The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-06
ENGLISH IN IRELAND
How the Language Is Spoken
There.
MANY PECULIAR USES
Funny Mistakes Made by Sons
of Erin.
USES

Speaking generally, some of the leading
features of English as spoken in Ireland
are the marked absence of all local ola
lects, except in Ulster, where broad Scotch
more or less prevails; the use of long
words or dictionary English" great
power of amplification-i G., Of repeating
the same idea under different forms Of
expression-and an equal power of pic
tluesaue illustration. Certain English
words are also used in sense peculiar to
Ireland. As regards the employment of
long words. some instances have been al
ready given in a former article on the
subject. but a few more may be added.
The writer had a parishioner who died
lately in hospital after an apoplectc seiz-
ure. When the nurse in charge was
asked if he had spoken subsequently TO
the attack, she said, Yes. he spoke
few incorporate words" probably mean
ing '.incoherent" The word gladiator"
il, also favorite descriptive term for
noisy. forward, troublesome fellow.
What a gladiator he isl 1t is curious
how simple Irish people have got hold
OF a classical word like this, and be-
csme SO fond of it. OF simpler forms of
N~--0-
in Ireland from what they are in Eng
land, take the following:
How we'll" 1t is very hard to convey
the Irish sense of this ejaculation. An
Englishman would say, How well you
lookr' or. How well you did that" but
not so in Ireland. An Irish beggar wom-
an said to the writer within the last few
days: How well, your Reverence, you
didn't go to the races!" Take other in
stances fresh from the mint How well
Mickey Keefe can't drink Mrs. Walsh's
whisky when we all can drink itH' or
1--WE had a grand mission in the parish,
glory be to Cod last month; but how
well the KeIlys stole the nuns ducks all
the samer' There is a subtle delicate
flavor in this Irish use of How WELL
which it is extremely hard for an out
slider to perceive and appreciate. 1t is
really hard to define it; when spoken, its
meaning is perhaps more clearly con-
veyed. The root idea seems to be con-
trast. Thus. How well you didn't go to
the races means that in spite of all the
attractions, and although so many others
went, you didn't go; or, How well the
KelIys stole the nuns ducks!" how, even
in spite of the mission, they did it. This
seems to be the main idea of the express
sion but it is very undefnable; 1t is
perfectly and peculiarly Irish
The word shine" has a special mean
ing in Ireland; it means to agree, to har
monize Thus, you will hear it said.
1.-The members of the Board of Guardians
didn't shine at their last meeting; no,
they didn't" This does not necessarily
imply that they did not distinguish them
selves, but that they could not would
not, or did not agree. 1.-The chairsman
(sic) couldn't shine at all wild the likes of
some Of them; it couldn't be expected of
him
Chewing the rag" is an Irish form Of
expression never heard by the writer out
of Ireland. Like How we'll" it leaves
room for wide application. When Oliver
Cromwell issued a Declaration of the
Lieutenant of ireland for the Unde-
ceiving of Deluded and Seduced People,
given at Youghal. January, 1919, he said
in that remarkable document-which Car
lyle describes as lone of the remarka-
blest state papers ever published in Ire
land since Shtrongbow, or even since ST |
Patr1ck''-'I will give you some worm
wood to bite on" So it is with Chew |
ing the rag" 1t is the giving of some |
thing disagreeable to bite on; the launch |
ing of some topic for public discussion. |
and consumption of an unpleasant nature. /
As rule, Irishmen are kept by their po-
nticai and other Irish leaders chewing |
the rag ever and always" as the IT. |
ish phrase Isl e., kept chewing the /
rag Of some grievance past and present /
And there is an unconscious, and per-
haps unsupported truth hidden in the /
saying, for many of these rags are rags
pure and simple. The yare devoid Of nu- |
triment and flavor; they are not even |
bones, much less bones clothed with flesh: |
they are rags only, sapless. tasteless; and |
yet, in spite of all this. chewing the /
rag" has become a favorite national oc-
cupation, If not even pastime. in Ire
land
The word head" has peculiar use in |
the country. The police are an important /
body, and a heaG constable is ALWAYS |
called the head" In an Irish town
you Will often hear the inquiry: Did YOU
see the head?' Did you tell the heade"
Head Gallisan or Heal Mulligan. as the
case may be, is a most important person
age in Irish society. Sometimes also when
& head retires he is described as the
ex-head." Thus me ''ex-head" of Ire
land nowadays is more remarkable and
miraculous than the "axe-head" of Eli
sha's time. for the modern "ex-head"
not only floats. but sleeps. eats. walks.
talks. and discharges all the functions of
humanity. But it IS strange and amusing
10 ears unaccustomed to the title TO hear
such a remark as this: i consulted the
ex-hesd about it
start is another simple word used in
a special sense in Ireland; it does not
necessarily mean a beginning. it only
means for a certain time or period. Thus
you ESiil be told: ''Thady drank hard for
a start. Il lent Jimmy the horse for
a start, meaning for an interval only
The loan OF horse for a start in har
vest in Ireland might equally mean in the
nid-beginning.
Perhaps the commonest feature Of Irish
conversation. and the most striking 70
stranger. win be. not the use Of words
In different senses from what he is accus-
TONED 10. but the power OF amplification
and illustration employed in it-a facility
for heapirlS up synonyms Thus some
times You will hear one neighbor bewail-
Ing 20 another the death Of a mutual
friend much as follows: He was a grand
man. God bless him, may God be good
TO him. grand man entirely: that's the
way 10 say It. he was. he was. he was.