Corpas

<L 225>
BEARLAGAR NA SAOR.

The following paper, put together by Dr. Hogan as
long ago as 1890, throws no little light on the subject of
the paper by Donnchadh O Luingsigh in last month's jour-
nal.  Dr. Hogan considers the béarlagair to be bearla
eagair, language of construction or artifical language.
His references prove that this mason's dialect, so far from
being mere jargon, contains many ancient terms, and
must have been preserved from very distant times by
Irish-speaking craftsmen.  No doubt a good deal more
of its vocabulary could still be collected.

Those who wish to investigate the subject thoroughly
may consult Evue Celtique, vol. 7, p. 369, and vol. 12,
pp. 176 and 301; also a paper on “The Irish Origin an
the age of Shelta,” by Dr. Kun Meyer, in the Journal
of the Gypsy Lore Society fro January, 1891 (Constable,
Edinbugh, publisher), and “Two Shelta Stories” by
John Sampson in the same journal for July, 1891.
“Shelta” ar “Sheldhru”(=belru, béarla) is the name of 
a dialect used by tinkers.

That there is method in the madness of Béarlagair
na Saor is easily shown.

Some words are simple inversions. Cail=leac or liag.
Eis, man=sé, he (?). Gail=liag. Geab=beag. Geasán
=Seaghán(note how the now silent g is preserved).
Lofughadh=folughadh(?)

In other words one or more consonants are substituted.
Caid=dail; ciath=cian; cuanog=cuarog; fiuch=fiodh;
féag=déad, fuadh=luadh; gosmhail=cosmhail; lais=
laimh; prosmuigh=brosduigh; scaoise or scaoire=
oidhche; sechruigh= sellruigh(?); sead=teach(?);
taor=daor.

In some instances inversion and substitution are com-
bined.  Cronik, i.e., croinneog=cloigeann; liobog=
miltog; bearalan=(maralaun)=leanabhan.

Another device is the insertion of a syllable, brú, tre,
fre, bhabh, etc.  Cabrúl=cal; caistrig=caistig=sechaid
(a common word, meaning “pass, hand, reach,” as in
“pass me the mustard”); coistrigh=coisigh; cuifreachan=
coilean; custraman=cosan; cuithre=cú, cuin; galltris-
each=gall, gaillseach; mo-bhabh-sa=mise; do-bhabh-sa=
tusa.

Then there is a foreign element. Libreacan is cetainly
from libra; sec, stop, may represent check, and stimire,
steamer.

Over and above all these, some old Irish words are
certainly used, as derc, des, dobhar, du, fearbach, iomthusa
(emthuesa), rae, triath, etc. (see vocabulary).

Turning to last month's article, we find it strengthen-
ing Dr. Hogan's collection in several instances, but the
translation is sometimes more than doubtful.  We sug-
gest:

1. Sead é an chín, the house is dirty.
2. Geab an lúd, the work is little.
3. Seic ar do bhúith, stop your (noise?).
4. Geab-éis geabanta na mbulcán sead, little boy of the
foul(words?).
5. ...cruinneacáin clútach.
6. ... gur seabhruigheas.  Tuada, compare tuaite. An
sgaoid seo=anocht.
7. Read a bhearuláin?  Long shuain, see longán.
9. Sead is here clearly=fada.  Cibir, see ciabair.
10. Drive the cows away from the way; i.e., out of the
way.  Very well (or, mar an gcéadna, also).
11. The bull...

To those who may make further contributions to this
curious study, we would say a word of perhaps unneces-
sary caution.  The meaning attached to the words by the
person who knows them should be given as he gives it,
without making any effort to reconcile it with Dr. Hogan's
vocabulary. Ed. G. J.
Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926

Bearlagair na Saor.

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Historical Irish Corpus1600 - 1926

Bearlagair na Saor.

Search Texts

Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926
