Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I don’t want to be the person who writes about my personal struggles and triumphs I’ve encountered abroad. I especially don’t want to be the person who concludes such a story with some sort of self-affirming sentimental realization.
It’s just not my style.
We all have a friend or an acquaintance who spent a few months in another country and returned to the U.S. with some obnoxious trait they didn’t have before leaving. Maybe it’s a mild accent. Maybe they like to throw in the occasional slang word they picked up abroad during conversation. Maybe they just won’t shut up about what an amazing experience getting out of America was.
I have already been guilty of all three. Family and friends have called me out on it, and I’m desperate to cut it out before I get back.
I won’t pretend that I’ve found some sort of enlightenment here I couldn’t find in the U.S., or that I’m any smarter than before I left.
I will say though, that I’m very glad I came here and I’ll miss Ireland tremendously. I’ve met great people, worked for a cause I believe in, learned about my heritage and had an unforgettable time.
Oh yeah, I also learned some slang too.
So, to prevent myself from coming off as too much of a prick when I return to Larryville, U.S.A., here are some Kansan friendly Irish slang words for all to enjoy.
Yes, I know it’s not too useful and I certainly don’t expect to hear students tossing these words around while walking down Jayhawk Boulevard. But hey, at least it’s better than ending my column with some sort of self-affirming sentimental conclusion on the value of study abroad.
Sláinte — (pronounced slawnsha) Gaelic for Cheers
Cheers — Used for anything from thank you to goodbye to the typical drinking salute.
Cráic — (pronounced crack) Fun or party plans. i.e. “We had a load of cráic” or “What’s the cráic?”
Mate — friend
Your man — referring to anyone you know or can be connected to while in conversation, i.e. “Your man Barack Obama is in the news” or “Your man started a fight in the pub last night”
Knackered — tired
In bits — feeling unwell or not together, i.e. “I was in bits this morning after the night we had” or “I was in bits he had me laughing so hard”
Pissed — very drunk
Fuming — very angry
Jacks/Toilets — bathroom
Slapper — a woman with relaxed sexual standards
Fag — cigarette
Snog — make out
Hen party — bachelorette party
Stag party — bachelor party
Lift — ride in an automobile i.e. “Thanks for the lift”
Ride — sexual act “Thanks for the ride”
Queue — (pronounced like the letter q) line
Row — round of drinks
Session — very intense night of drinking
Crisps — chips
Chips — fries
Eejit — (pronounced phonetically) idiot
Feckin — (pronounced phonetically) …. this you can figure out on your own.
— — Edited by Jason Baker
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