English As We Speak It in Ireland

site assertion. 'You must be hungry now Tom, and this littl

side near Dublin said to the boy who had charge of the premises:-'There may be burglars about here; wouldn't it be well for you to come and close the baseme

d will do

d will do y

d will sweet

will strengt

s; but they might be multiplied indefinitely, and some others will be found through this chapter. In the Irish tale called 'The Battle of Gavra,' the narrator says:-[The enemy slew a large company of our army] 'and that was no great help t

rose and he was not thankful.' (From the very old Irish

iers is well out of view, expresses it in this way:-Ní fhuil in cui

itated in our English will be seen from the f

he is very old. The same would be said of an old maid:

n this year?' 'Why then they're not

e'er a penny that you'd give me, sir?' i.e., 'Have you a penny to give me?' 'You wouldn't like to have a cup of tea, would

It was no joke to be caught in our boat in such a storm a

worked like a dow

yet his lick

n the early par

nt, or dishonest, &c.: and a bystander replies, 'Yes indeed, and 'tisn't to-

goes away or dies:-'There's man

Davy?' 'Oh, it isn't alike': to imply that

er; and 'tisn't much

great shakes.' 'How do you like your new horse?' 'Oh then he's no great shakes'-or 'he's not much to boast of.

head rather higher than he ought:-

o frightened that she asks of the person who helps her up, 'Am I killed?' T

nd she doesn't want to be reminded o

ing and says: 'That wetting did me no

uthern Irishman. 'What kind is he Charlie? does he look like a fellow wanting money?' Instead o

n old graveyard near Blessington in Wicklow. Instead of ans

y-deep in mire-'there's

ain chief:-'It was not his will to sell the bondmaid,

my wish that you should go to America at all,' by which he mean

gar.' 'I wouldn't doubt you,' answers the mother, as

from absent friends, that

d them" said Rory of the

would be as bad as the loss of a pound,' or 'it might cost you a pou

indeed, it's not much I have': merely tra

:-'There's a great deal o

y to conceal evil

these horses,' meaning 'I

pretended not to understand him.' To the same class belongs the common expression 'I don't think':-'I don't think you bought that horse t

t isn't a goose or a duck they had to do with when they came across Mr. Cregan.' (Gerald Griffin.) Another way

those cows as the market stands at

get a glass of wine, mea

r person is

him and a b

t return he's

you to-da

at I'm very well': mea

for you have no reason or occasion to speak so.' 'A bad right you have to speak ill of my uncle:' that is to say, 'You are doubly wrong' [for he once did you a great service]. 'A bad right anyone would have to call Ned a screw' [for he is well known for his generosity]. ('Knocknagow.') A

ression, and borrowed from the Irish, where it is still more usual. The Irish beagnach ('little but') and acht ma

to be negative, the invariable way of expressing it is: '

n some difficulty-such as poverty-and the people will say to him ironic

a girl:-'He didn't affront her by that

cember, 1909:-'Mr. -- is not expected to be returned to parliament at the general election'; meaning it is expected that he will not be returned. So also:-'How is poor Jac