In celebration of St Patrick's Weekend, our friend Mairead who is a secondary school teacher has written a thought-provoking and helpful piece on re-discovering (or discovering for some!) our native tongues. Go raibh maith agat Mairead!
It's that time of the year again when we all start thinking of the 'cúpla focal' we once stored safely away in the back of our minds for those occasions we may need them! Your child is coming home daily and reminding you of words from another lifetime. Safely buried away but not forgotten....
Why not try to rediscover this safely buried treasure this weekend? Why not try a few ideas to make your home a little more Gaelach do Sheachtain na Gaeilge? Try labelling some of your necessary items - an citeal to make a 'cupán deas tae', or a 'muga caife'. You may need 'siúcra' and 'bainne'. Don't forget (ná dearmad) your 'fón póca', those elusive 'eocracha' that go missing every time you need to go on a trip 'sa char'r. Have you your 'málaí siopadóireachta' for the groceries?
There are some words you need when asking / telling your child what to do :
Faigh - get
Déan - do /make
Téigh - go
Brostaigh - hurry
Cuir - put
Ól - drink
Ith - eat
Seas suas - stand up
Suí síos - sit down
When you need your children to do some everyday jobs, why not challenge them as Gaeilge?
Cá bhfuil do mhála scoile? – Where is your School Bag?
Leag an bord - Set the table
Glan d'áit - Clean your place
Scuab d'fhiacla - Brush your teeth
Scuab do ghruaig - Brush your hair
Nigh d'aghaidh - Wash your face (pronounced i-g)
Glan do sheomra - Clean your room
Faigh do bhróga - Get your shoes
Cuir ort do chóta - Put on your coat
Cá bhfuil do chóta / léine / bhróga/ stocaí?
We all have a lot more words than we think we have....
Make a conscious effort this weekend to try them out, have some fun with your children, enjoy the sounds of the words as they roll off your tongue... Your children will love practising what they've learned in school with you....
Is Teanga álainn, ársa í an Ghaeilge atá á labhairt leis na mílte bliain in Éirinn. Is Éireannaigh sinn agus is linne í. I rith Sheachtain na Gaeilge, labhair í, úsáid í, bain taitneamh aisti. Déan do dhícheall léi , bí bródúil aisti agus bí bródúil asat féin as d'iarracht !!
Beir Bua :)