BS: Gaelic speakers?

Subject: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: NightWing
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 03:26 PM

I know there used to be at least one person around here who speaks Gaelic, but damme if I can remember who it was.

I need a Gaelic translation of two phrases:

1. The Sea of Beer and Earth
2. The Thin White Trail

I assume there wouldn't be a large difference, but it'd be nice to see them in both Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic if possible.

Anyone? Anyone? Buehler?

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: NightWing
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 03:28 PM

Oh, and as I don't speak it at all, at all, a phonetic pronunciation would be helpful as well :-)

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: kendall
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 04:05 PM

Seamus Kennedy

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: artbrooks
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 06:33 PM

Which phrase is that, Kendall? I've always thought "Seamus Kennedy" translated as the trail of beer and night soil.

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: Gulliver
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 07:51 PM

How can you have a "sea of beer and earth"? A sea is liquid. Earth is solid.

What kind of "trail".

Translators need to know these things--they have to have the information in context.

And they charge by the word.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: NightWing
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 08:26 PM

A "sea" as in spreading wide across the landscape. Like Richter's novel (or Kazan's film) "Sea of Grass".

Trail as in a narrow path to walk on. In the particular sense I need it, think of a dog or cat walking through spilled flour. The narrow trail of white footprints would lead you to the animal.

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: GUEST,Sandy McLean
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 09:28 PM

Neither phrase makes much sense. Gaelic does not translate well word for word so what are yuo trying to say?

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: GUEST,Sandy McLean
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 09:35 PM

Sorry but I don't understand what you are trying to say in English.

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: NightWing
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 10:19 PM

1. The Sea of Beer and Earth

   When you're on the ocean, you can see nothing but water.

   Picture, if you will, standing in the middle of a small valley. There's nothing growing on the valley floor or on the sides of the hills as far as you can see. (This is not a sad thing: it's the end of winter, seeds are sprouting, but this is the day before they burst out of the ground.) All you can see is the earth. It's soaking wet mud and that's all you can see: a "sea of mud" or "sea of earth".

   Now picture standing outside the brewery. There was some kind of disaster inside (no one was hurt of course) and all the brewing vats have split open and beer is running 10cm deep everywhere you can see. You are in the middle of a "sea of beer" or an "ocean of beer".

2. The Thin White Trail

   (as above) You spilled flour on the kitchen floor and the cat got his tail in it. Before you could catch the cat, he ran away and you've got to find him and get him outside before everything in the house is covered with flour. So you follow the "thin white trail" where his tail dragged on the floor.

   Alternatively, you're following a path through the woods. Thick woods, narrow path. While the path is earth, all the rocks in the area are white (quartz), so the path you are following is a "thin white trail".

I don't think the phrases can be made any more clear. They don't refer to something in particular, they're just rather impressionistic descriptions of a plaid pattern.

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: BS: Gaelic speakers?
From: NightWing
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 10:22 PM

erm, two *different* plaids