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The Language of the Play
General GroundworkIt is important to understand that the use of the word "fuck" is so common in Ireland as to be nearly innocuous. It is used freely as a noun, verb, adjective and adverb. When it's time to be polite, instead of dropping the word altogether, as in some cultures, the Irish may replace it with "feck". This diminutive version is acceptable on television, radio, and often even by children. This fact is merely informational, since, in the course of this play, no one ever has any reason to be polite. It is also interesting to note that oaths like, "Jayzus!" or "For Jayzus sake!" or "Jesus Christ" are commonly used in Ireland, but the use of "God damn" and similar phrases is extremely rare. Slang Expressions088 "…that old 088 you were using…" - at the time this play was written, 088 was a telephone area code dedicated to Eircell's (notoriously undependable) analog cell phone service; in 2007 DigiWeb took over the prefix with its G4 system acting the bollocks - playing the fool; being annoying after - actively or with determination, "…she's after completely doing her nut…" arse - ass (not a donkey) balls up - screw up banjacksed - ruined or defeated; hopelessly screwed up banshee - a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die berk - idiot; this is actually one of the most common examples of what is referred to as Cockney rhyming slang--a form developed by the "cockneys" (the labor classes in London) in Cheapside in the early 1800s, and which remains popular today, even though many who use it have forgotten what it is or how it works. Cockney rhyming slang may have developed as a way for workers in the market or criminals to talk about illegal transactions in public. In this form of slang, a conjunction of words is established, the last of which rhymes with the intended word and becomes its definition. Often the slang term is shortened to the first word only, so it no longer rhymes at all. For example, apples and pears = stairs. So the slang for stairs becomes apples. No kidding. "She's coming down the apples." Berk is short for Berkshire Hunt, which rhymes with cunt--which is another word that is used much more commonly in Ireland and England than here and rarely means anything more profane than idiot or even simply guy or fellah. black pudding - blood sausage, a British delicacy made by cooking animal blood and fat (usually from a pig) with onion, spices and a thickener such as oatmeal until it congeals when cooled bollixed - botched or bungled; drunk bollocks - testicles - "That's a pain in the bollocks." ; rubbish or nonsense - "That's bollocks."; ruffian or boor - "Stop being such a curmudgeonly old bollocks your whole life!"; a general expression of frustration - "Oh, bollocks!" Bridewell - Bridewell Garda Station, a police station, courthouse and jail in Dublin. As a side note that has no direct connection with the play itself, though it has a clear thematic one, over the lintel at Bridewell is engraved a latin inscription, "Fiat justitia ruat caulem", which is a Latin legal phrase meaning, "Let justice be done though the heavens fall." coddle - runny eggs cooked in hot, but not boiling, water - "You've got to cook that coddle I've been asking you for…" craic or crack - brisk talk or conversation; may also imply lies or exaggeration - "I enjoy the socialness and the crack…" crisps - chips, as in potato chips the Dart - Dublin's local rail system doing her nut - flipping out; going ballistic; losing her mind dozy - dim witted digs - punches, as in "throwing digs" early house - a bar that opens early in the morning eejit - idiot fair play - indicates polite respect for someone's opinion or choice, usually despite the fact that the opinion is not shared by the speaker flathulach - Irish for generous giving out - either bullshitting or complaining - "Ah, stop giving out!" gobaloon - like gobshite, only dopier gobshite - shithead or idiot Guards - police guts for garters - usually a threat of dread reprisal, here it is used simply to imply a friendly lack of sympathy - "...I'd have your guts for garters…" Head-the-Ball - a lunatic or idiot hole in the wall - cash machine; in this play it also provides a unique metaphor I feel it in me waters - equivalant of "I feel it in my bones" jacks - bathroom or toilet jacks roll - toilet paper jar - a pint of beer jarred - drunk jo - taxi jug - pint of beer Kaliber - a brand of non-alcoholic beer kitchen roll - paper towels loo - bathroom or toilet lorry - truck Lough Derg - the third largest lake in Ireland, it means "lake of the red eye" Matt Talbot - Irish ascetic who is unofficially known as a patron saint for alcoholics mills - fights moon juice - moonshine my balls - an annoyance - "That's only my balls." off-license - a shop in which liquor may be purchased by the bottle; many bars have off-license shops attached, some with drive-up windows only my hole - worthless - "That's only my hole!" peat briquettes - peat that has been cut into brick shapes and dried for burning in stoves for heat pig's mickey - a total mess; mickey is slang for both piss and penis, so you can take your pick, but a pig's penis is shaped like a corkscrew. Mickey is also Cockney rhyming slang for "house" (Mickey Mouse), which provides a third alternative - "You always make a pig's mickey of everything." pissing rain - pouring rain poteen - moonshine press - cupboard reef out - verbally assault - "She fucking reefed me out of it." right as dodgers - happy and comfortable - "We'll all be right as dodgers." scarper - run away; escape in a hurry. This comes from yet another example of Cockney rhyming slang: "Go!" rhymes with "Scapa Flow" (a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland) and becomes "scapa" or "scarper". the school run - driving the kids to school shebeen - an unlicensed bar, often serving moonshine shite - shit slash - piss this long weather - a long time wanker - literally, one who masturbates; metaphorically, an idiot or ass wonga - money |
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The Seafarer takes place in a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The Irish are famous for their storytelling, their production of literary giants, and their flair for creative slang, particularly in the realm of insults and cursing. We've provided a list of words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to Americans. We sincerely hope that the list will enhance your understanding and appreciation of both the play and the Irish, and not send you running for the closest exit.