My father-in-law was a child in Ireland during the Depression. He was surrounded by first cousins, uncles, aunts...As an adult, the only Gaelic words he remembered were swear words. He used this word below a lot.
The Irish words for “idiot” are eedjit, amadάn, and amaid. Amάdan means “fool” and amaid means “foolish woman”. Obviously, these are more formal Irish.
But, eedjit?
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| County Longford...where my father-in-law lived. |
The Irish words for “idiot” are eedjit, amadάn, and amaid. Amάdan means “fool” and amaid means “foolish woman”. Obviously, these are more formal Irish.
But, eedjit?
Eedjit is the everydayIrish word for idiot. Chances are it was
changed to “eedjit” by the Irish to refer to the English word “idiot.
Here are some thoughts from another site:
Here are some thoughts from another site:
Eedjit:
Eedjit is one
English man, so……
Sure and, Eedjits is more than one Englishman….
Dinna ye know: Eedjit is bein’ one sandwich short of a picnic….
Eedjits was stolen from the Scottish language, Eejits. And I bloody well know…
Hard tae swallie, bein’ an eedjit is official, dey up and put it in de Scottish dictionary…
Sure and, Eedjits is more than one Englishman….
Dinna ye know: Eedjit is bein’ one sandwich short of a picnic….
Eedjits was stolen from the Scottish language, Eejits. And I bloody well know…
Hard tae swallie, bein’ an eedjit is official, dey up and put it in de Scottish dictionary…
And there you have it: Eedjit.
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| Source You must see this movie...it comes close to revealing the best of Irish life. |
One sandwich short of a picnic. I like that one. Sometimes I think I've known a few eedjits.
ReplyDeleteOh, there are more than enough eedjits to go around.
DeleteI love it--it's close enough to idiot so that people might be able to guess what you're saying, but still leaves them confused; which in the end will prove your point. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is the best part.
DeleteThat's what I was thinking Melanie!
ReplyDeleteVery good word to have in my vocabulary, Thanks ;-)
Gina, I'm #1362 today, blogging at Book Dragon's Lair
It is a great word to know.
DeleteI like it...may even use it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely use it!
DeleteMy mom knew many Irish swear words, but I never heard that one.
ReplyDeleteShe probably did not want to use that word when it came to her kids.
DeleteI've used it a time or two in blog comments, never in real life though. Might have to
ReplyDeleteTime to cut loose!
DeleteIt sounds more Spanish, like a Spanish person was trying to day idiot.
ReplyDeleteI can see that. After the failed Spanish Armada, sailors swam to Irish shores. Some were immediately killed, others integrated. So maybe...
DeleteWhat a coincidence I was reading a book and I came across this word, I said it aloud and thought that it sounded like Idiot in English. Thank you for confirming it :) Nice post!!
ReplyDeleteOh coincedental!
DeleteI've heard 'Eedjit' too. I was going to say my family must have said it in jest, but maybe it was really a cartoon (my infinite source of knowledge when I was a kid, lol) where I first heard it?
ReplyDeleteGood question.
DeleteLove the way the Irish take a word and make it their own with that lilting accent.
ReplyDeleteI agree!
DeleteGiven the often less than stellar treatment they dished out to the Irish I really like the eedjit one Englishman, eedjits more than one definition.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this, I smiled.
DeleteI heard people in my family say eedjit, didn't know it was Irish/Scottish just thought it was a twisted way of saying idiot! I LOVE that movie!
ReplyDeleteIt was such a pure vision of Ireland of the past.
DeleteI've heard people use this word but didn't know from where it came!
ReplyDeleteI wish I remembered the other swear words he used.
DeleteI use eejit a fair bit! Especially at the moment when we are having a general election. The word was made for certain politicians.
ReplyDeleteAnabel's Travel Blog
...for many politicians!
DeleteI will have to check out that movie; hadn't seen it before. I kind of like the use of eedjit, especially if someone didn't know what it meant. They might not know if you were insulting them or complimenting them :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Isn't that delightful!
DeleteThat's a good one. Makes one wonder which came first, idiot or eedjit.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know...is it the chicken and the egg kind of question?
DeleteIt's actually just a pronunciation thing. Like a lot of North American believe the Irish have a currency called the punt. It is the same as the English pound, just sounds like punt the way the Irish say it.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's correct. Irish say "sk-oh-nez" while English say "sk-ah-nz.
Deletehahahahahahaha. The Mama, who speaks Ilocano, a Filipino language, has called people eedjits from time to time. I did not realize she knows yet another language.
ReplyDeleteTake 25 to Hollister
As she learns English, she definitely hang on eedjits.
DeleteIt's a fairly mild word now compared to what else is out there, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteNo one would blink if called an eedjit. Even if called some vulgar word.
DeleteI like that word and it sounds close to idiot. I have a feeling you picked the kindest of all the words
ReplyDeleteYes, it is the mildest word he used.
DeleteI love the title of your blog!
ReplyDeleteThere is a story behind that...
DeleteWords are fascinating. How they began and how they've evolved -- even idiot has a rich history!
ReplyDeleteYou can find me here:
ClarabelleRant
History of words is often compared to a stew pot.
DeleteIt is fun to say
ReplyDeleteEedjits, eedjits, eedjits...yes, it is fun
DeleteI've been an Eedjit a time or three myself in this lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI've added that movie to my "must see" list.
I've always loved this word LOL. My grandmother was Irish and some of her words still crack me up.
ReplyDeleteE is for eedjit! Bahahahaha! Awesome!
ReplyDelete