12 Days of Dublin: 12 Words for Learning
With only 12 days left in Dublin, I decided to create a 12 Days of Dublin countdown. Today's first post is about 12 Words for Learning. You'd be surprised at how much the English language varies once you get to the other side of the Atlantic! Thankfully, I always actually read the assigned novels in English classes and was able to understand the references and expressions. Other times, I just had to guess and learn at a later time! Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this compilation of vocabulary I would consider "essential" when living in Dublin.1. Cheers
Cheers is what I've come to accept as the Irish version of "Aloha." It can mean hello, goodbye, it can be used to express affirmation, it can be used to express gratitude. It is especially used by people when they are about to hang up the phone or leave a shop. It's a great way to signal that you are done conversing with someone because after that final "Cheers" you know the converstion is over.
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| I walk by this cafe sign every day when I walk to/from Trinity College! |
This little word here can either be extremely confusing or phenomenally convenient depending on whether you are the speaker of the listener. Grand is an adjective used to describe something as fantastic, mediocre, fun, well, fine, etc. So, for example, "how are you?" is usually answered with "Why, grand, thanks for asking." But, in another scenario such as: "How was the movie?" "Oh, it was grand!" leaves you in a state of confusion wondering if the movie was actually any good or if the person you asked is just being polite. Needless to say, it comes in handy when conversing here in Dublin.
3. Hoover
It was my first day in Dublin... I walked into my host's house and he begins to explain to me how his hoover bag is full of dirt and he can't find the extras. *cue an extremely confused Leonie* The next day, I found him change the vacuum cleaner's bag and a light bulb went off in my brain. A hoover, ladies and gentlemen, is a vacuum cleaner. And yes, hoovering is a thing.
4. W.C./Loo
You could ask someone where the bathroom is, but odds are, they won't understand what you're asking at first! For this reason, it is much safer to stick to asking a stranger where the "W.C." or "loo" is.
5. Biscuit
I think that in America, we often praise the Europeans for eating much more healthily than we do. For starters, they rarely ever eat cookies. WELL... Of course they don't! Cookies aren't cookies here. Those sweet, buttery spheres of goodness are biscuits here! (American biscuits are not really a thing around here. There are American-style scones, however, which taste quite similar to a southern biscuit.)
6. Chips
French Fries. When in doubt, think Fish & Chips.
7. Crisps
This is the yummy fried goodness sold in a bag of air. Crisps are chips and chips are fries and fries usualy refers to other fried goods.
8. Jumper
With the cold weather year-round, you see Irish people wear jumpers all the time. In fact, Irish jumpers are reknown for their quality wool and knitting patterns. In case you haven't figured it out, a jumper is a sweater!
9. Runners
Runners are just plain ole' sneakers. They call them runners because you could run in them. And the Irish love to be literal with their naming system. (For example, I live off of North Circular Road which is literally a circular road. Another example, there is a national monument called the Four Courts because it has 4 separate judicial courts inside of it.)
10. Shift
Warning: This is a bit more of a PG-13 term. It means to kiss/make out. For example, "Did ya get the shift last night?" It's a country term, but with people from all parts of Ireland living in Dublin, it comes around every now and then! Personally, I think it'd be great if we started using it in the states to switch up the slang scene.
11. Footpath
This is the sidewalk. It took me so long to figure this one out that eventually looked it up!
12. Chemist
The chemist doesn't work in a lab in Ireland, he works in a pharmacy. Your chemist is your pharmacist and your pharmacist is your chemist! It makes sense considering drugs are just a bunch of chemicals combined or modified to act a certain way. I think it's a suiting name! (Although it can become confusing if you actually want to refer to a chemical scientist!)
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