Northern Irish expressions by Joanne

People from Northern Ireland have a very distinctive accent and, although my sister and I try to avoid using them too much in lessons, there are many expressions used in Northern Ireland that you won't hear in other English-speaking countries.

You can read some of them below.

Feel free to impress us in lessons by using some of them!

Remember these are informal expressions that are usually only used in spoken language and not written down.

北アイルランド出身の人たちはとても独特なアクセントをもっています。妹と私（レッスンパートナーのGeraldineとJoanneは姉妹です）はレッスンではあまりそれらを使わないようにしてはいるんですけども。

北アイルランドには他の英語圏の国ではあまり聞かれない表現がたくさんあります。

いくつか下記にご紹介させていただきますので、読んでみてください。

レッスンでもぜひ使ってにてくださいね！

でも、覚えておいてほしいことは、これらは砕けた表現方法だということ、話すときの表現であって書くときには使われないということです。

Norn Iron = Northern Ireland:
"I'm from Norn Iron, so I am"

私は北アイルランド出身だよ

so I am, so it is, so you are…:
"You're crazy, so you are”;

あなたってクレイジーよねぇ

It's cold today, so it is.

今日は寒いよねぇ

wee = small:

I'll just have a wee bit, please

少しだけいただくわ

My wee sister lives in Tokyo.

私の妹は東京に住んでいます

Would you like a wee bag?

小さいバックいかがですか？

Norn Iron= Northern Ireland: "I'm from Norn Iron,

so I am"
so I am, so it is, so you are…: "You're crazy, so you are”; "It's cold today, so it is"

wee= small: "I'll just have a wee bit, please"; "My wee sister lives in Tokyo"; "Would you like a wee bag?”

scundered= embarrassed

aye/ai/ = yes

What about yeh?(What about you?) = How are you?
craic /crack/ = fun, news…: "Any craic?"; "What's the craic?"; "The party was good

craic"; "The craic was ninety" (= It was lots of fun)

eejit= idiot: "Stop being an eejit!"
grand = good, alright: "How are you?" "I'm

grand"; "How was your interview?" "It was grand"
melter = annoying person: "That girl is such a melter!"

mucker= friend, pal: "Alright, mucker?!"

youse/yooz/ = you (plural): "What are youse doing tonight?"; "Do youse want to go out for dinner?"

These are just a few examples.

There are so many! Many of them would not be easily understood by people from England, USA, Australia etc. and are particular just to Northern Ireland.

We use lots of slang when talking to our muckers but wouldn't speak like this in a business meeting!

If you would like to read more:

これらはほんの一部の例で、他にももっとたくさんあるの！

こういった表現のほとんどはイギリス、アメリカ、オーストラリアの人たちからはそんなに理解されなくて北アイルランド人だけのものね。

友達と話す時、私たちはたくさんのスラングを使うけど、ビジネスミーティングのような場面では話さないわ！

もしもっと知りたいのであればこちらのURLも是非見てみてください。

http://www.inyourpocket.com/northern-ireland/belfast/How-till-spake-Norn-Iron-A-guide-to-local-phrases_70619f

All the best! (=Goodbye!)

Joanne