I first heard the word "Cóir" on the Story Archeology podcast, years ago. Those two scholars explore it in its use in myth, as the "rightness" that was necessary of a king's behavior, else the goddess (land) withdraw her favor. I've also heard it expressed as "kinship with the earth" which is the meaning used in a video I made about poet Ella Young. https://youtu.be/sNG9qX0QJSg?si=RX43OdBRoJ_28sj7
wow Linda thank you SO much for sharing this! Very interesting and consistent with the etymology of this word and how it's used to mean "what's right for me" (or another) rather than "should." I will def watch the video! :) I have a judgment at the moment -- I have the BEST readers. So appreciating the community and ideas exchanged here--such as yours! :)
English is a language created by people separated by class and culture, who, by necessity, needed to get along after the printing press began to share knowledge and commerce across boundaries. Little wonder it is a language with oppression baked inside.
Yes, and it’s not lost on me that this is the language of the colonial empire. I will write in more detail about this another time, but I don’t think it’s coincidence that the British government wanted to wipe out the Irish language —of course this is a way to control the country and break the will and spirit of the people. But I also think the Irish language is a direct threat to the values of imperialism.
Indeed, I was just reading via the brilliant Brian Doyle, as he contemplated the mysteries of learning Gaeilge as an English speaker, how Irish contains no honorific equivalent of "Mister/Master," "Herr," or "Señor"...Whether this is true I don't know for myself (could you confirm?), but if true I find that tidbit wonderful, and telling.
Yes, now that you mention it, I believe that is true! The word "uasal" is interesting in Irish. It means a noble person but is also used to refer to faeries! Here's the first definition in Teanglann: uasal1, m. (gs. -ail, pl. uaisle). 1. Nobleman, gentleman. Uaisle na tíre, the noblemen, the nobility, of the country. ~ le híseal a dhéanamh ar dhuine, to patronize s.o. (As title) An tU~, Mr. S.a. íseal1 1. 2. Na huaisle, the good people, the fairies. To say "sir" in Irish, the closest you can get is "A dhuine uasail" (a noble person). I will definitely blog about this. Thanks for the inspiration!
I find myself breathing a wonderful, deep sigh of relief-filled breath as I read this piece. The body relaxes into understanding. The right-ness of an action or a path, as our metric and guide, is so much the medicine needed in this moment, in this world. Go raibh míle maith agat, your writing is a gift.
Fantastic post! I think it was Alan Watt who said something along the lines of "when God made the dictionary the devil added in 'should' and 'must". He may have been borrowing the expression from some Eastern philosophy.
I wonder if we can Gaelicize English. Would people look at me funny if I start saying something like "at your will" or "with your pleasure" instead of "please"?
I love the old Irish wisdom. One of my favourite is “Ar mhaithe leis féin a bhíonn a cat ag crónán”. It’s full of the Irish way of thinking if that makes sense.
This is wonderful writing, and I wonder if you have heard of The Chalice and The Sword by Rian Eisler? There are parallels imo with the strategies used in intimate partner abuse and those in colonialism.
Control of language is a key part of getting into a victims head and inserting the abusers narrative there. Frantz Fanon made the same observations about the effects of colonialism in Algeria. ( I also wrote a little on this myself in my essay The Wests Awake).
And of course Perases observation that a country without a language is a country without a soul. (I would write it as Gaegile but the autocorrect won’t let me!)
And I’ve just read the wonderful how the Irish saved civilisation. Celtic spirituality was a much more polyvalent and participatory than the Roman/British variety. Have you come across the wonderful Ellie Robbins On the Way Back Home Ss who talks about the ‘consciousness contract’ and how it shrank due to the Enlightenment?
Yes, that book is epic of course! And I hope the Gaelic effect: how the Irish Language Can Save the world, will continue in its footsteps! (I will soon be sending out a book proposal based on this blog). I don’t know the Robbin’s reference— is that also a book? I will look it up! I already am interested based on the concept of how consciousness actually retracted during the enlightenment!
Yes - I've actually written about The Chalice and the Blade by Eisler in previous essays here at The Gaelic Effect (see this issue for example: https://diankillian.substack.com/p/the-gaelic-effect-how-the-irish-language). And yes, familiar w/ Fanon's work too. I will check out your essay The West's Awake - can you send the link? And I love that Irish saying --Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. I actually have a T-shirt with that as Gaeilge on it! :) Enjoying the intersections.
In school some of our teachers would say 'ceart go loir' or 'ceart agat' in response to a correct answer, while others answered in english with 'well done' or 'that's right'. It hit different as gaeilge. I am new to your lovely work and wonder have you written on this difference on how we receive a response as bearla v as gaeilge? For me there is definitely an emotional difference, it did feel nicer in Irish than in English although I don't think I could have explained that at the time. Is it that the response in english feels like a benevelent bestowing from the individual (at their discretion) and the response in Irish feels like its channelled through the person from the earth/land/community? Am I imagining it or does this come down through our Brehon history and way of structuring society and the responsibilities of the person/community?
Yes, all of that rings true to me. And for me, it's also the sound and cadence of Gaeilge. Even though there are some sounds at the back of the throat (almost German sounding IMO), there also are those lovely vowels sounds--and they are all pronounced, and the musicality to the Irish language (esp the Munster dialect IMO -- and all of them :) But I agree with you -- all that connection is there: to land, Brehon ways of relating, and community that feels very different to me (the clachan and the meitheal).
What a great piece. I didn't know this about the origins of these words in English but it does show how much these systems of oppression and power over are woven into our everyday language and subconscious. Thank you for this.
Definitely. The more linguistic archeology I do, the more I am amazed as well... and I do think the "DNA" of these words impact us, even if we're not conscious of it.
Very interesting to read. I am a Canadian with Irish ancestry and appreciate learning about culture lost (and remembered) through shifts in language.
Also, there is a lot of dialogue about "should" and demands within the neurodivergent community. I think it would be "right" if our collective future involved more people navigating with their inner compasses rather than via obligation and shame.
PS. I did the inaugural spirals of Scoil Scairte back in 2022-23(?). All the Irish I have (not much, in fairness) is from Scoil Scairte, as well as many profound ideas and inspiration that have changed my view of the world and my writing. Go hiontach Scoil Scairte!
Yes — we also say in English of course “that works for me.” but even though we have ways of communicating something similar in English to these expressions in Irish, it is still striking that there is no word in Irish for “should” or “ought to.”
I first heard the word "Cóir" on the Story Archeology podcast, years ago. Those two scholars explore it in its use in myth, as the "rightness" that was necessary of a king's behavior, else the goddess (land) withdraw her favor. I've also heard it expressed as "kinship with the earth" which is the meaning used in a video I made about poet Ella Young. https://youtu.be/sNG9qX0QJSg?si=RX43OdBRoJ_28sj7
wow Linda thank you SO much for sharing this! Very interesting and consistent with the etymology of this word and how it's used to mean "what's right for me" (or another) rather than "should." I will def watch the video! :) I have a judgment at the moment -- I have the BEST readers. So appreciating the community and ideas exchanged here--such as yours! :)
English is a language created by people separated by class and culture, who, by necessity, needed to get along after the printing press began to share knowledge and commerce across boundaries. Little wonder it is a language with oppression baked inside.
Yes, and it’s not lost on me that this is the language of the colonial empire. I will write in more detail about this another time, but I don’t think it’s coincidence that the British government wanted to wipe out the Irish language —of course this is a way to control the country and break the will and spirit of the people. But I also think the Irish language is a direct threat to the values of imperialism.
Indeed, I was just reading via the brilliant Brian Doyle, as he contemplated the mysteries of learning Gaeilge as an English speaker, how Irish contains no honorific equivalent of "Mister/Master," "Herr," or "Señor"...Whether this is true I don't know for myself (could you confirm?), but if true I find that tidbit wonderful, and telling.
Yes, now that you mention it, I believe that is true! The word "uasal" is interesting in Irish. It means a noble person but is also used to refer to faeries! Here's the first definition in Teanglann: uasal1, m. (gs. -ail, pl. uaisle). 1. Nobleman, gentleman. Uaisle na tíre, the noblemen, the nobility, of the country. ~ le híseal a dhéanamh ar dhuine, to patronize s.o. (As title) An tU~, Mr. S.a. íseal1 1. 2. Na huaisle, the good people, the fairies. To say "sir" in Irish, the closest you can get is "A dhuine uasail" (a noble person). I will definitely blog about this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Go hiontach!
Strikes me as very similar point to David Graeber's Debt, and how debt-based pressupositions influence our language toward others.
Yes, I actually quote his book in an earlier blog , Debt or Abundance. I think you would enjoy reading that one as well since you like this one :-)
Wow, this feels such a powerful distinction in approach - thank-you for illuminating it so beautifully Dian 🙂 Penn x
GRMA Penn for reading and letting me know--and becoming a paid subscriber. Maith thu agus GRMA arís! (Good on your and thank you again! :)
I should comment by thanking you for this thoughtful essay
Thank you so much--always reassuring to hear, especially when I finish it at 4:30am! :)
I find myself breathing a wonderful, deep sigh of relief-filled breath as I read this piece. The body relaxes into understanding. The right-ness of an action or a path, as our metric and guide, is so much the medicine needed in this moment, in this world. Go raibh míle maith agat, your writing is a gift.
Thank you so much Annie and for letting me know! Makes my day! :)
Fantastic post! I think it was Alan Watt who said something along the lines of "when God made the dictionary the devil added in 'should' and 'must". He may have been borrowing the expression from some Eastern philosophy.
I wonder if we can Gaelicize English. Would people look at me funny if I start saying something like "at your will" or "with your pleasure" instead of "please"?
I LOVE that quote! Amazing! Well, those who practice Nonviolent Communication do say, “Are you willing…?”
I love the old Irish wisdom. One of my favourite is “Ar mhaithe leis féin a bhíonn a cat ag crónán”. It’s full of the Irish way of thinking if that makes sense.
Cinnte!!
This is wonderful writing, and I wonder if you have heard of The Chalice and The Sword by Rian Eisler? There are parallels imo with the strategies used in intimate partner abuse and those in colonialism.
Control of language is a key part of getting into a victims head and inserting the abusers narrative there. Frantz Fanon made the same observations about the effects of colonialism in Algeria. ( I also wrote a little on this myself in my essay The Wests Awake).
And of course Perases observation that a country without a language is a country without a soul. (I would write it as Gaegile but the autocorrect won’t let me!)
And I’ve just read the wonderful how the Irish saved civilisation. Celtic spirituality was a much more polyvalent and participatory than the Roman/British variety. Have you come across the wonderful Ellie Robbins On the Way Back Home Ss who talks about the ‘consciousness contract’ and how it shrank due to the Enlightenment?
I think you’d find it interesting…
Yes, that book is epic of course! And I hope the Gaelic effect: how the Irish Language Can Save the world, will continue in its footsteps! (I will soon be sending out a book proposal based on this blog). I don’t know the Robbin’s reference— is that also a book? I will look it up! I already am interested based on the concept of how consciousness actually retracted during the enlightenment!
https://open.substack.com/pub/allthatssolid?r=2sx8q2&utm_medium=ios
Here’s the link to my SS. It’s called the Wests Awake….
Yes - I've actually written about The Chalice and the Blade by Eisler in previous essays here at The Gaelic Effect (see this issue for example: https://diankillian.substack.com/p/the-gaelic-effect-how-the-irish-language). And yes, familiar w/ Fanon's work too. I will check out your essay The West's Awake - can you send the link? And I love that Irish saying --Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. I actually have a T-shirt with that as Gaeilge on it! :) Enjoying the intersections.
https://open.substack.com/pub/eleanorrobins?r=2sx8q2&utm_medium=ios
In school some of our teachers would say 'ceart go loir' or 'ceart agat' in response to a correct answer, while others answered in english with 'well done' or 'that's right'. It hit different as gaeilge. I am new to your lovely work and wonder have you written on this difference on how we receive a response as bearla v as gaeilge? For me there is definitely an emotional difference, it did feel nicer in Irish than in English although I don't think I could have explained that at the time. Is it that the response in english feels like a benevelent bestowing from the individual (at their discretion) and the response in Irish feels like its channelled through the person from the earth/land/community? Am I imagining it or does this come down through our Brehon history and way of structuring society and the responsibilities of the person/community?
Yes, all of that rings true to me. And for me, it's also the sound and cadence of Gaeilge. Even though there are some sounds at the back of the throat (almost German sounding IMO), there also are those lovely vowels sounds--and they are all pronounced, and the musicality to the Irish language (esp the Munster dialect IMO -- and all of them :) But I agree with you -- all that connection is there: to land, Brehon ways of relating, and community that feels very different to me (the clachan and the meitheal).
Also, thank you for explaining all this so clearly, it is difficult to create clarity around some of these concepts and you do it so well.
GRMA Sín é :) And. love your handle BTW :)
What a great piece. I didn't know this about the origins of these words in English but it does show how much these systems of oppression and power over are woven into our everyday language and subconscious. Thank you for this.
Definitely. The more linguistic archeology I do, the more I am amazed as well... and I do think the "DNA" of these words impact us, even if we're not conscious of it.
Very interesting to read. I am a Canadian with Irish ancestry and appreciate learning about culture lost (and remembered) through shifts in language.
Also, there is a lot of dialogue about "should" and demands within the neurodivergent community. I think it would be "right" if our collective future involved more people navigating with their inner compasses rather than via obligation and shame.
Cinnte! And love how you put it - that it'd be "right" if our collective future involved more people navigating their inner compasses.."
Wow, Dian, this is so powerful and freeing, and exactly the kind of medicine the world needs right now! Go raith maith agat 🙏🏻
PS. I did the inaugural spirals of Scoil Scairte back in 2022-23(?). All the Irish I have (not much, in fairness) is from Scoil Scairte, as well as many profound ideas and inspiration that have changed my view of the world and my writing. Go hiontach Scoil Scairte!
This entire concept feels so freeing and relaxing!
Yay! So happy to hear this!! :)
Fascinating!
Wonderful post. Might the Emglish "appropriate for" be another way to say "right for" without some of the moral baggage "right" carries?
Yes — we also say in English of course “that works for me.” but even though we have ways of communicating something similar in English to these expressions in Irish, it is still striking that there is no word in Irish for “should” or “ought to.”