How to say "Yes?" in Irish Gaelic

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 3001

Scooby wrote:

Bríd Mhór wrote:

Sea - is ok too. When said in that context it doesn't mean "it is" but asking the person to elaborate. It's a multi-meaning word.

I would have thought it has only become a multi-meaning word by being misused as an equivalent of the word 'yes' in English. That is to say - it's plain wrong, and Béarlachas. But you live and learn. Whether Béarlachas or not, it seems that Bríd is right (again!). Under the heading ea, FGB gives this and other examples: Is ea, is cuimhin liom í - Yes, I remember her.

It is often abused too.
A lot of learners use "sea" as an answer to ALL questions.
An bhfuil tú te? / sea (instead of "Tá") . That is cringe worthy.

Redwolf · **Posted:** Tue 02 Oct 2012 6:07 pm

It seems to fill the spot of "yeah" and "uh huh."

Redwolf

Breandán · **Posted:** Tue 02 Oct 2012 6:30 pm

Okay, thanks, Bríd, that makes sense.

I have also seen and heard sea (and hea) used as "well" or "so" to start a conversation, though I think more people say "bhuel" nowadays.

So, in summary, some example patterns:

- (A) Dheaide ? "Daddy?"
- 'Sea, a stóirín ? "Yes, darling?"

- (A) Dheaide ? "Daddy?"
- Céard é féin, a leanaí ? "What is it, kids?"

- (A) Dheaide ? "Daddy?"
- É ? or Hea ? "Huh?" :LOL:

Sea, anois nach bhfuil cupla rá le húsáid againn ? (So, don't we have a couple of phrases we can use now?)

CaoimhínSF · **Joined:** Sun 04 Sep 2011 11:02 pm **Posts:** 1581

I wonder whether é or ea used that way is the origin of the Scottish "aye". The Scots and people in Ulster often say "Oh, aye", which could also come from "O, tha" or maybe "O, [s]eadh".
Note: eadh = Scottish Gaelic ea. The "d" was there in the old Irish form ed, so the Scottish Gaels didn't make it up.

Editing to say that I just found two forms of "aye" in an old Gaelic-English dictionary, although I'd never seen it written before without the "e", and it looks as though it does come form [s]eadh:

ay, adv. seadh, gu dearbh
This would be the "aye, aye" form of the word.

aye, adv. do gnàth, gu bràth
This would be the Scots usage in phrases like "It's aye [i.e. "always"] the same".

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 3001

Breandán wrote:

Hea ? "Huh?" :LOL:

It is used that way too. :yes:

Seaghan · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 12:09 pm **Posts:** 118

I suppose Irish will always be somewhat handicapped by not having a 'yes' and 'no'.

As it is, most learners say ''seadh', when they usually should use 'tá', but then again, how much worse is that when most native speakers say 'tá, yeah', or 'no, ní'l', or is that 'ní'l' no ?

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have 'seadh' as a new 'yes' word, at least it's Irish. :hide: