Hello all,

Ever since I have begun learning Munster Irish, I have had a relatively easy time in regards to vocabulary, as most Munster Irish words are similar to the Caighdeán Oifigiúil, however, I have a question about some specific words that always confuse me, I know many translations for the words in Irish, but I don't know which ones are used most commonly throughout Munster. I'll list the English terms below. Any help is greatly appreciated.

way - the words that I know are: caoi, nós, bealach, and slí, I think slí being the most common in Munster, but I could be wrong. I believe that bealach is used to mean a narrow, winding road, but it has taken on less literal usages.

to think - I have seen ceapaim, sílim, and smaoinim, sílim seemingly being the least common, and is dóigh liom being the most common, although I don't think this construction could work in the sense of 'I am thinking', and it might also be slightly awkward in other tenses (especially in the future, which, as far as I know, is also impossible).

to be able to do sth. - I have heard of a bheith i n-ionn (= i n-ann [also i ndán ?]) rud 'o dhéanamh, a bheith ábalta rud 'o dhéanamh, is féidir lé [duine] rud 'o dhéanamh, and féad (verb). I'm pretty sure that i n-ionn (= i ndán ?) is found less commonly, in Munster, and féad and féidir being more common. I also know that the meaning can change slightly depending on which form you use.

I realize that this is a lot of stuff, but any help is highly valued.

Go roibh maith agaibh
Naoi (Séamus)

A Shéamais, a chara,

I have extensively studied East Munster Irish (Déise), and despite being very similar to the rest of Munster, it also has some unique features, as well as features found in Ulster and/or Connaught and not in the rest on Munster, so my answer might not be fully accurate to all of Munster:



Caoi (or as it should be spelled, cao, since it is pronounced "caé" in Munster and would still be pronounced the same as "caoi" in the other dialects) means a way in the sense of a way of doing something, a manner.
Nós can be translated as traditionnal ways, rules, customs.
Bealach in Cannaught (and Ulster?) means way in general, but in East Munster it has a more restricted meaning and cannot be used the way it is in the other dialects, it specifically means a pass, a passage, a narrow pass.
Slí means a way, as in which way to go, though it can be used to say manner such as in slí beatha, it usually pertains to a physical way and directions.



All of those are very common in East Munster.

Is dóigh liom (-igh not pronounced) doesn't mean I think in the sense of forming thoughts or the active action of thinking, it means I think in the sense of I think that, I believe that etc.
Ceapaim can mean a few things, but it's closest meaning to "I think" would be I conceive (the idea that), I expect that, I make my mind up, I have a set thought that, I lay my mind down to. This one is a little bit difficult to translate.
Sílim means I think in the sense of I think that, I believe that or to think of doing something. I think it's the word that best fits "I think" in English.
Smaoinim really means I form a thought, I think of a something, I reflect on.

Note that depending on what you want to say, some of these verbs may be interchangeable.



All of the following essentially mean the same afaik and are all commonly found in East Munster.

tháim (or less often táim) i n-ann (pronounced ah-oon roughly) rud a dhéanadh.
thá rud a dhéanadh ionam.
tháim ábalta/ábaltha er rud a dhéanadh.
is féidir liom rud a dhéanadh.
féadaim.



I hope this helps!
I'd really be interested in knowing how it is in other dialects.

Go roibh míle maith agat, a Chanúnaighe,

'S é an canamhaint 'o bhím aig úsáid is minice 'ná Gaoidhealainn Chorca Dhuibhne, agus measaim go bhfuilid an dá chanamhaint sin beagainín difreamhail. Ach i n-aon chor, bíonn mórán focail mar a gcéanna. Go roibh maith agat as ucht do chuid cabhraithe!