Scottish Gaelic help

[equilibrium83]

I have been very interested in Irish and Scottish culture for the longest time. Recently, I was privileged to make a trip to both places and came home with a renewed interest to learn the languages. It is quite hard finding a course where I am, so I'll have to make do with what's available online and through books/cds.

For the time-being, I'd be grateful if someone could help me with this...

I'd like to wish a friend Season's Greetings and I do see this on the internet, but perhaps there's another way to say it..without mentioning "Nollaig chridheil"? I'd like for it to be more like...have a good holiday or Yuletide season.

Also, is there a term of endearment specifically said to a guy by a woman? I know "a chuisle", "mo chride", "mo ghraide", and "a ghaoil". But is there something rare I could say?

Thanks so much!

[Redwolf]

I have been very interested in Irish and Scottish culture for the longest time. Recently, I was privileged to make a trip to both places and came home with a renewed interest to learn the languages. It is quite hard finding a course where I am, so I'll have to make do with what's available online and through books/cds.

For the time-being, I'd be grateful if someone could help me with this...

I'd like to wish a friend Season's Greetings and I do see this on the internet, but perhaps there's another way to say it..without mentioning "Nollaig chridheil"? I'd like for it to be more like...have a good holiday or Yuletide season.

Also, is there a term of endearment specifically said to a guy by a woman? I know "a chuisle", "mo chride", "mo ghraide", and "a ghaoil". But is there something rare I could say?

Thanks so much!

I don't know about Scottish Gaelic, but in Irish the closest thing to "happy holidays" or "season's greetings" would be "Beannachtaí na féile duit/daoibh" (Blessings of the festival to thee/to ye).

Redwolf

[equilibrium83]

Thanks so much, Redwolf!

[Seonachan]

Yes, Redwolf has you on the right track; the Scottish Gaelic version would be "Beannachdan nam Fèilltean ort/oirbh".

I'm not sure what to advise for a "rare" term of endearment from a man to a woman - it will depend, among other things, on the level of intimacy, and what you mean or want to get across in terms of rarity/uniqueness. There are a bunch of archaic terms (most commonly encountered in songs), but because they're archaic, using them in contemporary speech can have unintended consequences. I'm reminded of a story I was told once of a man who went to Germany armed only with the language he'd learned from operas and poetry. He arrived at a hotel and declared to the desk clerk, "Ich suche einer nächtliche Hütte", which translates roughly as "I seek a nightly abode", and sounds just as off.

And be careful of assuming equivalence between Irish and Scottish Gaelic; (if you call a girl a gruagach, she'd better be Scottish!)

[equilibrium83]

Yes, Redwolf has you on the right track; the Scottish Gaelic version would be "Beannachdan nam Fèilltean ort/oirbh".

I'm not sure what to advise for a "rare" term of endearment from a man to a woman - it will depend, among other things, on the level of intimacy, and what you mean or want to get across in terms of rarity/uniqueness. There are a bunch of archaic terms (most commonly encountered in songs), but because they're archaic, using them in contemporary speech can have unintended consequences. I'm reminded of a story I was told once of a man who went to Germany armed only with the language he'd learned from operas and poetry. He arrived at a hotel and declared to the desk clerk, "Ich suche einer nächtliche Hütte", which translates roughly as "I seek a nightly abode", and sounds just as off.

And be careful of assuming equivalence between Irish and Scottish Gaelic; (if you call a girl a gruagach, she'd better be Scottish!)

Oh, I meant to ask a term of endearment from a woman to a man. The level of intimacy - he's a...very close friend. There's a but in there somewhere.

Oh dear...seeking a nightly abode! *lol*

I understand what you mean, I believe it's always difficult to translate thoughts in English to any language. I've tried to translate Indian songs to English and failed miserably because the meaning just sounds so wrong!

I'm still learning and I don't have anyone to correct me in speech even if I were to make a mistake!

Thanks so much!

[Seonachan]

Sorry, I misread the part about who was endearing whom

So you're looking for a term that would get across something in the ambiguous territory of . . . suggestive, but with plausible deniability? With an "old soul" / romantic bent?

Another crucial bit of information is this: does the fellow in question know Gaelic himself?

Rùn is a great word, not common in speech (to my knowledge) but in lots of great old songs (Mo Rùn Geal Òg, Mo Rùn Geal Dileas, Colla mo Rùn, etc.), but it might not be sufficiently, er, complicated.

Laochan (usually used in the vocative: a laochain) is another great word, but is probably insufficiently complicated in the other direction - it's affectionate, but more of a word used for boys, or between guys (think either lad or dude)

It sounds like you want something that falls right between these two words, connotationally speaking, no?

[equilibrium83]

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[Redwolf]

And be careful of assuming equivalence between Irish and Scottish Gaelic; (if you call a girl a gruagach, she'd better be Scottish!)

Definitely! If she's Irish, you'll be calling her something along the lines of "goblin"!

I can throw some Irish weight behind "rún" (rùn, I'm assuming in Scottish Gaelic). "A rún" as an endearment in Irish could be used for anyone from a lover to a child.

Redwolf