Leprechaun

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Dr. Goodword
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Leprechaun

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:35 pm

• leprechaun •

Pronunciation: le-prê-kahn • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A mythical Irish elfin, one of the mischievous Little People of Irish folklore with a purse, the contents of which are given to anyone who catches one.

Notes: There are several spelling traps in this word, beginning with the second E, which is often miswritten as A. Next, look out for the CH, which is pronounced [k], and, finally, the AU, which might be pronounced [aw] in some dialects and [ah] in others. It's only spelled AU in all dialects. There is an adjective, should you see someone resembling one of the wee folk: leprechaunish "like a leprechaun".

In Play: We thought we would explore a word of Irish origin to wish everyone a happy St. Patrick's: "Twasn't me, mum, who broke the lamp, but a leaping laughing little leprechaun, who doesn't respect other people's property." The leprechauns do come out at night to figure in whatever mischief there is: "Well, doesn't he come home then in the wee small hours with that leprechaunish grin on his face?"

Word History: Nothing seems more Irish than the Gaelic word leprechaun, but lurking inside this word is a Latin borrowing that attests to the Catholic Church's influence on the language. The Irish Gaelic luprachán comes from Old Irish luchorpán. This word is luchorp from lú- "small" + corp "body"—from Latin corpus "body" + -án, a diminutive suffix. The Gaelic lú "small" is a radically reduced form of PIE legwh- "light, having little weight", of which English light is a historical paronym. In Latin it emerged as levis "light" (as in levity) and in Russian lëgkiy "light". With a Fickle N, it also emerged in English as lungs, which are still called lights in some regions when applied to farm animals. Why is that, you ask? It's because they floated to the surface of the water in the tub where the innards were being washed when a hog was slaughtered and cleaned in times gone by.
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Perry Lassiter
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Re: Leprechaun

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:45 pm

Sure, and aren't I wondering why so many Irish "statements", are in the form of a question, as in your example? Don't we just love St. Patrick's Day?
pl

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Slava
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Re: Leprechaun

Postby Slava » Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:44 am

"light" (as in levity) and in Russian lëgkiy "light". With a Fickle N, it also emerged in English as lungs, which are still called lights
In Russian the word for lungs is the plural of lëgkiy (lëgkiye), so lights they are there. How about other languages we may know?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

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Re: Leprechaun

Postby LukeJavan8 » Mon Mar 17, 2014 11:51 am

Mi sainted grandmither, of sainted mem'ry,
had a wee Leprechaun who messed up
her kitchen at least ev'ry night. She was
mightily upset ev'ry morn.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

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Re: Leprechaun

Postby eberntson » Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:43 pm

So a new Irish museum opened this year, who's mission is to re-educate people about Leprechauns, see http://www.leprechaunmuseum.ie/. These creatures historically are not cute and happy 'lil creatures. [irishAccent] They are dark cutthroat bad-ass beasties! [/irishAccent] In the vein of deadly Chinese Gremlins and such. So the horror movie "Leprechaun" (1993) is closer to the truth then the "Lucky Charms" version.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns

LukeJavan8
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Re: Leprechaun

Postby LukeJavan8 » Wed Mar 19, 2014 4:24 pm

And I see on casual observance in Netflix there are at
least 6 of the 1993 movies, with sequels. Shiver. Not me.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

LukeJavan8
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Re: Leprechaun

Postby LukeJavan8 » Wed Mar 19, 2014 4:25 pm

Say, Eberntson, is your avatar, The Green Man?
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Philip Hudson
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Re: Leprechaun

Postby Philip Hudson » Wed Mar 19, 2014 5:54 pm

Chinese gremlins? Are these Chinese knock-offs of the original US Army Air Corps gremlins that were discovered gumming up the works of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in WW II? Some of my uncles had run-in's with them.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

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Re: Leprechaun

Postby LukeJavan8 » Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:15 pm

And the currently missing 777?
-----please, draw me a sheep-----


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