A dog by any other name

Vitaee · **Joined:** Wed 16 Nov 2016 11:12 pm **Posts:** 196

I know madra and gadhar both mean dog, but are there any differences in meaning?? When would I use one instead of the other??

Redwolf · **Posted:** Tue 22 Nov 2016 5:24 am

Vitaee wrote:

I know madra and gadhar both mean dog, but are there any differences in meaning?? When would I use one instead of the other??

As far as I know, there's no difference. Gadhar would be used in Conamara, as would mada. Madra would be used in Munster and in the CO. In Ulster it's madadh.

Redwolf

franc 91 · **Posted:** Tue 22 Nov 2016 8:32 am

The other word in Irish is - cú, which usually means a hound or a hunting dog of some kind, though it can also mean a greyhound. A boar-hound - torc-chú, a deer-hound - fiachú, a wolfhound - cú faoil, but a foxhound is - gadhar sionnach.

Here's a small list, that you might find useful -

cocker spaniel - spáinnéar feá
springer spaniel - spáinnéar preabach
King Charles spaniel - spáinnéar Shéarlais
lurcher - luirsire
whippet - fuipéad
pointer - pointéir
setter - sotar
poodle - púdal
border collie - cóilí teorann
terrier - brocaire (because they hunted badgers)
golden retriever - aimseadóir buí
retriever/gun-dog - gadhar loirg
basset hound - aimseadóir buí
house dog - gadhar faire
sporting-dog - gadhar fiaigh

Redwolf · **Posted:** Fri 02 Dec 2016 4:33 pm

franc 91 wrote:

The other word in Irish is - cú, which usually means a hound or a hunting dog of some kind, though it can also mean a greyhound. A boar-hound - torc-chú, a deer-hound - fiachú, a wolfhound - cú faoil, but a foxhound is - gadhar sionnach.

Here's a small list, that you might find useful -

cocker spaniel - spáinnéar feá
springer spaniel - spáinnéar preabach
King Charles spaniel - spáinnéar Shéarlais
lurcher - luirsire
whippet - fuipéad
pointer - pointéir
setter - sotar
poodle - púdal
border collie - cóilí teorann
terrier - brocaire (because they hunted badgers)
golden retriever - aimseadóir buí
retriever/gun-dog - gadhar loirg
basset hound - aimseadóir buí
house dog - gadhar faire
sporting-dog - gadhar fiaigh

"Cú" refers to sight hounds/coursing breeds, which is why the foxhound isn't a "cú." Foxhounds are scent hounds, like beagles and basset hounds.

Cúmhaí · **Posted:** Thu 08 Dec 2016 9:16 pm

franc 91 wrote:

lurcher - luirsire
whippet - fuipéad
pointer - pointéir
setter - sotar
poodle - púdal

hahaha did you just make up weird sounding words and then transcribe them into Irish? or are these really dog breeds? They sound ridiculous.

franc 91 · **Posted:** Thu 08 Dec 2016 9:30 pm

Yes of course they are adapted from English, but that's what is in the Teanglann dictionary and elsewhere.

Cúmhaí · **Posted:** Thu 08 Dec 2016 10:01 pm

franc 91 wrote:

Yes of course they are adapted from English, but that's what is in the Teanglann dictionary and elsewhere.

What I mean is not is the Irish correct but rather are there really such dogs with names like "whippet" and "lurcher"??

franc 91 · **Posted:** Thu 08 Dec 2016 10:16 pm

Go cinnte

Redwolf · **Posted:** Fri 09 Dec 2016 3:50 pm

Cúmhaí wrote:

franc 91 wrote:

Yes of course they are adapted from English, but that's what is in the Teanglann dictionary and elsewhere.

What I mean is not is the Irish correct but rather are there really such dogs with names like "whippet" and "lurcher"??

Of course there are. The whippet is a member of the hound group...a smaller version of the greyhound. A lurcher is a a cross between a hound (usually a sight hound) and a working-breed dog.

http://www.celticlurchers.com/aboutlurchers.htm

http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/whippet/

Cúmhaí · **Posted:** Tue 13 Dec 2016 10:04 pm

I am afraid I simply do not have sufficient interest in or knowledge of dogs. Who knew there were so many kinds? And for heaven's sake why?? I would have been plenty satisfied with just one or two.

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