Irish-Language

The many trials and tribulations of bringing up apprentice Gaeilgeoirí

<b>BABY FACE:</b> There are very few parents who would deny there are more plus sides to bringing up your children than the times when they annoy the hell out of you! &nbsp;
BABY FACE: There are very few parents who would deny there are more plus sides to bringing up your children than the times when they annoy the hell out of you!   BABY FACE: There are very few parents who would deny there are more plus sides to bringing up your children than the times when they annoy the hell out of you!  

Go mbeannaí Dia daoibh agus bhur gcéad míle fáilte isteach chuig the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.

We’ve been going through the life cycle of your typical homo sapiens over the past few weeks and today we’ll look at the happy days when you are blessed with the patter of tiny feet.

Leanbh is a baby, those little bundles of joy that arrive looking like a cross between Mr Magoo and ET. 

We also use the world bábaí for a baby.

I saw a babygro yesterday which said “I’ve been inside for nine months. Now my parents are doing life” which is a tad harsh.

Páiste is the word for a child and then they grow up in various stages - tachrán is used for a toddler.

When a baby is born as well as being a baby it will be a gasúr - a boy or a cailín - a girl, so when you hear that an acquaintance has had a baby, you can ask cad é a bhí aici? What did she have?

Another question is usually what weight the baby was, so many puntaí - pounds and unsaí - ounces to let you know whether the child was a comfortable weight or whether it was a monster of a thing.

Of course, you might also be blessed with a cúpla - twins but whatever the fruit of your loins is, you life will change forever - you are now a tuismitheoir - a parent like your own parents. Now you know what it’s like!

Other people’s newborns are lovely, everyone will agree and even though we may complain about díobháil codlata - lack of sleep and tuirse - tiredness because you are on call 24/7, watching a child develop is one of the nicest things we human beings share.

An chéad ... means the first ... so you are on the lookout for an chéad fhocal - the frst word, an chéad choiscéim - the first footstep. 

You carry them about in little parcels in front of you and become smug as they smile up at you and get annoyed when people say níl ann ach gaoth - it’s only wind.

In fact, you are so proud of your little baby that a lot of things (secretly) annoy you like when someone says tá sí cosúil lena Dhaidí - she’s like her Daddy when you KNOW she’s got your nose. Are these people stupid?

An then there is the máthair cleamhnais - mother-in-law who, just because she has had eight children thinks she knows it all about YOUR baby. Ha!

But again, these are only minor irritations when you see the little on, gurgle and giggle and laugh when you do timpeall, mórthimpeall, théid an teidí béar - round and round the garden goes the teddy bear on his or her tiny palm.

Or when they fall asleep in your arms and you picture them growing up and the family going swimming or heading off on holidays or learning how to ride a bike and learning their irregular verbs in Irish

Okay, maybe not that one but most of the time you will love the shared experiences with your children.

Then there is reading them leabhair - books at night-time and there are a huge number of lovely books in Irish as well as English for you to enjoy together. And no, the Bluffer is not getting broody!

CÚPLA FOCAL

leanbh(lanoo) - a babybábaí (baabee) - a babypáiste(paashtya) - a childtachrán(takhraan) - a toddlergasúr(gasoor) - a boycailín(caleen) - a girlcad é a bhí aici? (cadge ay a vee ackee)  What did she have?puntaí(puntee) - pounds unsaí(unsee) - ounces cúpla(coopla) - twinstuismitheoir(tishmeehore) - a parentdíobháil codlata(jowel cullata) - lack of sleeptuirse(tirsha) - tiredness an chéad fhocal(un cayd uckle) - the first wordan chéad choiscéim (un cayd khoshcaym,) the first footstep níl ann ach gaoth(neel un akh gee) - it’s only wind.tá sí cosúil lena Dhaidí(taa she cosooil lena daadee) - she’s like her Daddymáthair cleamhnais(maher claownish) - mother-in-lawimpeall, mórthimpeall, théid an teidí béar(chimple, morehimple, hedge un teddy bear) - round and round the garden goes the teddy bearleabhair(lyore) - books