We haven't decided where we will worship this Sunday, maybe Drumcliff, maybe Sligo. We might enforce Sabbath time on ourselves, or we might look at prehistoric things. Slowly. On to Westport for nightfall.
From yesterday's music, it occurs to me that the Irish do that haunted women's voice thing in music better than just about anyone. It is odd that it is male singers who have made this famous to us, for it is a woman's song. I think I posted this once before, but it is wrenching.
The Gaelic influence on English is always uncertain, with wild overclaims and underclaims both. In American English it's rather a joke to ascribe unknown phrases to the Irish gamblers, or horsemen, or itinerant workers. There's a Sach Ur Born Every Minute.
Changes in First Names in English 1200-2000. You will be surprised at the continuity, I suspect.
Praise for American Productivity. Inspired by European restaurants and shops 20-25 years ago, so I suppose it is appropriate to bring it out for this trip.
Parenting is 90% Just Saying Your Lines.
In a ridiculous echo of "magic words" Christianity, it became the fashion among some New Atheists to have "magic words" blasphemy.
3 comments:
When I think of haunting women's voices in Ireland, my mind goes a different direction.
Worst name I have ever run across, I think: a young woman I ran into a few weeks ago named Eustachia. And yes, that is exactly how it was spelled, because she was wearing a name badge. I wonder if her parents have any idea what it means.
Not quite the same, but in the army about 50 years ago, I knew a fellow from India, whose first initial was V, but he would not tell anyone what the actual name was. Finally, they got him drunk, and he confessed that it was Vijainad. (Not sure of the exact spelling any more, but it was pronounced exactly as you might fear.)
James, it is not accidental that the banshees are associated with tumuli, I don't think. We now know those were burial places, and the memory of that was likely handed down when all other knowledge of what they were had disappeared.
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