Talk:Éire

Sound file

Listening to the recorded media file (Template:IPA-audio) I'd say the IPA code is [ɛːɾʲə] (open 'e'), not [ˈeːɾʲə]. Capmo (talk) 20:43, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

The "e" sounds close enough to me to be [e:], but the "r" is a regular English [ɹ] without any palatalization rather than the palatalized tap native speakers would use. (I'm pretty sure the speaker is not a native Irish speaker.) —Angr 21:05, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

I agree with the above - the IPA is fine, but the soundfile does not match the IPA. The 'r' needs to be palatalized - maybe someone else could offer a better soundfile? [ˈɛːɹə] is what a non-Gaelic speaker from Ireland would likely say, so it's possibly worth keeping, but it shouldn't take first place over an authentic Gaelic pronunciation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.217.49.56 (talk) 12:31, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

I've added an alternative Irish pronunciation. AnTreasach (talk) 14:12, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

Constitutional name?

"Éire (pronounced Eire.ogg [ˈeːɾʲə] (help·info)) is the Irish name for the island of Ireland and the sovereign state of the same name."

This is INCORRECT. The Irish (Gaeilge) name for Ireland is Eireann. As a native Irish speaker I can assure you of this fact. Nor is "Éire" the name of the sovereign state in the sense of excluding the British-occupied part of Ireland. When the term "Éire" was introduced (being the ENGLISH, not Irish word for Ireland), "State" included the occupied 6 counties (since the Irish Constitution identified these as part of the State of Ireland). Somebody (who isn't English) needs to rewrite this article who understands what they are talking about. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.216.17.234 (talk • contribs) 13:03, 24 June 2009

Or maybe you just need to read the Constitution. | Airteagal 4... Bastun^{Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ!} 13:09, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

This is utter nonsense. If you are claiming to be a native Irish speaker you may need to read up on your language. Éire is the Irish word for Ireland, from Old Irish 'Ériu'. 'Éireann' is the genitive of the nominitive 'Éire', and 'Éirinn' is the dative. You are probably getting mixed up with the English term 'Erin' or something. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.217.49.56 (talk) 12:34, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Eire

I changed:

"Éire (pronounced [ˈeːɾʲə] (help·info)) is the Irish name for the island of Ireland and the sovereign state of the same name."

to:

"Éire (pronounced [ˈeːɾʲə] (help·info)) is the Gaelic name for Ireland and it was the official name of the Republic of Ireland from 1937 to 1949[1]. It is still used today to distinguish the Republic of Ireland from the island and from Northern Ireland[2]."

Someone undid what I wrote, and I undid what they undid.

My sources:

- The Oxford Dictionary of English
- The Oxford World Encyclopedia

Their sources: none.

According to The Oxford World Encyclopedia, Eire is "The former name (from 1937 to 1949) of the Republic of Ireland, still often used in newspapers etc. to distinguish the country from Northern Ireland and from the island as a whole." According to the MWCD, Eire is a "country occupying major portion of the island" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ireland).

(Edit:) "Eire" may have a different meaning in Irish, but this is the English version of Wikipedia.

77.205.199.190 (talk)

It is indeed the English version of Wikipedia. So calling the language "Gaelic" is therefore incorrect. It's "Irish". "Eire" means nothing. "Éire", on the other hand, is the name of the state in the Irish language, and also the name of the island in the Irish language. See Article 4 of the Constitution of Ireland: http://www.constitution.ie/reports/ConstitutionofIreland.rtf. Bastun^{Ėġáḍβáś₮ŭŃ!} 00:28, 20 November 2009 (UTC)

Eire means burden in Irish, and so Irish nationalists were most annoyed by the use of Eire in the UK from 1938. But within the decade "Eire" was sometimes being used in Éire, even by government departments.Red Hurley (talk) 11:12, 2 January 2011 (UTC)

Etymology

I find the current etymology section a little speculative and myth-based. A more mundane etymology I have come across is:

• thairr (west) + fónn (land), which together give iar-fhónn (sounds like Éirinn, the f is silent)

This is similar in meaning to the Norse name for Ireland, west land", which game its name to "West men" (Irishmen) and subsequently to the Icelandic island of Vestmannaeyjar.

Would there be any objections to removing the first and third paragraphs in the etymology section and replacing it with the above? The "Largely discredited etymologies" section being removed (as uncited)? And the second paragraph being expanded with detail from sources used elsewhere on wiki to discuss the same history. --RA (talk) 14:03, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

I'd support the above being added in the place of the "Largely discredited etymologies" section. However, I think the rest should stay. ~Asarlaí 20:42, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

"eire" etymology

The meaning of burden is clear from McBain and other dictionaries. Long ago my national school teacher explained the pejorative sense. At the time it seemed like nitpicking, but he was right.Red Hurley (talk) 07:01, 20 August 2011 (UTC)

I'm sure it does mean "burden". But it doesn't belong in this article. Do you really think the pre-war British gov't was aware of that meaning? JonChapple^Talk 08:46, 20 August 2011 (UTC)

No, of course they were not aware, but it was an extra annoyance to language purists - never a large %%age of the population. My view is that the UK 1938 Act mentioned the name "Eire" with good intentions, given that the "Economic War" had just ended. Just one of those things, and a little more relevant than the speculative but fascinating Īweriūs and piHwerjons.Red Hurley (talk) 12:40, 22 August 2011 (UTC)

Did we ever refuse a cheque from the Eire Society of Boston because of its spelling?Red Hurley (talk) 11:38, 25 August 2011 (UTC)

But wasn't an extradition warrant refused? - Lugnad (talk) 12:04, 25 August 2011 (UTC)

The legal agreements with the US on shipping issues - such as the purchase of the SS Irish Oak (1919) was with the Irish Republic - not Eire - not RoI - and signed by Frank Aiken

imo "eire" was not that widely used in the US, although it was in the UK.

having said that, Churchill always spoke of "Southern Ireland" - Lugnad (talk) 12:10, 25 August 2011 (UTC)

I think you're right - cheques with Eire on them were acceptable but not extradition warrants (lol). As for the Irish Oak, in my experience if the money is lined up for a deal nobody minds what names go on a contract.Red Hurley (talk) 10:38, 24 November 2011 (UTC)