Knowing the Irish for ‘the latest political wrangle’ is bound to come in handy.
President Michael D. Higgins will officially launch the first English/Irish dictionary in over 60 years on Friday (30 October).
The president will be joined by household names associated with a grá for our native tongue such as Dara Ó Briain, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh and former president Mary McAleese for an online launch of the Concise English-Irish Dictionary at 1pm today.
The new dictionary certainly can’t accused of not being a thorough publication, with over 1,800 pages, 85,000 word senses and 1.8 million words in contemporary English and Irish.
Clip via Foras na Gaeilge
Produced by Foras na Gaeilge, it is the first major English-Irish Dictionary to be published in since Tomás de Bhaldraithe’s seminal English-Irish Dictionary in 1959.
Entries to the new dictionary are derived from the New English-Irish dictionary website www.focloir.ie, which attracts over two million visitors a year.
Foras na Gaeilge says the aim of the dictionary project is to produce a comprehensive modern dictionary which represents:
- Current usage not only in Irish but also in English as it is spoken in Ireland
- The main dialects of contemporary Irish
- A broad range of language, from the most technical to the most informal
Speaking of the broad range of the language, the new additions, some of which are particularly relevant to what’s going on the world at the moment, include the following terms:
- Home office – oifig bhaile
- Fake news – bréagnuacht
- Selfie – féinín
- He’s a savage player – is imreoir den scoth
- Banana bread – arán banana
- Social distancing – scaradh sóisialta
- Pandemic – paindéim
- Coronavirus – coróinvíreas
- Cyberbullying – cibearbhulaíocht
- Online banking – baincéireacht ar líne
- Brexit – Breatimeacht
- The latest political wrangle – an t-aighneas polaitiúil is déanaí
- To make a hames of something – praiseach a dhéanamh de rud
- It’s at your own risk – ar do phriacal féin atá sé
- It was nothing to write home about – bhí sé cuibheasach gan a bheith maíteach
- I wouldn’t hold it against her – ní bheinn anuas uirthi mar gheall air
- To make a laughing stock of somebody – ceap magaidh a dhéanamh de dhuine
- To rest on your laurels – do mhaidí a ligean le sruth
Commenting on the launch of the dictionary, President Higgins said: “It was a privilege to launch the New English-Irish Dictionary website in 2013 and I’m delighted to be able to celebrate the final stage of the project today, the Concise English-Irish Dictionary.
“This dictionary follows on in a proud tradition of Irish-language lexicography, including famous works by Niall Ó Dónaill, Tomás de Bhaldraithe and Pádraig Ó Duinnín.
“Dictionaries are critical tools for any language community. They allow communities to express themselves confidently and effectively in their own language, while also preserving the richness – the saibhreas – of a language.
“I congratulate Foras na Gaeilge, the dictionary team, and everyone who was involved in this historic achievement.”
The Concise English-Irish Dictionary is available in bookshops and online now with an RRP of €30/£25.
Main image via Facebook/Foras na Gaeilge
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