I like his Irish, probably because although he isn't a native speaker, he doesn't replaces all Irish sounds by the closest English ones so his Irish doesn't sound like English, which isn't that common among non-native speakers



yeah, when you see how he treats Ken George's books and theories (I pity this man, although I think Williams is right)

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Tá díospóireacht anseo faoi -

http://ansionnachfionn.com/2012/05/11/i ... cisations/

I actually agree with Williams' approach to "elf." Tolkien's elves are very different from the Irish concept of fairies (even taking into account the Tuatha Dé Danann). Why not come up with a completely different term for them? After all, their own term for themselves wasn't "elf," it was "eldar."

We encounter people here (well, on translation forums in general) who are totally enamored with "fairies" and who have no idea whatsoever what that term means in Irish folklore. We'd be doing them no favors by accepting "sí" as a translation for "elf."

Redwolf

I definitely wouldn't like "Daoine Sídhe" or something like that for elves. My granny believed in the Aos Sí,
which I think was common enough in her area (Western Mayo) at the time and from the sense of it I picked
up from her and the stories she told me (at night, which scared the shit out of me!), using the Aos Sí would
be all wrong.

First of all, as Redwolf said, a lot of people think the Aos Sí are like little pixie fairies living in flowers or
something like that, which obviously wouldn't suit. However the real Aos Sí are too dark, I think, for Tolkiens
elves. They certainly don't have Elven nobility. Maybe somebody else who grew up with stories of the Aos Sí
can put this better than I can.

_________________
The dialect I use is Munster Irish, particularly Cork Irish, so words or phrases I use
might not be correct for other areas.

Ar sgáth a chéile a mhairid na daoine, lag agus láidir, uasal is íseal

I agree too that coining new words are better in the case of The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings.
Afterall Tolkien invented a new language for the people of Middle Earth. Calling them siógaí or leipreacháin would be inappropriate.

People have a romantic idea of fairies as little girls in flimsy clothing with wings. Maybe that is what the English fairly is like, but definitely not the Irish one.
AFAIK they looked like us, except maybe a bit smaller, and fairly malevolent. People were afraid of them. Especially afraid that they would take thier children. My Mom's aunt was very superstitious. She would never call any of her children by thier right names as that would protect them from the fairies.
I never heard of leipreacháin, except for the Hollywood version. We didn't have a tradition of them here.
There was also "Na Daoine Maithe" who acted a lot like fairies but were good and helped people.
They were looked on as ancestors, but not exactly ghosts either.

dé 'n t-ainm a bhéarfadh sí orthu mar sin?
Tá sé aisteach ainm a thabhairt ar pháiste muna n-úsáideann tú é (nó char thuig mé cad é a bhí i gceist agad?)

Here in Brittany, Breton-speaking people talk(ed) about the souls of the purgatory (ie. spirits of the dead people, who are everywhere around us but most of the time we don't see them) and about the leipreacháin, which are called oziganed, korriganed or torriganed here (they are kind of dark-haired dwarves who would steal children too or play tricks to people, hide stuff etc).

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Bhíodh leasainmeachaí (nicknames) aice dhóibh - bhí Blaicín Bhearna ar dhuine acub. It was especially dangerous if the child was outside. If the síóg knew the right name they could take the child and possibly leave a changeling.
Bhí sí aisteach.

An mise an t-aon duine amháin nár léigh riamh leabhar ar bith le JR Tolkien ná le JK Rowling?

We had a similar thing as well, they'd take the child and leave another ("fairy") child in its place. In my granny's area they also had some kind of monster who'd
steal your hay or ruin it, so you'd leave presents for him. I forget the monsters' name now fir something.

_________________
The dialect I use is Munster Irish, particularly Cork Irish, so words or phrases I use
might not be correct for other areas.

Ar sgáth a chéile a mhairid na daoine, lag agus láidir, uasal is íseal

Speaking of scary fairies, there was a horse in this year's Kentucky Derby named after this fellow:

http://dullahan.com/

Redwolf