Hello.
I'm looking to have this tribute to my father translated into Gaelic for a tattoo. "He is his Father's son." As in, I resemble my Father, and become more like the person he is, as I grow older. I don't know much about the language, or the differences in dialect. I've chosen it as a tribute to my Father's heritage, as well. Thank you for whatever help is offered.
Corey

We get this one occasionally, and it seems to me that it's not a terribly natural idiom in Irish, but I can't remember what has been said about it. I'm going to give you a very literal translation here, but please wait for more input (and be open to expressing this in a different way) before doing anything permanent.

Is mac a athar é

Redwolf

"He is his father's son"


It should be Is é mac a athar é. The extra é is necessary. It may be literal, but I think it's okay. Of course there are other ways of translating the "like father, like son" thing.

This is because mac a athar is a "definite" noun, due to a, and a pronoun is required between the copula and a definite noun, is that correct?


Some proverbs relating to heredity:

Briseann an dúchas trí shúile an chait.
"Heredity breaks out in the eyes of the cat."

Cad é a dhéanfadh mac an chait ach luch a mharú ?
"Like father like son" literally "what would the son of a cat do but kill a mouse?"


Dinneen also has an interesting turn of phrase:

Is athairiúil an mac é. "He is like his father"

which FGB gives as:

Is aithriúil an mac é. "Like father like son."

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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).

Wow! Those are all good! Any suggestions on old spelling , lettering and the like?

Correct (mar is maith is eol duit, a Bhreandáin - ach is maith liom an cur chuige sin).
Which reminds me I have a similar question of my own. I'll put it on a new thread.

Another usage you could consider:

Tá sé ar lorg a athar.

or, shorter for tattoo...

Ar lorg a athar
(speaking of his father...)

Ar lorg m'athar
(speaking of my father...)

Ar lorg an athar
(...after the father...)

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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.