Gaeilge Thalamh an Éisc
Collected from the speech of Aly O’Brien, of Freshwater Valley, Newfoundland
Nestled on the eastern edge of Canada, Newfoundland boasts a unique linguistic heritage. Newfoundland English is a blend of various sources including the English of Britain (Scotland, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, and Somerset), Hiberno-English (Wexford, Carlow), French, Miꞌkmawiꞌsimk and other Indigenous languages, and Irish Gaelic (Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford), and had already developed into a distinct dialect by the late 18th century.
The rich mosaic of Newfoundland's dialectical terms, words that survived the transition between languages, are a linguistic time capsule where the cadence and grammar of conversation bears witness to the many Irish speakers who called the island home. Terms collected from Aloysius O’Brien by Memorial University in 1973 offer a tantalizing glimpse into the living Irish of the early settlers, and the Irish terms which were irreplaceable in Newfoundland life, even after Irish itself had ceased to be spoken. Tipperary poet Michael Coady remembered helping Aly ‘save the hay’ in 1989, writing:
“I asked Aly whether he knew any Irish language equivalent for siesta. Leaning on his hayfork, Aly immediately suggested sámhán, a word he had not acquired from his many books but by oral transmission in the speech of Newfoundland. It was a perfect example of his unique character as a scholarly farmer and gardener and living repository of tradition.”(1)
Once seen as non-standard and low prestige, mandatory elocution lessons at the province’s only university attempted to erase this linguistic heritage. The echoes of Irish reverberate in some of Newfoundland’s distinct English phrases and expressions. Each word becomes a bridge to the past, a linguistic portal through which we can catch a fleeting glimpse of the once living Irish of Newfoundland, weaving a narrative that connects the island's present to the resonant whispers of its Gaelic past.
Newfoundland English (Meaning) ← Gaeilge (Meaning)
This is by no means a comprehensive list of terms, but simply examples with very clear etymological origins.
Anguish (Weak, miserable, sickly, “he is very anguish today”) ← Ainnis (Mean, contemptible)
Bockety (Bow-legged, “she with her bockety legs”) ← Bacachtach? (Beggar-like, lame)
Bohreen (A by-road) ← Bóithrín (A little road)
Boochalbawn (A favourite son or otherwise privileged person, and expression of jealousy) ← Buachaill Bán (A fair-haired boy)
Brisney (Kindling) ← Brosnaí (Kindling)
Call (A claim or right, “He has no call for it” said of a person who wrongfully takes possession of anything) ← Call (Call, need, claim, right)
Chapel / Church (Chapel for all Catholic buildings, including the Basilica; Church for Protestant buildings) ← Seipéal / Teampall (Seipéal ‘chapel’ for Catholic buildings; Teampall ‘temple’ for Protestant buildings)
Conk (A large nose) ← Cainc (an projection, an animal’s trunk, a contemptfully large nose)
Crannicks (Small dried ends of wood or boughs suitable for making a quick fire) ← Crannóg (A piece of wood)
Craychur (A person deserving of pity) ← Créatúir (A pitiable creature, “ó a chréatúir”)
Crit (A humpback, “critty-backed”) ← Cruit (A humpback)
Cugger (A whisper in a sly or suspicious manner) ← Cogar (A whisper)
Gad (“Tough as a gad”) ← Gad (A tough, flexible branch of willow)
Gatch (To put on airs) ← Geáitse (An affected manner, pose, or gesture; airs, affectations, antics)
Gladger (A person quick at repartee) ← Glagaire? (A prater, a silly talker)
Glawm (A snatch, a clutch) ← Glám (Grab, a clutch)
Glawvawn (To complain) ← Glámhán (Act of complaining, scolding, or abuse)
Gob (A big mouth) ← Gob (A bird’s beak, a big mouth, “saol fad’ is gob fliuch”)
Goggy (An egg) ← Gogaí (A child’s name for an egg)
Goggy (Foolish, unreliable) ← Gógaí (A gaper, a gawker)
Guggle (A cackling noise) ← Gogal (A cackling noise, “gogalaí-gug mo chircín dubh, síonn sí síos is beireann sí ubh”)
Hand stick (Walking stick or cane) ← Bata láimhe (Walking stick, lit. ‘hand stick’)
Hangashore (A poor sick landlubber) ← Ainniseoir (A contemptible person)
Joosey (A term of contempt for an old housewife) ← Stiúsaí (A hussy)
Jug (A sign of life, movement) ← Gíog (A chirp or squeak)
Kacky (Red or sore eyes) ← Caoch? (Blind)
Keen (A lament for the dead) ← Caoin (To lament for the dead)
Kibosh (An unlucky or unsuccessful outcome) ← Caip Báis (The death cap)
Kippins (Immature trees, rods) ← Cipín (A thin stick)
Kish (A wicker basket) ← Cis (a wicker containter)
Maneen (An impudent youth, a boyo) ← Man + ín? (English “man” + Irish diminutive ín)
Nod (A hint) ← Nod (A scribal ligature, a hint, “is leor nod don eolach”)
Nony (A term of endearment for a young girl) ← Nóinín (A daisy)
Noody-nawdy (Indolent, fair and easy) ← Niúdaí neádaí (Trifling, indecisive, insipid talk; a hesitant person)
Pall-tog (A blow or kick) ← Paltóg (A blow, thump, wallop)
Pampooties (Socks or shoes) ← Pampúta (Unknown Irish etymology, untreated leather shoes)
Pillgarlick (Obsequious servile female) ← ?-garlach (?-child/brat/urchin)
Puss (Morose appearance) ← Pus (Sullen expression with blubber lip)
Ral (A careless person, a person of ill-repute) ← Rail (A loose woman, a vulgar woman, an unruly creature)
Rawney (Thin) ← Ránaí (A thin lank person or animal)
Sadogue (An inexpensive but elegant cake) ← Sodóg (A soda-cake)
Sawvawn (To take it easy, sawvawnin’) ← Sámhán (A nap)
Sawvawneen (To delay after meals instead of getting back to work) ← Sámháinín (Easy, tranquil mood)
Scow-ways (Slanted) ← Sceabha (Skew, slant, obliquity)
Scraggy (Rough pasture, barrens) ← Screagach (Stony, rocky, barren)
Scraub (To scratch) ← Scríob (To scratch)
Shawnree (Said as a warning when throwing out water) ← Seachain í? (Said as a warning to the fairies)
Sheeny (A mean, parsimonious person) ← Sianaí (A whiner, a winger, a wretch)
Shockrawn (Wandering, homeless) ← Seachrán (Wandering, straying)
Smithereens (Small parts or splinters) ← Smidirín (Small part or splinter)
Smulk (Sullen, morose) ← Smáilc (Dark spot, cloud, darkness, gloom, disgrace, misfortune)
Spaug (A big foot) ← Spág (A big clumsy foot)
Stalkish (Morose, obstinate) ← Stailc (Stubborn, sulky)
Starrigan (Old, poorly-shaped tree; in other areas, a young, vigorous evergreen) ← Starragán (Obstacle, rough uneven ground, clumsy object)
Stiucawn (A stupid fellow) ← Stuacán? (A stubborn person)
Strapper (A strong, tall man) ← Strapaire (A strapping person)
Streel (An untidy woman) ← Straoile (An unkempt or untidy woman)
Tharn (A nail) ← Táirne (A nail)
Tilly (A bonus, extra portion, and extra amount added to a weight, sometimes given by shopkeepers to entice customers to come back) ← Tuilleadh (More)
Twig (To perceive, to catch-on) ← Tuig (To understand)
Wisht (Listen!) ← Fuist (Hush!)
Worra! (Said in time of trouble or fatigue) ← Mhuire! (Holy Mary!)
Adapted from: O’Brien, Aloysius (Aly). 1973. Index cards collected by the Department of Folklore and preserved through the Memorial University of Newfoundland - Digital Archives Initiative.
For citation, please use: Ó Dubhghaill, Dónall. 2024. “Gaeilge Thalamh an Éisc.” Na Gaeil san Áit Ró-Fhuar. Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir: www.gaeilge.ca
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Obituary. 2008. “A Gaelic scholar in Canada, and historian, folklorist and botanist.” Irish Times. 1 Nov.
Many other terms were recorded and published by Ó hEadhra, Aodán. 1998. Na Gaeil i dTalamh an Éisc. Coscéim: Baile Átha Cliath.
