Irish-Language

Why do some decades deserve nicknames whilst other don’t?

<b style="font-family: &quot;ITC Franklin Gothic&quot;; ">SMITHFIELD MARKET, BELFAST:</b><span style="font-family: &quot;ITC Franklin Gothic&quot;; "> Looking at this photograph, the Bluffer recalls the strange odour that used to fill his nostrils as he mitched school and misspent his youth amongst the second-hand bookshops and record stores &nbsp; &nbsp;</span>
SMITHFIELD MARKET, BELFAST: Looking at this photograph, the Bluffer recalls the strange odour that used to fill his nostrils as he mitched school and misspent his youth amongst the second-hand bookshops and record stores    

GO mBEANNAÍ DIA daoibh and a 2020s welcome to the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.

There is no one Irish word for a decade. Deich mbliana is what we say, doing exactly what is says on the tin but the Bluffer was wondering why some decades have nicknames and others don’t.

For decades, we use the number with -idí at the end so seasca is sixty therefore na seascaidí are the 60s. 

In speech, you can also add an chéad - the century so na naoi déag caogaidí are the 1950s.

And you can use it to describe someone’s age, as in tá Aoife sna fichidí - Aoife is in her 20s.

But why do some decades have leasainmneacha - nicknames.

We’ve had The Roaring Twenties, the Hungry Thirties and the Swinging Sixties but I don’t know if any decade since has earned a nickname that has stuck.

We probably remember most fondly the decade in which we were déagóirí - teenagers, that period between childhood and adulthood when we had most freedom to look foolish with our trendy stíleanna gruaige - hairstyles and groovy clothes.

So that pensioner on the bus, might have been a punk rocker when he or she was a kid.

Picture your granny as a hippy or granda as a Teddy Boy, your Da as a new Romantic, your Ma as a mod and wee Sally the lollipop lady as an emo. Time changes us all – yes even you.

Some decades are defined by ancultúr coiteann - popular culture so the 60s are remembered for Beatlemania, mionsciortaí - miniskirts, gréas pháislig - paisley pattern, The High Chaparall, etc.

(Is cuimhin liom teacht nateilifíse daite - I remember the arrival of colour TV.

Society was in general more sexually promiscuous in the 60s than in previous decades (something which sadly passed the Bluffer by!)

However, as well as pop music and way-out fashions, the 1960s brought us Cogadh Vítneam - the Vietnam War (or as the Vietnamese call it, the American War),

Gluaiseacht na gCeart Sibhialta - the Civil Rights Movement in the USA and here and, of course, the outbreak of na Trioblóidí - the Troubles, so political and world events also define a decade.

The 1970s are remembered as the decade that style forgot with their bell-bottoms, lapels you could wrap an elephant up in, and bónaí - shirt collars so big you could tug a light frigate with them. Oh, and bróga bonnarda - platform shoes.

The 1980s brought us na stailcanna ocrais - the hunger strikes in Long Kesh/The Maze, the battle for Las Malvinas, Tienanmen Square at New Kids on the Block.

A decade later, the 90s gave us grunge, raves, hip-hop, Dolly the Sheep and na sosanna cogaidh - the ceasefires.

To be honest, the 21st century has been a bit of a blur. 

You look in vain for the real characters, the visionaries, the heroes and heroines in these worrying times.

Will the 2020s end up being defined by a war against Russia and its aftermath? Let’s hope not.

CÚPLA FOCAL

deich mbliana(jayh mleeana) - a decade 

seasca(shaska) - sixty

na seascaidí (ne shaskadgee) - the 60s 

an chéad(un cayd) - the century

na naoi déag caogaidí(ne nee jayg caygadgee) - the 1950s

tá Aoife sna fichidí(taa eefa sna feehidgee) - Aoife is in her 20s

leasainmneacha(lassanyimnyaha) - nicknames

déagóirí(jaygoree) - teenagers 

ancultúr coiteann (un cultoor cutchan) () - popular culture

mionsciortaí(minskirtee) - miniskirts

gréas pháislig(grayss faashlig) - paisley pattern

Is cuimhin liom teacht nateilifíse daite (is kivin lum chahht ne chelafeesha daatcha) - I remember the arrival of colour TV

Cogadh Vítneam(cugoo veetnaam) - the Vietnam War

Gluaiseacht na gCeart Sibhialta(glooishakht ne gart shiveealta) - the Civil Rights Movment

na Trioblóidí - (ne chrobloyjee) the Troubles 

bónaí (boenee) - shirt collars

bróga bonnarda(brawga bunarda) - platform shoes

na stailcanna ocrais(ne stalkana ocreesh) - the Hunger Strikes 

na sosanna cogaidh (ne sosana cugee) - the ceasefires