship, friendship, affection.

Lucht gaoil agus páirte – Relatives and friends.
A leanbh na páirte – My Dear Child.

Also: Part, Portion, Region, Participation, Party to a dispute; Partnership, association, alliance.

Cumann Friendship, love; companionship.

Mo locht cumainn – My Friends, companions.
Cumann a dhéanamh, dul i gcumann, le duine – To associate, make friends, with someone.

Also: Darling, Sweetheart; Company, fellowship, community.

TWO: Ways to say it
Often times people interchange these expressions. Note the differences.

First person singular I

Gráím thú – I love you – Not used often because Irish has been traditionally more of a prepositional language than a verbal one.
Tugaim cion duit – I give you affection
Tá cion agam ort – I have affection for you
Tá mé ceanúil ort – I’m loving/ affectionate towards you
Tá grá agam duit – I have love for you
Táim i ngrá leat – I am in love with you

Is breá liom – I love (a thing/ activity)


However I must say my favourite is:
Tá mo chroí istigh ionat – My heart is within you


THREE: Endearments
(This list is not exhaustive)

NB: Mo (the Irish word for My) has been changed to A in places. This often happens with terms of endearment. It is what is known as the vocative form of the noun. This is used when calling people, be in physically or at the start of a letter. At any rate I would pick the A ones over the MO ones.


Lovers:
A Ghrá mo Chroí (ah hraw muh hree) = My Heart’s Beloved, My Darling
A Ghrá Geal (ah hraw gal) = My Bright Love, Boy(/Girl)friend
A Ghrá (ah hraw); Mo Ghrá (muh hraw) = My Love
A Rún (ah ruin); Mo Rún (muh ruin) (NOTE, exception to lentine rule)
Mo Mhuirnín (muh wer-neen); A Mhuirnín (ah wer-neen) = My Dear
A Stór (ah store) = My Darling (NOTE, exception to lentine rule)
Mo Shearc (muh hark) = My Love
A Thaisce (ah hash-keh) = My Treasure
A Chumann (ah hom-un)= My Darling, Sweetheart.

Other and/ or Lovers:

A Stóirín (ah store-een) – My little darling.
Is í an t-aingeal í (iss e un tangil e) – She’s a little darling.
Peata (pet-ah) – A mother's darling. / A Pheata (ah fet-eh) My...
Seanleannán liom (shan-lan-auwn lum) – An old love of mine.
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Can one of the moderators make this an information thread?

Yes I will admit that I can get sentimental and emotional at times:
May it all be fair in love and war. May you find the person of your heart, and when you do find them, clutch them close becuase you never know if ever the oppurtunity will arise for you again!

Sources:
Gearrfhoclóir Gaeilge-Béarla le Ó Dónaill (An Gúm/ An Roinn Oideachas) 1981
English-Irish Dictionary by De Bhaldraithe (An Gúm) 1992

Thanks

A pheata

a chuid -- my portion
a lao -- my calf! (feminine)
a chuisle -- my pulse
a ghile -- my brightness

Isn't it Muirnín, rather than Múirín.

Nílim ag caitheamh anuas ort a Éanna, mar is eol duit, is tú mo chuid den saol, is mór é mo ghean ort.

At the inauguration of one of the early Kings of Connacht the poet who made the oration began with:

A [name which I've forgotten], mo rogha leannáin.....

He then proceeded with an encomium. Strange to call a king that but that's what they ued to do.

Ailill wrote:A [name which I've forgotten], mo rogha leannáin.....

Har har har...

I think éanna even quoted me this poem once

isn't that the one with the beheading in it??

Dunno, here's what I got on Google:

http://www.dnaco.net/~mobrien/irishptr/irepoems/brianoru.html

It looks vaguely familiar to me...

there was another similar one with your name in it

and there was a beheading mentioned (of someone else)

maybe éanna can dig that one out again because he was quoting it to me in YIM one night long ago...

A rún

That is the way it is spelt okay. But anyone know why it is not 'a rúin'?

*ahem*

7. Nouns are not inflected for the Vocative in phrases such as:-
(i) a Naomh Pádraig; a Naomh Ciarán; a Rí Séamas. (i.e., a pair of nouns in apposition.)
(ii) a cheann cipín; a rún; a stór. (i.e. terms of endearment or metaphorical in meaning.)
(iii) a phobal Dé, a phobal dílis (dear people).
(iv) a Scathán an chirt; a mhac Iósaif. But, - a Mhic Dé; a Mhic na Maighdine.

New Irish Grammar

There are some exceptions to the "metaphor rule", like
taisce-->a thaisce
croí-->a chroí
cuisle-->a chuisle

I mean, those are pretty metaphorical (or is it just my imagination)??

rúin is the genitive singular and the nominative plural, which more apt to lead to confusion. (As your sweetie says: A rúin you say?!? You have another girl here too? *slap*)

I'm not arguing here, just replying to questions.

oisin718 wrote:also -- the vocative of "grá geal" is a ghrá ghil

www.csis.ul.ie/focloir wrote:Geal [aidiacht den chéad díochlaonadh]
ar dhath an tsneachta nó an aoil; ar dhath an airgid; cosúil le solas an lae nó na gréine; glan, sona; áthasach, geanúil (anam geal, gáire geal, a ghrá geal, is geal an scéal liom é).

Ailill wrote:Isn't it Muirnín, rather than Múirín.

Cá bhfuil sé, nó ar athraigh duine éigin mo phost?

A Mhibh,
An dán sin? Nah, b'é "Donnacha Bán". Scéal difriúil af fad!