Hello! I was wondering if I could get some help on the translation of a "family motto"?

I'm looking for a translation of a saying my mother once told me in either (CO) or (SL):
Always blessings, never losses.

This means (to me): That whatever may happen it is always a blessing ( a good thing even if you don't think it is at first) and is never a loss (of opportunities, life, ect.)

Thank you.

Since no one else has given this a shot, I will give it a go. Be aware that I should not be trusted, as I am not a native speaker by any means.


Beannachtaí i gcónaí, cailleanna riamh

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ЯГОН ТОҶИК НЕСТ ИНҶО???

Thank you for your help. When I first began trying to translate it I got a similar answer, but was unsure of even starting to find the proper grammar.

Doesn’t cailleanna riamh mean something like oses ever without any negation? Wouldn’t it need to be something like beannachtaí i gcónaí, gan cailleanna riamh (or the second part negated some other way)?

No problem, but as I said I'm not really any good compared to others here so please wait for other advice!!


That's a good point -- I have no idea. All the better reason to wait for further advises!

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This would be my understanding too. Doesn't gan lenite though?

gan chailleanna riamh

works I think.

Wait for further input...

This has been a lot of help, thank you all for the input.

beannachtaí i gcónaí, gan cailleanna riamh,
this follows the message that I am trying to say, but i am a bit confused as to the usage of the word "gan" in this context.
Anymore input is appreciated.

'Gan' can mean 'not': 'gan....riamh' = 'not....ever' = 'never'. But I don't think it works here. I've got to rush away, but will try to give an alternative version later. (I already have one in mind, and it probably won't change/improve between now and then.)

I'm new to this question/thread, but will contribute what I can.

According to the teangleann.ie Irish Language database, "riamh" means both "ever" and "never" and is presumably determined by the context of the sentence.

In the case under discussion, since the term "losses" carries a negative connotation, I might suspect that cailleanna riamh may be entirely adequate, since it would be highly unusual to say "losses ever". This is a contextual argument, of course, and some may not like it, but I would object to "gan" being employed here as I never see it used in connection with "riamh" (in my somewhat limited experience). Nor do I think it would be correct to put ní at the head of the expression.

I am not a native speaker either, but have studied the language off and on since 1974, and in everything I have seen or read, "riamh" always follows the connotation of the expression it is connected with. On the other hand, I could be dead wrong.....

Dale D

I don't think I'd interpret "riamh" as "never" without negation.

Redwolf