Monday 30 April 2018

Homographs and heteronyms



A homograph is a word that has more than one meaning.  
Where its pronunciation differs with the second meaning, it is called a heteronym or a heterophone. 
Sometimes they can appear in one sentence with different meanings and sounds. 
One might be a verb, the other a noun. 

As with figures of speech like paraprosdokians[i], homographs provide further amusing evidence of the subtle richness and quirkiness of the English language.
As a demonstration, here are examples in single sentences used in both senses:-

·         The bandage was wound around the wound;
·         I bow to the creative genius of bow tie couturiers;
·         the debating competition judges were content with the content of my speech;
·         the entrance to the archaeological site of Petra in Jordan cannot fail but to entrance the visitor;
·         the motorcyclist moped when he realised that a thief had taken his moped;
·         the verbose judge spoke in one long sentence after another, announcing that his verdict was to sentence the criminal to life in prison;
·         the dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse;
·         we must polish the Polish furniture; 
·         the soldier decided to desert his platoon in the desert; 
·         since there is no time like the present, he thought it was opportune to deliver the present; 
·         a sea bass was painted on the head of the rock band’s bass drum; 
·         I did not object to the object;  
·         the insurance for the invalid was declared invalid after passing its expiry date; 
·         there was a row among the oarsmen about how to row; 
·         they were too close to the door to close it; 
·         the buck does strange things when the does are present; 
·         a seamstress and her sewer fell down into a sewer line;
·         the wind was too strong to wind down the sail; 
·         upon seeing the vandal’s tear on the painting, I shed a tear; 
·         I had to subject the subject to a series of tests;
·         how can I intimate this family secret to my most intimate friend?

©Michael McSorley 2018


[i] http://michaelmcsorleylanguage.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/paraprosdokians.html

Thursday 1 March 2018

Na teangacha Ceilteacha




Tá dá thaobh ag an teaghlach Ceilteach, an chraobh Gaelach (Goidelic, i mBéarla) agus craobh na Breataine (Brythonic).[i]    
Sa chéad ghrúpa tá Gaeilge na hAlban, Gaeilge na Manainnise agus Gaeilge na hÉireann; san eile an Bhreatnais (Welsh), an Choirnis, agus an Bhriotáinis (Breton).

Cuireann acadóirí na limpéid “P-Cheiltis“ ar na teangacha Briotanacha agus “Q-Cheiltis“ ar na teangacha Gaelacha.[ii]   
Ar dtús, cuir i gcomórtas Gaeilge na hÉireann, an Choirnis, agus an an Bhreatnais. 

Mar shampla, ciallaíonn an focal Gaelach ceathair go peswar i gChoirnis agus go pedwar  i mBreatnais.   
Mar an gcéanna, is an focal Gaelach ceann pen i gChoirnis é agus i mBreatnais fosta.  
Sampla amháin eile, aistríonn an focal Gaelach cách (nó gach duine) go pup i gChoirnis agus go paup i mBreatnais.

Tá roinnt focail cosúil lena chéile (agus a rá freisin) sna trí teangacha sin.  Seo samplaí[iii]:-

Gaeilge
Coirnis
Breatnais
Béarla
Tír
Tyr
Tir
Land
Tonn
Ton
Ton
Wave
Abhainn
Avon
Avon
River
Aimsír
Amser
Amser
Weather
Milis
Melys
Melys
Sweet
Lán
Lun
Llawn
Full

Litrítear na focail Breatnaise seo ar bhealach difriúil iad, ach tá siad labhartha mar an gcéanna le focail Gaelacha.[iv]

Gaeilge
Breatnais
Béarla
Aon
Un
One
Déag
Deg
Ten
Eaglais
Eglwys
Church
Papéir
Papur
Paper
Caol
Cul
Narrow
Leabhar
Llyfr
Book

Mar gheall ar laethanta na seachtaine, tá trí cosúil lena chéile ach tá ceathair difriúil leis an gcuid eile, mar sin:-

Gaeilge
Breatnais
Béarla
Dé luain
Dydd Llun
Monday
Dé Máirt
Dydd Mawrth
Tuesday
Dé Sathairn
Dydd Sadarn
Saturday



Dé Domhnaigh
Dydd Sul
Sunday
Dé Céadaoin
Dydd Mercher
Wednesday
Dé Déardaoin
Dydd Lau
Thursday
Dé hAoine
Dydd Gwener
Friday

Déanann ainmneacha eile fianaise le ceangailte cultúrtha agus stairiúla idir Éire agus an Bhreatain Bheag.  Tagann sloinnte áirithe ó Logainmneacha.  
Smaoinigh ar an logainm An Bhreatain Bheag (Little Britain Wales).   
Is é Walsh an sloinne is coitianta, uimhir a ceathair, in Éirinn é.  
Is éagsúlachtaí Walshe, Welsh, Brannagh agus Breathnach iad.  
Thug teacht na Normannach agus saighdiúirí Breatnaise an sloinne seo go hÉireann.[v] 

Ba gnách liom oibriú in Inis Ceithleann ar feadh cúig bliana go Leith.  
Mar an gcéanna, smaoinigh ar an focal Breatnaise, Ynys,  agus an logainm galldaithe Anglesey.   Ciallaíonn an focal seo go Ynys Môn i mBreatnais.  Is Ynys focal Coirnise é fosta.  
Aistríonn an logainm Scilly Isles (agus Ynys san uimhir iolra) go Enesek Syllan  i gChoirnis.  
Inis Ceithleann Enesek Syllan - abair os ard iad.

An chiall atá leis an bhfocal Bhreatnaise, caer, is An Chathair é - nó ringfort/castle  i mBéarla.  Fuaimnítear caer cosúil leis Cathair (Cahir, nó Caisleán na Cathrach) i gContae Thiobraid Árann.   
Is caer réimír le roinnt cathracha Bhreatnaise í, mar shampla an phriomhcathair Caerdydd (Day ringfort, Cardiff) agus Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen).
Comh mhaith leis an t-ainm áitiúil i gCiarraí, Cathair Saidhbhín. 

Tá mé idir dhá intinn.  Freagair an cheist seo.  
Más cathair focal Q-Cheiltise é, cad chuige nach bhfhuil logainm na phriomhcathair Bhreatnaise Paerdydd (Pardiff)?


[i] A Handbook of the Cornish Language. Henry Jenner (2010 reprint of original 1904 texts)
[ii] The Cornish language and its Literature P Berresford Ellis Routledge & Kegan Paul 1974
[iii] Ibid. pp6,7
[iv] Beginner’s Welsh with 2 audio CDs. Heini Gruffudd. Hippocrene Books New York. 2008