laethanta na riabhaí
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Irish[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
- laetha na riabhaí
- laetha na riabhaiche, laethanta na riabhaiche (Ulster)
- laetha na riabhaighe, laethanta na riabhaighe (classical, dialectal, superseded)
Etymology[edit]
Literally “days of the brindled cow”, from a legend according to which an old brindled cow either boasted that she could withstand the rough weather of March or complained about the bitterness of March weather; in both versions, March then borrowed three (in some versions, nine) days from April and made them especially cold and windy in order to teach the old cow a lesson, in consequence of which she died.[1]
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Munster) IPA(key): /ˈl̪ˠeːhən̪ˠt̪ˠə n̪ˠə ɾˠiəˈvˠiː/
- (Connacht) IPA(key): /ˈl̪ˠeːhən̪ˠt̪ˠə n̪ˠə ˈɾˠiəwiː/
- (Ulster) IPA(key): /ˈl̪ˠɛhə n̪ˠə ˈɾˠeːwi/, (older) /ˈl̪ˠɛhə n̪ˠə ˈɾˠɤːwi/[2] (corresponding to the form laetha na riabhaí)
Noun[edit]
laethanta na riabhaí m pl (genitive plural laethanta na riabhaí)
- borrowing days (last three days of March)
References[edit]
- ^ Bridget Haggerty (2022 February 25 (last accessed)) “The Borrowed Days”, in Irish Culture and Customs[1]
- ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 31
Further reading[edit]
- Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “riaḃaċ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 567
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “riabhach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN