Is 'éist do bhéal' the equivalent of 'shut up!' (i.e. very rude) or stay quiet (not as rude)

I was about to say it to one of my children the other day, but stopped myself thinking that it's not really appropriate. I know there are alternatives, but they all seem inappropriate for parenting situations also. Smaointe le bhur dtoil?

'Éist do bhéal!' nó 'Dún do chlab!' nó 'Bí i do thost!'
First two seem the worst, possibly 'Bí i do thost' is o.k.?

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My impression is that "éist do bhéal" is pretty rude (as you say, the equivalent of "shut up"). I'd stick with option 3.

Redwolf

So you are pretty confident that if I use, 'Bí i do thost' I won't have social services at the door? I will probably have LOTS of opportunities to use it....

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Option 3 is fine - similar to be quiet or Silence in English. Maybe Go socair leat or Ciúnas as my teacher used say

'éist do bhéal'
shut your gob

...well, if 'rude' means direct and to the point, then this is it

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Bí cinnte de go nglacfaidh triúr le gach aistriúchán a thabharfar.
Be sure to get three in agreement with a translation given.

Another option is simply "ciúnas."

Redwolf

I think Éist ! on its own is just "Shhh!" often translated "Whuist" in Hiberno-English.

It's the addition of do bhéal that makes it strong, though I doubt it is as impolite as "shutup".

A lot of the nuance of these things tends to be in the tone.

Bí i do thost ! could also be impolite with a strong intonation.

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WARNING: Intermediate speaker - await further opinions, corrections and adjustments before acting on my advice.
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

Not "rude" in the same sense in English, as far as I'm aware. It would have been the choice of words of teachers if they really wanted us to be quiet at school, if we said something inappropriate or whatever. Not rude, but quite strong.

I'm not sure that addressing young children with the equivalent of 'shut your gob' is what I am striving for - no matter how tempting or how justified at times....

Actually, this could be exactly what I am looking for. I had overlooked it as an option, but fits the bill nicely.

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That is what I say to the dogs. Not that they listen anyhow.




Like Gumbi said it can sound ruder in English than it is in Irish.

Dúin do chlab - is closer to "shut your gob". And I remember my Mom thinking that was very rude to say.


Éist ! - is a good word.

"Éist leis" - can have two meanings: "Listen to it/him" and "Leave it/him (alone)"
(unless the later has a different spelling that I'm not aware of)

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
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