In English, we might say, 'sit on my lap' to a child. Is 'ucht' the equivalent of 'lap' in Irish or is there a better word?
Is 'Suigh ar m'ucht' correct?

I have just realised that putting the word 'lap' on to a thread here is asking for trouble. How long before we end up talking about a form of dancing!

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I think Suigh ar m'ucht is "Sit on my breast/chest".

Suigh i m'ucht "Sit on/in my lap"

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
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), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

The only one I am familiar with would be
Suigh ar mo ghlúin
or Suigh ar mo ghlúine
for the idea of 'Sit on my lap'
so I thought it might be no harm to suggest it also...

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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.

Aha! That's what I was thinking...but I saw you were online and hoped you would comment.

I had the thought also of suggesting ar mo ghlúin also.

In English, I think sitting a child on one's knee is slightly different from sitting them in your lap. Many other languages would make no distinction between the two.

I can't say whether Irish actually makes this distinction but FGB and De Bhaldraithe have i d'ucht as "in your lap" and ar do ghlúine as on your knee.

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
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), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

That's what I'd say too.
Although "lapa" is said too, but that is probably Béarlachas.




Yes.Suigh ar m'ucht is "Sit on my breast/chest".
And if I had a "páiste i m'ucht" I would be holding him to my chest.
But "suigh i m'ucht" is right too for "sitting on lap" as it is in the dictionary but I wouldn't say it myself.

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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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Actually, that is what I say myself, but then I wondered if there was a better / another way to say it. Now, I am wondering if it should be singular or plural? I say 'Suigh ar mo ghlúine'. Is that the best option here?

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When I wanted to post about another meaning of 'ucht', I googled it and this thread was the first hit! Then I realised that I am still not sure about singular or plural for 'suigh ar mo ghlúin/ghlúine' Which is best?

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