When Josh and I decided to make our move to the Island, we knew it would be an adjustment. But, we weren't as nervous as we may have been if we moved to a country that didn't speak English. With that being said, there are a few phrases, terms, and spellings that are different from our own. Some of them I really enjoy and hope to start incorporating in my own repertoire and some of them are good for a laugh.
Irish/English term:
Row/Argument or fight
Good crack/good fun (this one took some getting use to as you could probably tell what we thought they were referencing)
Rubber/pencil eraser (I learned this term when my friend told me the way she met her husband from the States. She was sitting in class and asked if she could borrow his rubber. You could imagine his surprise... and hers)
Suits you/alright with you
Losing a Stone/measurement of weight - 14 pounds (this one was confusing when all the magazines had advice for losing a quick stone, I thought it was weird that people kept track of rocks, and needed advice on how to lose them)
Queue/getting or waiting in line
Negotiating/a way of moving or getting around
Langer or Desperate Langer/d*** head or drunk
Gobshite/idiot
Ask me arse/mind your business
Mind/watch
Minder/babysitter
Blarney/nonsense
Jumper/Sweater
Feck or Feckers/used instead of the F word
Your partner/spouse (this was another one where I wondered if people thought I was batting for the other side when they would ask about my partner versus my husband)
Jaysus/Jesus (I like the way this one is pronounced)
Nappies/diapers
Off license/liquor store
Whilst/while
If you ask someone to do something and they respond: "Yeah I will yeah," it means that they have no intention of doing it. The Irish are known to be none confrontational.
There are so many differences, and some phrases can be figured out within the context of the conversation. Occasionally I run into a person who speaks "old Irish." When that happens, I smile and nod and we both know I have no clue as to what they are talking about:)
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