Go mbeannaí Dia daoibh, hello men and women, boys and girls and welcome to the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
As the Bluffer hinted last week, he has an apology to make to mná na hÉireann - the women of Ireland.
Two weeks ago, the Bluffer was sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of gairmeacha - professions and didn’t notice that all the highly-regarded jobs he had ascribed to men and the more menial jobs to women.
Men were the doctors and engineers while the women were housewives and cleaners. So with thanks to Úna for pointing it out in the letters section in last Tuesday’s Irish News, the Bluffer says a sincere tá brón orm - I’m sorry and gives an assurance that both his feet are firmly planted in the 21st century.
Tá brón orm faoi sin means I’m sorry about that.
The Bluffer prides himself that he is not in the slightest bit gnéasaíoch - sexist, a word not to be confused with the word gnéasúíl which means sexy.
And he has never mansplained in his life – as far as he knows.
His only defence is that he was concentrating on the grammar and missed out on the gender-related issues but as Benjamin Franklin once said: “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”
As well as tá brón orm, another way of saying your sorry is tá mé buartha. For instance, tá mé buartha, ní fhaca mé thú - sorry, I didn’t see you.
Another way of apologizing is a little old fashioned but you would say gabhaim pardún - I beg your pardon. (I can hear all you country and western ones singing I never promised you a rose garden.”
Finally, a very common way to ask forgiveness is gabh mo leithscéal - literally, accept my half-story but it’s what you say if you are trying to get past someone or make a social faux pas or if you are trying to get someone’s attention.
Gabh mo leithscéal, tá muid réidh le hordú - excuse me, we’re ready to order is what you say in a restaurant with slow service.
Of course, if you aren’t at all sorry, you would say níl mé buartha beag ná mór - I’m not at all sorry. Níl mé buartha gur labhair mé léi - I’m not sorry that I spoke to her. Níl aon chathú orm faoin oíche aréir - I’m not sorry about last night.
The new online Irish dictionary (focloir.ie) has some good entries on other ways of saying the sorry word.
For instance if someone tells you that a relative of their is ill, for example, you would say Is trua liom sin - I’m sorry to hear that. Literally, “it is a pity with me that.” In Irish,
if you say is ... liom is means you think something about somebody of something.
Is maith liom Aoife - I like Aoife or I think Aoife is good.
Is aoibhinn liom do ghúna - I love your dress or I think your dress is lovely.
In the meantime, the Bluffer disagrees with John Wayne who said: “Never apologize, mister, it’s a sign of weakness” which was probably the sentiment behind Obama’s lack of apology at Hiroshima.
CÚPLA FOCAL
mná na hÉireann (mraa na herin) - the women of Ireland
gairmeacha (garamaha) - professions
tá brón orm (taa brone orim) - I’m sorry
tá brón orm faoi sin (taa brone orim fwee shin) - I’m sorry about that
gnéasaíoch (gresseeakh) - sexist
gnéasúil (gressoo-il)- sexy
tá mé buartha, ní fhaca mé thú (taa may booaha, nee aka may hoo) - sorry, I didn’t see you
gabhaim pardún (gowim pardoon) - I beg your pardon
gabh mo leithscéal (go maw leshcale) - excuse me
gabh mo leithscéal, tá muid réidh le hordú (go maw leshcale, taa midge ray he hordoo) - excuse me, we’re ready to order
níl mé buartha beag ná mór (neel may boorha big no more) - I’m not at all sorry
níl mé buartha gur labhair mé léi (nee may boortha gur lore may layhe) - I’m not sorry that I spoke to her
níl aon chathú orm faoin oíche aréir (neel ain khahoo orim fween eeha a-rare) - I’m not sorry about last night
is trua liom sin (iss trooa lum shin) - I’m sorry about that
is aoibhinn liom an gúna sin (iss eevin lum an goona shin) - I love that dress