NationStates Jolt Archive

So, a friend of mine has suddenly gone tattoo crazy (And I do mean crazy), and has drafted me into his search for his next nifty skin-art. Unlike some other tattoo-dudes I know, he's actually trying to have his mean something, which is why he asked me, who (as a history major) usually know the meanings and origins of the various things he's thinking about plopping under his skin. Unfortunately, though I helped him out with the latin for his last tattoo, this one's Celtic, and ancient Britain isn't exactly my area of expertise. So, I've come to you, the wise Generalite, for an English-Celtic translation (Okay, "wise" might be a strong word...how 'bout "drunk and belligerent").

What he specifically asked me for was the Celtic word for "family," in the corresponding alphabet as well. I then explained to him that there is no actual single language called "Celtic," it is rather a family name referring to many languages of common origin, and he said okay, how 'bout the word for family in whatever Celtic language the Irish speak (I believe in English that language is just called "Irish").

I did a little bit of research after he called me up (Mainly just Wikipedia, like I said this is not my area of focus), and I believe the two languages he'd most like to have the word in are Proto-Celtic, which is the language of origin for the Celtic family, and the just normal Irish (Gaeilge, according to the all-knowing Wiki). Does anybody here know how to say "family" in these languages?

Oh, right, I did look up the transliteration of the words for family (kenetlo and korda in Proto-Celtic, teaghlach in Irish), but like I said he wants them in their own alphabet and all that, not just a weird word written in English. Anybody have a Celtic clue?

and here I came to this thread expecting you to be a Lakers fan and this to be a thread about basketball

*quietly walks out of thread*

get it done in at least y Gymraeg so he doesn't look like a complete and utter tool

also all letters in European culture are more or less the same (with the odd letter proving the rule) the idea is that you use Calligraphy to make it all spooky (basically plaster it in Green till its unreadable)

So, a friend of mine has suddenly gone tattoo crazy (And I do mean crazy), and has drafted me into his search for his next nifty skin-art. Unlike some other tattoo-dudes I know, he's actually trying to have his mean something, which is why he asked me, who (as a history major) usually know the meanings and origins of the various things he's thinking about plopping under his skin. Unfortunately, though I helped him out with the latin for his last tattoo, this one's Celtic, and ancient Britain isn't exactly my area of expertise. So, I've come to you, the wise Generalite, for an English-Celtic translation (Okay, "wise" might be a strong word...how 'bout "drunk and belligerent").

What he specifically asked me for was the Celtic word for "family," in the corresponding alphabet as well. I then explained to him that there is no actual single language called "Celtic," it is rather a family name referring to many languages of common origin, and he said okay, how 'bout the word for family in whatever Celtic language the Irish speak (I believe in English that language is just called "Irish").

I did a little bit of research after he called me up (Mainly just Wikipedia, like I said this is not my area of focus), and I believe the two languages he'd most like to have the word in are Proto-Celtic, which is the language of origin for the Celtic family, and the just normal Irish (Gaeilge, according to the all-knowing Wiki). Does anybody here know how to say "family" in these languages?

Oh, right, I did look up the transliteration of the words for family (kenetlo and korda in Proto-Celtic, teaghlach in Irish), but like I said he wants them in their own alphabet and all that, not just a weird word written in English. Anybody have a Celtic clue?

I can ask a friend of mine who speaks Gaelige(roughly, its been a while since he lived in Ireland). You might get a quicker response from the others though.

get it done in at least y Gymraeg so he doesn't look like a complete and utter tool

also all letters in European culture are more or less the same (with the odd letter proving the rule) the idea is that you use Calligraphy to make it all spooky (basically plaster it in Green till its unreadable)

Celts are actually the exception, if you go back far enough.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogham

I recommend Ogham.

I am not familiar enough to suggest how to write it, or how to stylize it however.

Celts are actually the exception, if you go back far enough.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogham

I recommend Ogham.

I am not familiar enough to suggest how to write it, or how to stylize it however.

Seconded.

Admittedly, I showed up here assuming you were a Glasgow Rangers fan, but as a Scot (there's a lot in common - Scots Gaelic is originally a dialect of the original Irish Gaelic, although their names are pronounced differently), if he's looking for the original 'writing' of the Celtic diaspora Ogham is the best bet. If done properly, I suspect it'd look awesome. Just make sure the artist knows what he's doing with it beforehand.

and here I came to this thread expecting you to be a Lakers fan and this to be a thread about basketball

*quietly walks out of thread*

ditto

Get it in Cumbric. That way nobody will know if it is wrong or right.

I think a general rule should be: don't get a tattoo in a language you yourself don't know.

I think a general rule should be: don't get a tattoo in a language you yourself don't know.

No one wants to walk around with the Chinese symbol for 'tool' on their wrist...

(I do not subscribe to the belief that all people with Asian character tattoos don't know how to read them or that they don't mean what they think they do...I'd be surprised, actually, to find anyone who has the character for 'tool' on them and doesn't know it...[/disclaimer that ruins the already weak joke...])

So, a friend of mine has suddenly gone tattoo crazy (And I do mean crazy), and has drafted me into his search for his next nifty skin-art. Unlike some other tattoo-dudes I know, he's actually trying to have his mean something, which is why he asked me, who (as a history major) usually know the meanings and origins of the various things he's thinking about plopping under his skin. Unfortunately, though I helped him out with the latin for his last tattoo, this one's Celtic, and ancient Britain isn't exactly my area of expertise. So, I've come to you, the wise Generalite, for an English-Celtic translation (Okay, "wise" might be a strong word...how 'bout "drunk and belligerent").

What he specifically asked me for was the Celtic word for "family," in the corresponding alphabet as well. I then explained to him that there is no actual single language called "Celtic," it is rather a family name referring to many languages of common origin, and he said okay, how 'bout the word for family in whatever Celtic language the Irish speak (I believe in English that language is just called "Irish").

I did a little bit of research after he called me up (Mainly just Wikipedia, like I said this is not my area of focus), and I believe the two languages he'd most like to have the word in are Proto-Celtic, which is the language of origin for the Celtic family, and the just normal Irish (Gaeilge, according to the all-knowing Wiki). Does anybody here know how to say "family" in these languages?

Oh, right, I did look up the transliteration of the words for family (kenetlo and korda in Proto-Celtic, teaghlach in Irish), but like I said he wants them in their own alphabet and all that, not just a weird word written in English. Anybody have a Celtic clue?

Fuck it just tell him to get it done in Ogham!

'Pogue mahone' is the Gaelic for family.

'Pogue mahone' is the Gaelic for family.

Mmmmphhhfff!

'Pogue mahone' is the Gaelic for family.

It's actually póg mo thóin

The other is an anglicisation

It's actually póg mo thóin

The other is an anglicisation

He could have that done in Ogham script down one arm

It's actually póg mo thóin

The other is an anglicisation

Is that Gaelic a language spoken in Ireland? According to Wiki it could also refer to a language family, not specifically Ireland, and my friend's looking for Irish (We think he's got a wee bit of Irish blood in him). If it is the Irish language, is it a synonym of teaghlach, or something else?

Is that Gaelic a language spoken in Ireland? According to Wiki it could also refer to a language family, not specifically Ireland, and my friend's looking for Irish (We think he's got a wee bit of Irish blood in him). If it is the Irish language, is it a synonym of teaghlach, or something else?

We were joking. It's Irish for "Kiss my ass". This is the risk of getting a tattoo in a language you don't understand.

Edit : How about 'Páddy Plaisteach' instead :p

Is that Gaelic a language spoken in Ireland?
Only in some places.
According to Wiki it could also refer to a language family, not specifically Ireland, and my friend's looking for Irish (We think he's got a wee bit of Irish blood in him). If it is the Irish language, is it a synonym of teaghlach, or something else?

It's kiss my ass. Synonyms for teaglach are muintir and clann.

See, that's why I asked, because I knew it was something like that. Well, okay, I didn't actually know, but I did suspect, since I'd actually gotten muintir and clann as sysnonyms when I looked up teaglach, and didn't see the other bit (I might not be an Irish specialist, but I'm not an idiot. Well...okay, not that much of an idiot.)

Come to think of it, he actually might like that; maybe he'll have two Irish tattoos.

But anyway, my friend's committed to this Irish tattoo, so I figure as long as we look things up in advance we should be able to avoid a "Sweet & Sour Chicken" tattoo.

EDIT: And don't worry, if I ever get a tattoo (Heaven forbid!) it'll be either English or Hebrew, there's no way I'm risking "This schmuck thinks this means 'peace'" permanently stuck on my back.

Clann is probably the closest.

"Celtic" is the family (although Goidelic is the linguistic name for it)- Gaeilge is spoken in Ireland. Scots-Gaelic in Scotland, Ulster - Scots in Northern Ireland.

Teaglach is more akin to "household"

I think the word he wants is a word that refers to those he considers his family, would teaghlach not work for that?

I think the word he wants is a word that refers to those he considers his family, would teaghlach not work for that?

If he's already gotten the tat, he can make it fit! :p Grammatically, it's ever so slightly different, but no one would call him up on it.

http://www.englishirishdictionary.com/home

Try the above for the translation.

That's the web-site I used to get "teaghlach."