SHOULD YOU be insulted or delighted to be called a bosthoon? Would you wear a taggeen or drink it? And is it a compliment to be described as carnaptious?
While you are unlikely to hear these words with Irish links in everyday conversation, the Oxford English Dictionaryhas embraced them in its latest online version of the massive work.
Its first online version of the dictionary appeared 10 years ago and a team of lexicographers have been updating it regularly since then.
These words, and millions more, will be included in the next book form of the Oxford English Dictionarywhich is still years away from publication.
The first edition, published in 1884, had 10 volumes while the second and last edition, published in 1989, had increased to 20 volumes.
The latest online version of 600,000 words includes more than 900 words linked to Ireland.
Anglicised versions of Irish words are included, such as alanna – my child – and asthore – my treasure or my darling.
Ballyhooly is described as “hell” and is used or indicate harsh treatment, chaos or confusion, the dictionary says.
Banjaxed is a word that has been uttered by many people in recent times, but bosthoon is not as familiar – it means an awkward fellow. Carnaptious is another unusual entry – it means bad- tempered and quarrelsome.
Deeshy and weeshy are also listed – both mean tiny and insignificant.
A taggeen is a small cup or glass of spirits while many people of a certain age will remember stirabout – porridge made by stirring oatmeal in boiling water or milk, rather than popping it in the microwave for a few minutes.
Several Irish writers are quoted as sources in the online version, most notably James Joyce and Jonathan Swift. The dictionary credits the latter with contributing apophlegmatic – promoting the removal of phlegm – and bedad – by God.
The dictionary also credits Swift with bedraggle; fidge (the habit of fidgeting); and Yahoos, a description of “a degraded brutish race of men”.
The online dictionary includes about three million quotations of which Joyce provided more than 2,000. Not surprisingly, his novel Ulysses was the source for many of these. Joyce is credited with words and phrases such as botch- up, obstropolos (an obstreperous mouth) and peloothered (intoxicated).
It may come as some consolation to see that the word “recession” did not originate in Ireland. It first appeared in 1606 when it was used to describe “a temporary suspension of work or activity”. However, it was not until 1903 that a newspaper used the word in an economic context.
The online version also provides some quaint ways of popping the question, such as asking someone to “join giblets” with you, or to “buckle”.
Oxford University Press says its publication is the only dictionary that aims to trace the first known use of every sense of every word in the English language.
www.oed.com
"We're all banjaxed with this shower of yahoos in charge of us."
Translation:We are all destroyed thanks to the degraded brutish race of men ruling this country.
"Aren't you the carnaptious bosthoon when you are peloothered."
Translation: You are a bad-tempered, quarrelsome and awkward fellow when you are intoxicated
"Bedad, we may be in ballyhooly but shut your obstropolos and have a taggeen and some stirabout and your problems will appear deeshy and weeshy in the morning
Translation:By God, we may be in hell but calm your obstreperous mouth, have a small glass of spirits and some porridge and things will look better in the morning.
