Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Design Pics Inc/Shutterstock

The Irish For Don’t Be Such A Gorilla-Whale-Daughter-In-Law

To translate the meaning of Bridezilla effectively we need to pop the bonnet of the word and look at the moving parts, writes Darach Ó Séaghdha.

This is the latest dispatch from our columnist Darach Ó Séaghdha, author of the award-winning and bestselling Motherfoclóir. Every Sunday morning, Darach will be regaling (re-Gaeling?) us with insights on what the Irish language says about Ireland, our society, our past and our present. Enjoy.

THOSE UNSUNG HEROES over at An Coiste Téarmaíochta (the Terminology Committee) are tasked with the role of developing, recording and approving new terminology in Irish and are frequently called upon to weigh in on what the Irish for a recent English word should be.

It’s a thankless task that often puts them in the crosshairs of the world’s worst pedants, so I’d like to take a moment to say that I think they’re brilliant and appreciate everything they do.

Translation is an art and a craft as well as a science, and it’s not unusual for there to be more than one supportable answer when rendering a new-ish English word into Irish.

Consider, for example, the word bridezilla. It’s not a word I have any grá for myself, but it has found itself in common use for nearly twenty years and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. As such, it has found itself in texts that translators in various languages have been asked to work on and a decision has been called for.

So, how do you translate a word such as bridezilla into Irish? Do we just leave it as is? Some traditionalists, immune to the charm of zú and zó-eolaíocht, aren’t too keen on the letter Z ever making an appearance in Irish.

Once we decide to translate, we find ourselves at a crossroads: do we follow the sound of the word or its meaning? Or can we find an existing term in Irish that can serve as an equivalent?

Rendering a word phonetically is a quick and dirty option, but doesn’t work if the phoneticisation accidentally renders existing and unrelated Irish words. In this instance, the formation Brídshiolla would mean bride-syllable.

Imagine how silly you’d look if you said that! I fear you’d never live it down.

To translate the meaning effectively we need to pop the bonnet of the word and look at the moving parts. Bridezilla is a portmanteau of bride and Godzilla, the famous Japanese monster.

But what do those two words mean? Godzilla is an English rendering of the original Japanese name Gojira, itself a portmanteau of gorira (gorilla) and kujira (whale).

The significance of gorilla-whale has been the subject of discussion since Godzilla’s first appearance in 1954; some have suggested that the gorilla in question was specifically fellow cinematic city-wrecker King Kong and that the symbolism of a whale is a reference to that sea-mammal’s significance in Japanese history (whalers opened the island empire to international trade, kick-starting its rapid modernisation). Japanese version of King Kong, basically.

Others have said that gojira was merely the nickname of a studio employee which director Ishoro Honda found entertaining.  

Either way, while the Irish for gorilla is simply goraille, there are several entries in respect of whales. Míol Mór is the most common and just means big creature; without the mór, a míol could be a louse, hare or a flea. Another option is bleidhmhíol – promisingly for us, this one can mean either a whale or a monster.

The word bride also has tales to tell, with multiple possible origins lurking behind the mists of time. One suggested root is the Gothic word bruþs, which literally means daughter-in-law; the new wife being defined by her relationship with her husband’s parents (whose home she was moving into) rather than to “himself”.

This is consistent with the traditional Irish proposal “ar mhaith leat bheith curtha le mo mhuintir?” (do you want to be buried with my people?).

Old Irish has various words for bride-price (ellam, tinscra, turthochmarc to name but a few) but has less to say on brides themselves as distinct from married women on the days and years after their wedding.

The modern word brídeach was picked up somewhere along the way. And it is this modern word that informs the translation for bridezilla recently announced on An Coiste Téarmaíochta’s website – brídeach bhuile (angry bride).

No references to gorillas, whales, Japanese monster movies or daughters-in-law, but it does slot perfectly into the lyrics of An Poc Ar Buile.

After all, translation is all about priorities.

Darach’s new book Craic Baby is the follow-up to his acclaimed Motherfoclóir and is out now under the Head of Zeus imprint.

He runs @theirishfor Twitter account and the @motherfocloir podcast.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
9 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute DeeM
    Favourite DeeM
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 8:47 AM

    Brilliant as always Darach. Well done!!

    170
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute DJ François
    Favourite DJ François
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 8:40 AM

    Great Sunday read as always.

    111
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Fairbrother
    Favourite Paul Fairbrother
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 8:58 AM

    Am I pronouncing fáinní Shathairn wrong, cos I don’t get the joke other than the spelling.

    Keep it up, bainim taitneamh as do obair.

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Y U no spell good?
    Favourite Y U no spell good?
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 2:00 PM

    @Paul Fairbrother: there’s no h after the t; shatairn (SHATairn)

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O'Keeffe
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 1:32 PM

    I was frequently referred to as a spásaire in school. Good Times

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
    Favourite Brian Ó Dálaigh
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 7:34 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: An mbíteá anaireach go minic sa seomra ranga?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Keogh
    Favourite James Keogh
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 1:14 PM

    The Irish language is so descriptive it’s a treasure not to be “CAILLTE”

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairí Ó HEithir
    Favourite Ruairí Ó HEithir
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 11:27 AM

    Yes Paul, the ‘s’ is silent so not sure why it is funny. Any chance of removing the ‘i’ in ‘scuaib’? The correct spelling is ‘scuab’, though ‘réalta na scuaibe’ is fine.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
    Favourite Brian Ó Dálaigh
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 2:23 PM

    @Ruairí Ó HEithir: scuaib is a dialect spelling, so technically not wrong. But it can be a little misleading for learners when presented with two versions of one word, so I do agree with you.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conall
    Favourite Conall
    Report
    Jul 21st 2019, 9:33 PM

    Coincidentally, astronaut is made of two Greek words meaning star sailor. Just in case anyone was wondering……

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O'Keeffe
    Report
    Jul 22nd 2019, 8:16 AM

    @Conall: we weren’t, we read that in the article.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Fitzsimons
    Favourite Mary Fitzsimons
    Report
    Jul 26th 2019, 8:52 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: he said latin not greek, astronaut is from greek

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gloria Evans
    Favourite Gloria Evans
    Report
    Jul 31st 2019, 3:55 AM

    I’m Gloria Evans From USA, I have been suffering from (HERPES) disease for the past 13 months and had constant pain, especially in my knees. During the first month , I had faith in God that I would be healed someday.This disease started to circulate all over my body and I have been taking treatment from my doctor, a few weeks ago I came on search on the internet if I could get any information concerning the prevention of this disease, on my search I saw a testimony of someone who has been healed from (Hepatitis B and Cancer) by this Man DR AFRID and she also gave the email address of this man and advise we should contact him for any sickness that he would be of help, so I wrote to DR AFRID telling him about my (HERPES Virus) he told me not to worry that I was going to be cured!! hmm i never believed it,, well after all the procedures and remedy given to me by this man few weeks later I started experiencing changes all over me as the DR assured me that I have cured, after 2 weeks i went to my doctor to confirmed if I have been finally healed behold it was TRUE, So friends my advice is if you have such sickness or any other like HSV1,2, HPV1,2,3, CANER HIV, COLE SORES, TOOTH, ETC you can email DR AFRID on drafridherbalhome@gmail.com sir I am indeed grateful for the help I will forever recommend you to my friends with your lovely Email Address or you can also phone/Whats App him on this number +2349057260738.visit his website https//drafridherbalhome.webs.com

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds