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Irish Slang...

Knavery

Knavery

Feb 24, 2004
1,691
1,773
Westminster, CO
#1
Hey guys,
I JUST watched an Irish movie this morning called Sweet Sixteen, and it had subtitles! The English was completely different, and the slang was out of this world. I had to read the subtitles the entire time. It was incredible to see a film that was made in Ireland as I have never travelled there, and did not realize how WRONG Hollywood has gotten it through the years. Afterwards, I went to a website and sifted through the entire slang catalogue from A to Z, and I tell ya what, you're Irish English slang is as crude as American English slang. Well, I figured since I have Irish blood, I should at least look into it a bit.

Now off to the scratcher I go to get some much needed rest. Perhaps later, I'll wake up and get langered.
 
#4
never heard of it, but that's not all of us. the majority of irish are very articulate. it's just that our bad side (linguistically speaking) is so horribly bad. there's no middle ground. oh, and the bad side are the loud ones that everybody remembers.
 
#5
From what I hear, there are different dialects of Irish which they distinguish by location. Like for instance, you have the common Irish toungue, as well as Dublin, Cork, Galway, Midlands, and Limerick.

I think it's really interesting to learn about. We have much of the same thing here--different dialects based on geographic location, culture, and education.
 
#8
wingnutkj said:
BTW, Sweet Sixteen was set and filmed in Greenock, SCOTLAND. Bawbags!
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And directed by Ken Loach, who's born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Doesn't get much more Irish than that...
Seriously though, as a fan of British socio-realistic movies in general (Mike Leigh is one of my favourite directors), I really need to see Sweet Sixteen. Especially since, according to the Internet Movie Database, "the word 'f***' and its variations are used 313 times" in it.
 
#9
Yes, the f-word is used MANY, MANY times.

And as pointed out above, it is set in Scotland. Man... How did I get Ireland out of it. I'm sure they mentioned Dublin a few times, and that's why I assumed that it was set in Ireland. To me, I can't tell an Irish accent from a Scottish one. No offense to those in Ireland or Scotland by saying that. I'm just an ignant American.
 
#11
Knavery said:
Yes, the f-word is used MANY, MANY times.

And as pointed out above, it is set in Scotland. Man... How did I get Ireland out of it. I'm sure they mentioned Dublin a few times, and that's why I assumed that it was set in Ireland. To me, I can't tell an Irish accent from a Scottish one. No offense to those in Ireland or Scotland by saying that. I'm just an ignant American.
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Never worry, I can't tell American and Canadian accents apart, there's probably lots of Canadians I've annoyed.

Irish slang is more Father Ted stuff, like feck and ****e, as far as I know, but I'm from the north, where there's a whole different way of talking.

Lastly, why do so many Americans seem to be fascinated with Ireland, like you said "I have Irish blood." When I was in America, waitresses and people seemed desperate to tell us that their grandmother's half sister was Irish, or something, and we came across people who said they were Irish, yet had been born in America! How does that work? At least since 9/11, Americans have been less willing to support the IRA...
 
#12
I don't know the history of the IRA, but from what I've read, they've had some pretty questionable methods in the past like blowing up buses etc. That's a form of terrorism, and since America is now on a war against terrorism, it would be hypocrytical to support them. Not that the American government isn't already guilty of hypocrisy. I think every government is to a point. They simply won't support an organization that considers soft targets as an option. That's my rationale, but I may be completely, 100% wrong. It could also be for other reasons such as American allies pushing us to break ties with them. But for what it's worth, I have nothing for or against the IRA as I don't know the history.

As for American and Canadian accents--there really isn't a difference. Everyone thinks that Canadians always use the word 'eh' in their sentences. That's simply not true. There are a few, but not that many. It's like saying all Americans sound like the Norwegians from northern Minnesota and use 'yaaa' in all their sentences. I can't tell the difference between Canadians or Americans.

I don't exactly know why people are so eager to say they have Irish blood. I simply said it because I'm interested to learn where I came from. I mean hell, I'm also Norwegian, Czech, French, English etc. etc. I've got so many nationalities in me, I have to study about all of Europe and the United Kingdom. For the most part, Irish Americans are proud to be Irish. They really take it seriously, and most are devout catholics, but don't go out driving on St. Patty's Day. Hehe.
 
#14
Irish Slang......

The great thing with our slang words is that they have many..many meanings ie a term of abuse is also used as a term of endearment..

eg: "He's some Bollox"...he's an awful fool

"How are ye, ye auld bollox"....good to see you buddy

"Dat masheen is bolloxed" .....my computer is broken

" ye made a right bollox of that solo".....that solo wasnt great.

To use the term Bollox as abuse you must insert a pause before you pronounce it...

"Wouldya look at that.......................BOLLOX"

(NB: not to be confused with the term "Bollocks" which refers to male genitalia).

"Feck" (or "Feic")........Damn
"Feck off"..................Go Away
"Feicim"....................to hell with 'em..(or in Irish means "I see")
"Focal"......................The Irish for "words".

"In the heel of the hunt".......At the end of the day
"Culchie"..........Country person, ie someone not born in a city
"Jackeen".........someone born in a city
"Ve..Heh..cul".....what a guard (policeman) would say.."could you step out of the ve..heh..cul sir".

And last (but not least)....

BANJAXED...........Broken...... "The car is Banjaxed"
 
#15
A friend of mine went to Ireland while in college and came back with the most amazing story. Hopefully you can tell me whether it's correct or not.

I know "fags" is a term used to describe cigarettes in some quarters, but he said that "gat" also means a pint of beer, and as a result, "Let's grab a gat and smoke some fags," means having an evening out with your friends, drinking and smoking. Here in the US it would mean something horrible.

Is he pulling my leg? And I apologize in advance to moderators if the language is too racy, but I'm having a hard time believing he's telling me the truth, and I'd like to know.
 
#16
jabberwock777 said:
A friend of mine went to Ireland while in college and came back with the most amazing story. Hopefully you can tell me whether it's correct or not.

I know "fags" is a term used to describe cigarettes in some quarters, but he said that "gat" also means a pint of beer, and as a result, "Let's grab a gat and smoke some fags," means having an evening out with your friends, drinking and smoking. Here in the US it would mean something horrible.

Is he pulling my leg? And I apologize in advance to moderators if the language is too racy, but I'm having a hard time believing he's telling me the truth, and I'd like to know.
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Hehe. Yes, gat means drink here. Gatting is a common pastime among kids 12-17, bush-drinking in Awmahreekaw. It has nothing to do with... that, you filthy, lewd boy! *waits for someone to comment on the correlation between gatting and bushes...*

Each region has its own slang. Like Deadly (or "diiidly!") means very good in Dublin, whereas here we'd say Savage, or sabháiste cabáiste (savage cabbage).

And us Corkonions got the word Langer into the dictionary! As in, "you're an odious.... LANG-AR!!!" :D

I love Irish slang.
 
#18
Knavery said:
As for American and Canadian accents--there really isn't a difference..
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Absolutely. I've always thought how someone from Alberta sounds EXACTLY like someone from Alabama, Maine, South Carolina, or New Jersey. They're all practically interchangeable. :rollno:



For anyone not understanding this reference, the regional accents of New England, the Coastal South, the extreme Deep South, and - for some reason New Jersey- are so varied that people often need English to English interpreters.
 
#20
Bard2dbone said:
Absolutely. I've always thought how someone from Alberta sounds EXACTLY like someone from Alabama, Maine, South Carolina, or New Jersey. They're all practically interchangeable. :rollno:



For anyone not understanding this reference, the regional accents of New England, the Coastal South, the extreme Deep South, and - for some reason New Jersey- are so varied that people often need English to English interpreters.
Click to expand...

Know how to fix that so you're nice and accent-free...well maybe wind up with your own strange accent. Be raised by a French Grandfather, an English Grandfather, Czech Grandmother, German Grandmother, Australian stepmother and have your best friend for the first 7 years of life be a Russian exchange student. You sure wind up speaking kind of strangely after that.
 

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