Merron Glossary (Audio)

Here is a list of all the Merron words used in The Crowded Shadows and in The Rebel Prince, just click each underlined word for audio of the whole sentence. Many many thanks to Allen and Unwin for allowing me the use of their terrific glossary.

The Crowded Shadows

A Chroí– My dear / love

A dhuine uasail – Honoured person

A gcuid páistí chomh beag bídeach go gcodlaíonn siad i ndearcán –Their children so tiny that they sleep in an acorn

A Luichín – Little mouse

Abair leo a gcuid airm a chaitheamh uathu – Tell them to throwdown their arms

Ach, Hallvor, duairt sí . . . – But, Hallvor, she says . . .

Agus – And

Amach leat – Out with you

An bhfuil drochghoile ort aris? – Have you a pain in your gut again?

An bhfuil tú ansin? – Are you there?

An Domhan / An Domhain – The World [the Merron’s versionof God]

An Lá Deireanach – The Last Day

Anois – Now

Anseo – Here

Aoire / Aoirí – Shepherd [singular / plural]

Ar fad do Chroí an Domhain – All for the Heart of the World

Ar son an Ghrá – For Love

Beidh chuile rud go maith, a chroí – Everything will be all right,my love

Bhí Ashkr anseo – Ashkr was here

Bígí ar bhur suaimhneas – Be calm

Buíochas leat – Thank you

Buíochas, a luichín – Thanks, little mouse

Cac – Shit

Cad é? – What?

Caora / Caoirigh – An Honoured Representative of the Merron God / the Merron God made flesh[singular / plural]

Caora an Domhain / Caoirigh an Domhain – Caora / Caoirigh of the World

Caora Beo / Caoirigh Beo – The Living Caora / Caoirigh

Caora Nua – New Caora

Cé hé sin? – Who is that?

Cé thú féin, a luch? – Who are you, mouse?

Ceap Milleáin – Scapegoat

Cén fáth an teanga choimhthíoch? Nach Merron thú? – Why the foreign tongue? Are you not a Merron?

Coimhthíoch– Foreigners

Coinín beag – Little Coinín

Croch leat, a bhoid clamhach – Push off, you mouldy pricks

Croch leat! Agus ná bí ag stánadh – Push off! And don’t bestaring.

Croí an Domhain / Chroí an Domhain – Heart of the World

Croí-eile – Other-heart

Dhá luch bheaga. Rua ’gus dubh! – Two small mice. Red andblack!

Fan liom. Táim beagnach in éineacht leat – Wait for me. I am nearly with you.

Fan nóiméad. Bhí orm mo chac a dhéanamh – Wait for a moment. I had to take a shit.

Féach – Look

Fear Fada / Fir Fada/ Fadaí – Holy warrior of the Merron religion[singular / plural/collective]

Fear saor – Free man

Filid – Poet [Ancient noble and hereditary title. A filid would be responsible for preserving the history of his people in oral form and then teaching it to the next generation. The preservation of history in its oral form was very much the traditional role, and any moves to write history down would have been frowned upon. The modern version of this word, file, has come to mean simply poet.]

Frith an Domhain – Frith of the World [sometimes used asMerron blasphemy]

Gabh mo leithscéal, a chroí – Excuse me / Forgive me / I’m sorry, my dear

Gabh mo leithscéal, ach bhféidir go n-inseofá dóibh go bhfuil Coinín Garron Mac Aidan an Filid anseo – Excuse me, but perhaps you would tell them Coinín Garron Son of Aidan theFilid is here.

Giota spóirt choimhthígh – A bit of foreign sport

Gread leat – Beat it

Iníon – Daughter / Daughter of

Is fear saor mise freisin – I am a free man too

Is maoin do Chroí an Domhain Sólmundr – Sólmundr is the property of the Chroí an Domhain

Le meas, a dhuine uasail. Ach cé hiad na ceoltóirí? – With respect,honoured person. But who are the musicians?

Luch bhocht – Poor mouse

Lucha rua – Red mouse

Mac – Son / Son of

Maithsibh a chúnna – Good dogs

Mo mhuirnín – My beloved / sweetheart / darling

Mo mhuirnín bocht – My poor beloved / sweetheart / darling

Mura mhiste leat – If you don’t mind

Na cúnna – The dogs

Na cúnna Cogaidh – The Warhounds

Na cúnna Faoil – The Wolfhounds

Nach bhfuil? / Nach ea? – Isn’t that right?

Níl méag eitilt – I am not flying

Níl sé go maith – He isn’t well

Níl sé réidh – He isn’t ready

Níl Tabiyb ach ina choimhthíoch – Tabiyb is only a foreigner

Ó, a mhuinín – Oh, beloved / sweetheart / darling

Puballmór – Tent [The words puball mór literally mean big tent.Here the word puballmór signifies the Merron’s distinctive conical tents.]

Rud éigin le hól – Something to drink

Scéal? – What’s the story?

Scón – Scone [Old Scots Gaelic for a specific type of griddle cake]

Sea – Yes

Sea? Táim anseo . . . – Yes? I am here . . .

Seachtain deireanach – The Last week

Slán go fóil, a dhlúthchara. Fear maith a bhí ionat i gcónaí. Fear láidir, agus fear saor go deo – Goodbye for now, my verygood friend. You were always a great man, strong, and forever free.

Suigí síos – Sit down

Tá Ashkr ag fanacht le Sól – Ashkr is waiting for Sól

Tá go maith? – All right?

Tá m’uain tagtha, a Ash. Tá an Domhan do m’iarraidh – My time has come, Ash. The World is calling me.

Tá orm cac a dhéanamh! – I need to shit!

Tá sé beagnach ina mhaidin – It’s nearly morning

Tá sé caillte – He is lost

Ta siad ina gcnap codlata – They are fast asleep

Tá Sólmundr ina Neamh-bheo dhóibh anois – Sólmundr is Walking Dead to them now

Tá teanga na Hadran acu – They speak the Hadrish tongue

Tabhair nóiméad dúinn – Give us a minute

Tarraing siar / Tarraingígí siar – Pull back [singular / plural]

Thóin caca – Shit arse

Tóg go bog é, is cairde iad – Take it easy, they are friends.

Tógfaidh Coinín m’áitse? – Coinín will take my place?

REBEL PRINCE (Glossary of words/phrases not already covered previously)

Aidan an Filid, Mac Oisín an Filid, as Tír na Garron – Aidan the Poet, Son of Oisín the Poet, from the Land of Garron

Aonach – A fair

Cad a rinne tú ? – What did you do?

Cén fáth na saighdiúirí, a Choinín? – Why the soldiers, Coinín?

Ciúnas! – Silence!

Coinín Mac Aidan ’gus Mac Sólmundr – Coinín Son of Aidan and Son of Sólmundr

Coinín. Agus é ag rith – Coinín. And he’s running.

Cosc ort nóiméad, a luch – Stop yourself for a moment, mouse

Fan nóiméad – Wait for a moment

Fear óg thú, a Choinín. Tá neart ama agat – You are a young man, Coinín. You have plenty of time.

Go h-álainn – Beautiful

Hallvor an Fada, Iníon Ingrid an Fada, Cneasaí – Hallvor an Fada, Daughter of Ingrid an Fada, Healer

Is mé atá ann! – It’s me! / I’m the one who’s here!

Luichín – Little mouse

‘Maidin Ór’ – ‘Golden Morning’

Ná bac faoí / Ná bac – Don’t bother about it / don’t let it worry you [literally don’t baulk under it; sometimes used in the sense of you’re welcome]

Ná bac faoí, a chú. Níl iontu ach amadáin – Don’t let it worry you, hound. They are only fools.

Nach ea, mo ghadhar? – Isn’t that right, my [hunting] dog?

Slán, a stór – Goodbye, dear

Sól, mo mhuirnín, tar ar ais gan mhoill – Sól, my darling, come back without delay

Tá na Haun ag imeacht, a Aoire – The Haun are leaving, Aoire

Tá sí marbh! – She is dead!

Tar anseo! – Come here!