really random thread!

[Muir]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Narcissa

I'm really surprised by that! I mean I know Irish names can be deceptive, like Caoimhe and Grainne [prizes for correct pronunciation folks!], but I assumed that because you folk learn Irish at school, everyone would be good at spelling Irish names.

Haha you overestimate the Irish teaching system. It's just really bad. Although most people would probably know Caoimhe & Grainne, my name is a bit more unusual. Most people seem to come out of secondary school with better French/German/Spanish (or whatever language they chose) than Irish, even though you would have been studying French etc. for 5-6 years and Irish for 13-14.

[squirrelspit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muir

I'm 21. My dad still can't spell my name properly. It's Muireann, which is not very common, so people have a lot of trouble spelling & pronouncing it.

how is it pronounced? im assuming its not as its spelt?

[Muir]

Mwirin. Kinda is like how it's spelt, a lot of people just can't get the hang of it.

[Porcelain Child]

I get Claire, Clare, Clair... I prefer Claire though cos the other spellings i ain't fond off..

[makedamnsure]

I have friends (twins) called Niamh and Roisin. Both fairly common Irish names but confuse a lot of people with spelling (Nieve etc) and pronunciation (Roy-zin, Ni-am-ph)

[Muir]

I've never really realised that Irish names are spelt quite odd until this thread. I mean the spellings of Niamh & Caoimhe would just come naturally to me, I don't remember ever learning them.

[whirlpools]

My dad's own parents spell his name 'Micheal'. It's actually Michael. Wonder if they might both be dyslexic, or whether some other struggle.