Language

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What’s the Difference Between Gaelic and Irish?

Irish, still spoken today as a national language of Ireland, is an ancient dialect within the Gaelic language family.

by Rachel Gresh

Cliffs of Moher from overlook, in Ireland

Ireland’s awe-inspiring Cliffs of Moher attract more than a million visitors annually to their sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, but I also paid close attention to the road signs during my recent trip. The directional signs marking the landscape were written in two languages — English and a second language that was unfamiliar to me. I would later learn that it was Irish, with the Cliffs of Moher also bearing the name Aillte an Mhothair (meaning “cliffs of ruin,” referring to the relics of a nearby stone fort). As I ventured deeper into Ireland, I encountered more traces of this ancient language and its centuries-old connection to Gaelic.

To understand the bond between Gaelic and Irish, we must turn back the clock a few thousand years to the Celtic people of ancient Ireland. Celtic is a family of languages that flourished in the British Isles for 1,000 years, from around 500 BCE to 500 CE. The Celtic language family is divided into two branches: Britonic (Welsh, Cornish, and Breton) and Gaelic (Scottish Gaelic, Manx, and Irish). Irish, as a member of the Gaelic family, is sometimes called “Irish Gaelic” or just “Gaelic” in Ireland. This distinction can confuse non-native speakers and tourists, such as myself, but for clarity, we’ll call it “Irish.”

Two national languages coexist in Ireland: English and Irish. As one of the oldest written languages in the world, Irish became widespread across the island by the fifth century. Its influence spread further to Scotland and the Isle of Man with the rise of Christianity, which is why Scottish Gaelic and Manx share many linguistic features. The three Gaelic languages are almost identical when spoken.

Much like the English language’s evolution through Old, Middle, and Modern, Irish also underwent four defining stages: Ancient, Old, Middle, and Modern. However, by the 19th century, Modern Irish was on the brink of extinction due to political and social turmoil. It was saved by the founding of the Republic of Ireland in 1922, which sparked a national renaissance, leading to the celebration of Irish culture and the revitalization of the language.

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How To Pronounce Common (and Commonly Confused) Irish Names

Today, Irish is spoken by about 1.9 million people in three main dialects: Ulster (north), Connacht (west), and Munster (south). Many streets and signs across Ireland proudly display both English and Irish, a nod to the nation’s rich heritage. Beyond signage, plenty of Irish words have made their way into everyday English, including “smithereens,” “bard” (as in “poet”), “craggy,” “hubbub,” “banshee,” “divot,” “shamrock,” and — last but certainly not least — “whiskey.” This ancient language has survived thousands of years of reinvention and made a lasting impact on the English language.

Featured image credit: KeithSzafranski/ iStock

Vocabulary

3 MIN READ

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Why Should You Know What “Craic” Means?

Discover why you should learn the Irish slang “craic” in time for St. Patrick’s Day — it’s bound to bring a whole lot of fun to your celebrations.

by Rachel Gresh

"What's the craic?" written with marker and four leaf clovers

The Irish language has given us an abundance of lively expressions, but during a recent visit to the Emerald Isle, I came across one word that we don’t often hear on this side of the Atlantic: “craic.” While enjoying a cherished Irish pastime — a pint at a pub among good company — my husband and I noticed several staff sporting T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “Real Craic.” Curious, we asked our server about it, and with a smile, he explained, “It means you’re having a good time — a lot of fun!” If there’s one thing you can always count on in Éire (the Irish-language version of the country name), there’s always plenty of craic to be had.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, our server’s definition was spot-on. Pronounced just like the English word “crack,” craic refers to “fun, amusement; entertaining company or conversation.” This Irish term rose to popularity in the late 1970s as a catchphrase on the Irish-language TV variety program SBB ina Shuí, where it was used in the phrase, “beidh ceol, caint agus craic againn,” meaning “we will have music, talk, and fun.”

Because the Scottish Gaelic and Irish languages are so intertwined, craic crossed the Irish Sea to the United Kingdom, where I spotted it again later in my trip. The slang word seemed to be just as popular in Scotland, where I found it written on a keepsake mug, now one of my favorite souvenirs.

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Today, as Queen’s University Belfast notes, craic is widely used in casual conversation to describe anything that promises enjoyment. It’s often paired with complimentary adjectives such as “good,” “real,” or “great.” For example, the friend who always has a joke is “good craic,” and that long-anticipated summer concert? That’ll be “great craic.” Similarly, if you’re doing something “for the craic,” it’s simply “just for fun.” And try adopting the classic Irish greeting: “What’s the craic?” — a casual, friendly way of asking “What’s up?” or “How are you?”

As you gear up for some “real craic” on St. Patrick’s Day, don’t forget to embrace this quintessentially Irish term. It’s a perfect way to add a bit of authentic spirit from the Emerald Isle into your celebrations. Sláinte! (Health! Or Cheers!)

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Vocabulary

2 MIN READ

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What Are ‘Ides’?

We’ve all heard the warning, “Beware the ides of March,” but there’s actually nothing to fear. The ides are just another day on the calendar.

by Bennett Kleinman

Long before horror author Stephen King was on bestseller lists, Shakespeare was making the ides of March sound pretty scary in his play Julius Caesar. In Act 1, the soothsayer Artemidorus warns Caesar to “beware the ides of March” shortly before his assassination on that fated day. Were the ides to blame for Caesar’s death? Should we also be wary of these ides?

The answer is no, as “ides” is simply an ancient Roman term for the day that falls in the middle of a month. It refers to the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of other months. The Roman calendar was a lunar calendar, and the dates weren’t based around the concept of a week, but instead around the phases of the moon. It’s also important to note the Romans didn’t number the days of the months sequentially; their day planners (if they existed) were based around three key moments: “kalends” (the first of the month), “nones” (the ninth day before the ides), and “ides” (the 13th or 15th, depending on the month). We get the word “calendar” from the Latin kalends.

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Here’s how this system worked in practice, using March as an example. What we call March 1 was the “kalends of March.” March 2 through March 6 were called “X days before the nones of March,” March 7 translated to the “nones of March,” March 8 through March 14 were “X days before the ides of March,” and March 15 was the “ides of March.” The 16th through the last day of the month were “X days before the kalends of April.”

While the phrase “ides of March” may be particularly famous due to Julius Caesar, it’s just another day, at the end of the day. We hope you take solace in knowing there’s nothing to be wary of.

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Language

2 MIN READ

44 LIKES

Why Is ‘Oxymoron’ an Oxymoron?

Much like “deafening silence” and “jumbo shrimp,” the word “oxymoron” is a bit of an oxymoron in itself.

by Bennett Kleinman

The word “oxymoron” may sound like an insult or maybe a cleaning product sold by Billy Mays, but it’s neither. It’s the name for a figure of speech where contradictory terms appear together (e.g., “minor crisis,” “small crowd,” “bittersweet”). But the word “oxymoron” also falls into that category, as it’s derived from ancient Greek words that contradict each other.

Let’s break it down: “Oxymoron” comes from the Greek oxumōron, which combines oxus (meaning “sharp”) and mōros (“foolish”). Calling something both sharp and foolish comes across as, well, oxymoronic, thus making the word “oxymoron” a perfect example of what it describes.

But being a walking contradiction never stopped the word from becoming a part of our collective vernacular. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it became popular in the mid-17th century, with people using it to rhetorically emphasize blatantly contradictory phrases. While you may be tempted to call someone an oxymoron as a personal descriptor, doing so wouldn’t be by the book. Instead, the term is best reserved for incongruous sets of words.

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There are several ways to use variations of “oxymoron.” In adjective form it’s “oxymoronic,” as in the sentence, “That phrase is oxymoronic.” As an adverb it’s “oxymoronically,” as in, “She used those words oxymoronically.” But if you want to use it as a verb, you’re out of luck, as you’d never say, “I oxymoroned.” With all their inherent contradictions, we advise you to use your oxymorons carefully.

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Grammar

3 MIN READ

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When Is It OK To Shorten ‘And’ To ’N’?

The evolution of this playful contraction unveils an enduring truth about the English language: an irresistible tendency to shorten things whenever possible.

by Rachel Gresh

English speakers have a penchant for shortening words into contractions — even if the words are already brief. Take, for instance, Joan Jett’s 1980s anthem “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” In this case, “and” is reduced to a one-letter contraction: ‘n.’ The rock legend embraced a catchy spelling variation of “rock and roll,” but this quirky twist isn’t used by everyone. The AP Stylebook calls for “rock ‘n’ roll,” but Merriam-Webster spells out “rock and roll” (with “rock ‘n’ roll as a variant), and the hall of fame for the music genre uses an ampersand (&) in its title. Nevertheless, you don’t have to be a rock star to use the contraction.

The short ‘n’ is often reserved for select phrases, especially food items, as seen in “fish ‘n’ chips” and “mac ‘n’ cheese,” or in proper names, such as the moniker of hip-hop group “Salt-N-Pepa.” Yet other famous duos, such as “peanut butter and jelly” or “Batman and Robin,” don’t share the same treatment. The decision of when to use ‘n’ isn’t about strict grammar rules but rather personal preference and what feels most natural in context.

The use of ‘n’ is far from a new trend — we’ve been shortening it for more than 150 years. The Oxford English Dictionary traces an early recorded usage back to an 1858 edition of The Atlantic Monthly: “To beat the taown ‘n’ the keounty.” The practice gained further momentum in the early 20th century as newspapers and magazines shifted to a more casual tone.

Yet, when opting to shorten “and,” there’s still the matter of apostrophes: How many are there, and where do they go? While no clear-cut rule dictates the number or positioning, the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster favor bookended apostrophes, as seen in their preferred spellings of “mac ‘n’ cheese” and “rock ‘n’ roll.” Variants with single apostrophe placement, such as “rock n’ roll” or “rock ‘n roll,” are far less common. (However, the first documented appearance of the music genre in print was in a 1938 song lyric, spelled “rock an’ roll.”) The bookended-apostrophe convention follows a long-standing English tradition in which missing letters are replaced with apostrophes to form contractions, as seen in “don’t” (“do not”) and “’til” (“until”). In the case of “rock ‘n’ roll,” both the first and last letters were dropped, justifying apostrophes at both ends.

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While weighing the pros ‘n’ cons of using ‘n’ in your writing, consider this: The decision should be guided by context and tone. It’s best suited for informal conversations or where it’s a stylistic touch, such as on restaurant menus or in social media posts. The beauty of informal contractions is that they make language feel more fun and approachable when used appropriately.

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Idioms

2 MIN READ

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How Did the Phrase ‘Son of a Gun’ Originate?

It can be said as a compliment or shouted after stubbing your toe, but the original context of “son of a gun” may have been far more literal.

by Bennett Kleinman

“Son of a gun!” is an interjection with many uses. It can be used as an affectionate term of address when slapping your best friend on the back and calling them a “son of a gun” after a fun night out. You might also shout “son of a gun!” after accidentally slamming your thumb inside the kitchen cabinet. Either way, this is an interesting combination of words, so let’s take a closer look at its roots.

Unfortunately, “son of a gun” is one of those phrases without a 100% certifiable origin story, so we’re left to make some assumptions based on the info we have. One theory is that it’s a rhyming euphemism for the far more crude phrase “son of a b*tch,” (which originated in Shakespeare’s King Lear if you want a bit of literary trivia to excuse your cursing). While this may be true, there’s no direct evidence to back up the euphemism theory, so it’s safer to assume the tie between the phrases is conjecture.

A likelier theory involves British navy life. We begin with a citation from an 1823 slang dictionary by John Badcock, stating “son of a gun” means “a soldier’s bastard [child].” This is supported by an 1867 nautical terms compilation from William Henry Smyth, who wrote the term is “[a]n epithet … originally applied to boys born afloat, when women were permitted to accompany their husbands to sea.” In each of these examples, the “son of a gun” was the literal offspring of a navy or military man.

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While we can’t conclusively claim the term was coined by British sailors, those citations do indicate that “son of a gun” was widely used among seafaring Brits before being widely adopted by others. Over time, the idiom lost its inherent connection to the military and is used today as an exclamation, both positive and negative.

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Idioms

2 MIN READ

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Where Did the Phrase ‘Mum’s the Word’ Come From?

“Mum” may be the first word of many British babies, but the phrase “mum’s the word” comes with an unrelated backstory.

by Bennett Kleinman

When you hear the phrase “mum’s the word,” you might assume a British person is talking about their dear old mother. But the expression has nothing to do with anyone’s parents. Instead, it means to stay silent, and it’s usually used in reference to keeping a secret.

The word “mum” comes from the Middle English “mommen” — a verb meaning “to speak softly or remain silent” — which was coined circa 1400. By the late 15th century, the word “mom” (sometimes spelled “mum”) came to mean “an inarticulate closed-mouth sound,” according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. This sound showcased an inability or unwillingness to speak openly and freely.

During the 16th century, people began to say “mum is counsel,” with “counsel” meaning “advice.” This phrase meant it was in someone’s best interest to keep their mouth shut. The Oxford English Dictionary cites several examples of this phrase throughout the 16th century. In the late 17th century, the words “is counsel” were swapped out for “the word,” and so “mum’s the word” became the most common wording thereafter.

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The word “mum” by itself became particularly popular thanks to William Shakespeare’s 1591 play Henry VI, Part 2. During an Act 1 monologue, the character Sir John Hume says, “Seal your lips, and give no words but ‘mum’” — essentially duplicating the meaning of “mum’s the word.” Given Shakespeare’s popularity, it’s fair to say that his use of the term helped make it, and the relation to silence, more common in society’s collective vernacular.

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Grammar

3 MIN READ

55 LIKES

Are You Overusing the Em Dash?

Could the rise of the em dash lead to its eventual fall from grace? Here’s how to avoid overusing this beloved hyphen — and why doing so will enhance your writing.

by Rachel Gresh

In a world increasingly overrun with AI-generated content, a recent rumor is making the rounds: If it contains em dashes, it wasn’t written by a human. This notion is mostly unfounded — em dashes (the long dash in this sentence) and other types of punctuation marks aren’t clear AI hallmarks. However, it’s likely the AI tool was trained on writing that used em dashes a bit too liberally, creating writing output scattered with the punctuation mark. Perhaps some writers could stand to exercise more restraint when it comes to wielding the mighty em dash.

“Em” stands for the letter “M,” as the “—” is about the same width as the letter, and the en dash (–) is the width of an “N.” The em dash is the longest, most dramatic punctuation mark in the dash family. It can function as a comma, semicolon, or parentheses, creating a pause or offsetting information with flair. Meanwhile, the more modest en dash and simple hyphen have quieter roles, connecting number ranges and forming compound words, respectively. They’re typically marked safe from overuse. But the em dash? It has become a teacher’s pet among punctuation marks, volunteering at every opportunity.

Reserve em dashes for moments of abrupt thought or emphasis, as in, “She couldn’t believe it — a surprise party!” or “The new TV series — starring Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and George Clooney — is getting rave reviews.” In these instances, no other type of punctuation would garner the same pause or excitement. But remember, the more often you deploy the em dash, the less impact it will have.

While it’s undeniably popular in modern communication, the em dash has been around since 1836, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The mark first made headway in poetry, and by the 20th century, it was nearly impossible to find a poet who didn’t use it. Consider Robert Frost’s memorable lines from The Road Not Taken (1916): “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” The use of a different punctuation mark is unthinkable.

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Even Shakespeare adopted an early form of a long dash to indicate pauses in his playwriting, revealing a long-standing desire to build suspense or amplify drama by using this clever piece of punctuation. Just remember to take a page from Shakespeare’s playbook and use it only when necessary to make a lasting impression.

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Vocabulary

3 MIN READ

50 LIKES

Is it ‘Anyway’ or ‘Anyways’?

“Anyway” and “anyways” are often swapped in everyday conversation — much to the chagrin of grammarians. Is this informal quirk acceptable use?

by Rachel Gresh

During a recent viewing of the quick-witted comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, I was struck by an interesting thought. It didn’t have anything to do with how the improv performers have maintained stamina for 21 seasons (though I wonder that, too), but it was about the show’s title. I questioned why the word “anyways” pops up in everyday conversation instead of the more traditional “anyway,” as used in the show’s name. It got me thinking: Is “anyways” wrong? Or maybe this is a case of “tomayto, tomahto,” and “anyways” is a harmless colloquial twist. I did some lexicographical sleuthing, and what I discovered was a surprising truth that spans centuries.

“Anyway” is the standard, formal version of the word. This useful adverb means “in any case” or “without regard to other considerations.” The latter definition applies in this context: “She had already had enough caffeine today, but she drank the coffee anyway.” It can also signify an additional consideration or a shift in thought: “I’ll call a taxi since we missed the train, and anyway, we won’t have to walk as far now.”

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The alternate spelling, “anyways,” retains the same meaning and is listed in Merriam-Webster as a dialectical or informal U.S. spelling of “anyway.” Consider it a less formal but still acceptable version of “anyway.” You’ll often see it used this way: “We had enough volunteers, but he showed up anyways.” It might seem like a modern slang-like usage, but it’s been around since the early 13th century (about as long as “anyway”) in the sense of “in any manner or respect.” Even though the spelling “anyways” has been documented with regular use for centuries, it seems to persist as one of those words that strike some people as “wrong.” We’ll let the Merriam-Webster blog editors take it from here:

Most of the early examples of anyways in this sense come from dialogue, or attempts to replicate a character's speech. This does not mean that the word is not real. It may be that many people wish that the word were not real, since they do not much care for it. However (and if we are the first ones to break this to you we are very sorry), wishing that something were not so is not a terribly effective way of effecting change in this world.

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Idioms

3 MIN READ

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Why Do We ‘Let a Cat Out of the Bag’?

It can be hard to understand what your pets are trying to communicate to you sometimes. But we’ll try to let the cat out of the bag in regard to the meaning of this idiom.

by Bennett Kleinman

Cats love to explore. They crawl under the couch or jump on the windowsill to watch the world go by. Leave a box on the floor and a cat will almost certainly make itself cozy. You can also find cats inside bags, at least metaphorically. “Letting the cat out of the bag” implies revealing a secret, whether by mistake or intentionally. But why “cats and bags,” of all the combinations? Why not “dogs and cages” or “mice and shoeboxes”? Unfortunately, we can’t be certain of this phrase’s origin story, but we can make an informed guess.

One popular theory relates to the idiom “buying a pig in a poke” (“poke” being a type of burlap bag). The phrase dates to the mid-16th century and is understood as buying something without prior inspection. When this saying came about, people were sometimes sold bags purported to contain piglets, but they actually contained cats (which were cheaper and more plentiful). This fraud may have given rise to the idea of cats secretly being stuffed into bags — and the need to let them out of the bags.

Another theory has to do with a cat-o’-nine-tails — a multi-tailed whip used to flog undisciplined sailors, sometimes stored in a bag. Researcher Gary Martin, founder of the site Phrase Finder, says this one has a reasonable timeline on its side, as the idiom “let the cat out of the bag” was documented in 1760, about 65 years after the whip was being used on the decks of the British navy ships.

This early printed example of the phrase comes from a 1760 book review in The London Magazine. The review says, “We could have wished that the author … had not let the cat out of the bag,” likely talking about a criticism of the plot being spoiled. The context suggests “cat out of the bag” was already popular and would be known by the readers by then.

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However, Martin says this and the previous theory are a bit dubious, so we’re left to draw connections where we can. We can only offer up these theories on the phrase’s origin. Unfortunately, we couldn’t let the cat out of the bag even if we wanted to, as the exact origin may be lost to time.

Featured image credit: Svetlana Sultanaeva/ iStock

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