An arm and a hand

franc 91 · **Posted:** Thu 26 Jul 2012 9:41 pm

I'm looking for a way to distinguish between the two. Could I get away with using either sciathán or baclainn as opposed to using lámh for both?
Here's the context (another in the series - Here's one I did earlier)

There's a monster in the cupboard - Tá ollphéist sa gcófra
I know there's a monster in there - Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil ollphéist ann
mar - because
the other day - cúpla lá ó shin/an lá cheana
he bit my fingernails - bhain sé greim as m'ingne
and - agus
then - ansin
he went further than that - chuaigh sé níos faide ná sin
he put - chuir sé
his mouth all round my hand - a bhéal timpeall mo láimhe
and then - agus ansin
he went further than that - chuaigh sé níos faide ná sin
he swallowed my arm - shlog sé mo (lámh/sciathán/baclainn?)
just like that - díreach mar sin
all the way up - suas
to my elbow - go dtí
And do you know what happened then? Agus an bhfuil a fhios agat/agaibh a tharla ansin?
No - Níl a fhios
I tickled his tonsils - Chigil mé a dhá chéislín
and made him cough - agus chuir mé ag casacht é
and then - agus ansin
he had to - bhí air
let me go! ligean dom (beith?) saor!
There's a monster in the cupboard! Tá ollphéist sa gcófra!

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

Yes you can use "sciathán" to say "arm", however I think it's an Ulster thing, and I'm afraid "sciathán" means "wing" in the other dialects.

Quote:

And do you know what happened then? Agus an bhfuil a fhios agat/agaibh a tharla ansin?

Agus an bhfuil a fhios agat cad é a tharla ansin? (cad é or cad or céard, of course)

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 2994

I've never heard "sciathán" used for a human arm.
"baclainn" is not actually part of the arm, it's what you do with your arms.

What about -
Shloig sé chomh fada le mo ghualainn. (sholder)
or
Shloig sé mo ghualainn.

or use "uillinn" - elbow.

Breandán · **Posted:** Thu 26 Jul 2012 11:14 pm

Bríd Mhór wrote:

I've never heard "sciathán" used for a human arm.

As Lughaidh said, it is an Ulster usage. :yes:

In fact, our usual translation of "She flies with her own wings" Eitlíonn sí lena sciatháin féin probably just sounds like "She flies with her own arms" to someone from Gaoth Dobhair. :darklaugh:

Braoin · **Joined:** Sat 17 Sep 2011 11:52 pm **Posts:** 460

Breandán wrote:

Bríd Mhór wrote:

I've never heard "sciathán" used for a human arm.

As Lughaidh said, it is an Ulster usage. :yes:

In fact, our usual translation of "She flies with her own wings" Eitlíonn sí lena sciatháin féin probably just sounds like "She flies with her own arms" to someone from Gaoth Dobhair. :darklaugh:

There is another word for the top part of the arm and hand:

rí

...but I have never heard or seen it except in something like:
neart mo rí = the strength of my (sword) arm

I think Bríd has it with: chomh fada le mo ghualainn = this would good sense to me...

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 2994

Lughaidh wrote:

Yes you can use "sciathán" to say "arm", however I think it's an Ulster thing, and I'm afraid "sciathán" means "wing" in the other dialects.

Tá mé buartha ! Ní bhfaca mé go raibh tú romham. :oops:

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

Quote:

There is another word for the top part of the arm and hand:

rí

...but I have never heard or seen it except in something like:
neart mo rí = the strength of my (sword) arm

but you can also say "rí na láimhe", "rí mo láimhe" agus in this case it'll be clear:
neart rí mo láimhe...

Saoirse · **Posted:** Fri 27 Jul 2012 10:30 pm

I hope I am not pushing this off topic, but I have the same difficulty with cos meaning foot and leg or are there different words?

An Cionnfhaolach · **Joined:** Fri 09 Mar 2012 6:16 pm **Posts:** 1527

I don't think they're and if so I have never heard of them. But there are of course words that separate parts of the leg and foot-cromán, ard na coise, glúin, sáil srl...

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

I know you can use "troigh" to say foot...

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