A Dictionary of Hiberno-English: The Irish Use of English

by Terence Patrick Dolan (Compiler)

A Dictionary of Hiberno-English is the leading reference authority on Hiberno-English - the form of English commonly spoken in Ireland. It was only at the start of the twentieth century that Hiberno-English was recognized as a fully-fledged dialect. Including over 100 new words, T.P. Dolan's seminal dictionary has established its pre-eminent position as the leading reference authority on Hiberno-English.

Genres: Ireland, Reference, Irish Literature, Nonfiction, Language, Linguistics

292 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

Reviews

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited When I submitted my order for this book on amazon.com, and could hardly wait to start browsing. A major disappointment. I estimate that at least 40% of the entries are Gaelic, not English, words. Most are included with the Irish spelling unchanged. A typical 'usage example' is just a simple declarative sentence, with no attribution or sourcing, in which the relevant English word has been replaced by its Gaelic equivalent. For example, under the entry for the word 'easog' (which is the Gaelic word for 'weasel'):

"I think I say an easog down by the river".

This is pernicious rubbish. Terence Patrick Dolan would apparently have us believe that Irish people are given to the random substitution of the Gaelic equivalents of English words throughout their conversation. This may be true for a handful of common words, but I doubt very much that the number of such cases exceeds a few dozen. That the dictionary should be bulked up by the importation of hundreds of Gaelic words is simply idiotic, and negates any value it might otherwise have as a work of scholarship.

Scanning the acknowledgements suggests the source of the problem. A list of some hundred or so 'non-literary sources' is given at the end of the book. It would seem that Mr Dolan solicited input from scattered correspondents around Ireland. It would also seem that he was willing to include anything submitted by these correspondents, with little regard for plausibility, accuracy, or the existence of corroborative evidence. As a result, the dictionary is a wortheless hodgepodge, a gallimaufry of entries of dubious credibility.

[Grace Tierney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid reference book for anybody who wants to know about the form of English spoken on the island of Ireland.

I would have liked more etymology information in the entries as that's my field of interest and I was surprised to find so many Gaelic direct imports as I don't really view those as Hiberno-English but the author was an expert so I won't argue.

Very interesting to find the influence Gaelic grammar had on sentence structure (the introduction was great on that) and that the common dropping of h in pronunciation of three, that, and there originates in Gaelic too. I found many expressions and words which I grew up in Dublin believing were simply wrong were actually Hiberno English and grounded in Gaelic. In fact I think somebody who didn't study Irish in school may struggle with this book, but I would still suggest it as a great reference for readers outside Ireland who want to understand Irishisms in James Joyce and Roddy Doyle novels, for example.

It's a shame that there's no dating or indication of how commonly used the words are. Many were words I've never heard during a lifetime in the country, and plenty of travel around it. I wonder are some very niche/local or perhaps no longer in use.

Having said all that, it's a worthwhile study of the language and is joining my dictionary shelf.

[Jenny Q]

I really loved this book. It made me appreciate the way we speak and the way we write. It's common for a lot of post-colonial cultures where English is widely spoken to have somewhat a sense of shame about their slang or cadence or grammatical quirks- and to view those quirks as "uneducated", informal or improper.

The truth is that Gaeilge is a 2,500 year old language whereas English is around 1,400 years old. Its impossible for this ancient heritage to not permeate the we express ourselves in covert "slang" words. Like many global languages, Irish contains within it unique ways to express things that English doesn't.

It's also a valuable reference book for anyone reading contemporary and modern Irish literature as Hiberno-English will likely be the real first language. It's not to put down one language to prop up another but to appreciate the uniqueness of our expression as a people and to not view it as less than.

[Ron Milligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It IS a dictionary and a fascinating one. It is great to flip through the pages and find words and phrases that I, my family and neighbors used on a day-to-day basis during my growing up in the North West of Ireland. Took me back decades. A thoroughly enjoyable "read" and great craic.

[KSDC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the newest edition with Blindboy's preface. Thoroughly enjoyable. Nice to read where some sayings come from. Interesting to read the variety of vocab used throughout the various counties.