Eagrán 1: Rúin na hAthbhliana (Scríbhinn/Transcript)

Focail úsáideacha ón eagrán/Useful words from the episode:

i mbéal an phobail - the talk of the town/topic of the moment (literally: in the mouth of the people)

Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise Duit - Happy New Year

faoi láthair - at the moment

rúin na hathbhliana - new year's resolutions

tobairtí do na déithe - sacrifices to the gods

i gcomhréir le - in accordance with

maidir le/de réir - according to

teip ar - to fail

comhlacht - company/business

brabús - profit

fógraí - ads

seafóideach - stupid

amhrasach - skeptical

dlúthpháirtíocht - solidarity

diongbháilteacht - determination

buntáiste - advantage

maoithneach - soppy/sentimental

dóchasach - hopeful

tús úr - fresh start

tá _____ tuillte agat - you deserve _____

tionchar - influence

buille faoi thuairim a thabhairt - to guess

foilsithe - published

Scríbhinn As Gaeilge

Dia duit a chara agus fáilte go dtí an chéad eagrán de “Imperfect Irish”. Tá súil agam go bhfuil tú ag coinneáil go maith agus ag fanacht slán. Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit! Tús na bliana atá ann agus mar sin, tá rud éigin i mbéal an phobail faoi láthair. Ciallaíonn “i mbéal an phobail” go bhfuil an-chuid daoine ag caint faoin rud seo agus is é an rud ná rúin na hathbhliana. Táimid chun an traidisiúin seo a phlé inniu – a stair agus a ról sa lá atá inniu ann. An rudaí tairbheacha iad rún na hathbhliana go fóill nó an bhfuil siad gan mhaith is lán de strus agus brú?

Bhuel a chara, chun an cheist sin a fhreagairt, tá orainn féachaint siar. Ní rudaí nua iad Rúin na hathbhliana agus tá stair suimiúil ag an traidisiúin. Thosaigh sé leis na Bablónaigh timpeall ar 4,000 bliana ó shin. Dhéanadh na rúin i bhfoirm gealltanais do na déithe. Cheiliúrtaí tús na bliana freisin, agus is léir go raibh an-chuid cóisirí eagraithe ag na Bablónaigh b’fhéidir cosúil leis na ‘gaffers’ a bhíonn ar siúl anseo de ghnáth. Dhéanadh na Rómhánaigh rudaí den chineál céanna. Dhéanadh siad tobairtí do na déithe mar ghealltanas go ndéanfadh siad níos fearr i rith na bliana nua. Go traidisiúnta, thugadh rúin na hathbhliana deiseanna do dhaoine a bheith ag smaoineamh faoi na botúin a rinne siad an bhliain roimhe agus seans dóibh cinneadh ar a bheith níos fearr sa todhchaí a dhéanamh i gcomhréir lena gcreidimh. Mar shampla, úsáidtí rúin na hathbhliana chun a bheith ag mothú níos cóngaraí do na déithe nó do Dhia. Sa lá atá inniu ann áfach déanann a lán daoine rúin na hathbhliana in ainneoin a reiligiún. Ní gá duit a bheith reiligiúnach chun iad a dhéanamh agus is féidir leat rún a bhaineann le rud ar bith a dhéanamh - b’fhéidir go bhfuil tú ag iarraidh teanga nua a fhoghlaim, nó a bheith níos aclaí nó níos mó oibre dheonach is araile a dhéanamh. Níl aon teorainn leis na deiseanna maidir le rúin na hathbhliana. Ach é sin ráite, an fiú é iad a dhéanamh? Is léir gur cheap na Bablónaigh agus na Rómhánaigh gurbh fhiú é. Sa bhliain 2021 le gach rud atá ar súil sa domhan, an fiú é dúinn?

Bhuel, maidir leis na staitisticí, ní fiú é in aon chor. De réir forbes.com, teipeann ar ochtó faoin gcéad do dhaoine a rúin na hathbhliana a bhaint amach. Agus chomh maith leis sin den chuid is mó de rúin tá siad caite amach cheana féin ag tús mí Feabhra. Má tá tú tar éis rúin na hathbhliana a dhéanamh, nílim ag iarraidh a bheith diúltach ná ag iarraidh tú a chur astu ach sílim gur suimiúil an rud gur thraidisiúin beagnach domhanda é cé go dteipeann ar fhormhór na ndaoine a dhéanann rúin iad a bhaint amach.

Chomh maith leis na staitisticí a chuirfí lagmhisneach ort, ná déan dearmad go ndéanann comhlachtaí brabús as rúin na hathbhliana. Tá fógraí i ngach áit ag rá go bhfuil ar gach duine “meachán na Nollag” a chailleadh agus rudaí seafóideacha eile. Inné bhí mé ag iarraidh féachaint ar fhíseán ar YouTube agus gach cúig nó sé nóiméid thosaigh an scáileán ag screadaíl orm ag rá “tá ort uirlis ceoil a fhoghlaim”, “íoslódáil an aip seo chun a bheith ag staidéar teangacha nua – tá siad de dhíth ort leis an mBreatimeacht agus gach rud” agus “mura gcailleann tú “meachán na Nollag”, teipfidh ort sa saol ar fad” no níl sé sin fíor! Mar a dúirt mé sa tréiléir don phodchraoladh seo, táim gafa le teangacha agus is aoibhinn liom caithimh aimsire go ginearálta ach uaireanta is féidir leis na fógraí atá i ngach áit i rith na tréimhse seo a bheith an iomarca ar fad. Sna meáin cuirtear brú ar dhaoine rúin na hathbhliana a dhéanamh, mar sin mothaíonn daoine an brú sin agus den chuid is mó dóibh gan na torthaí a bhí ag teastáil a bhaint amach. Cad a tharlódh dá ndéanfaimis cinneadh gan an brú sin a chur orainn, gan rúin na hathbhliana a dhéanamh? Dá ndéanfaimis rúin nó spriocanna dúinn féin agus ní mar gheall gur gnáthrud é ag tús gach bliain.

Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil cuma an-amhrasach orm faoi rúin na hathbhliana ach nílim go hiomlán in aghaidh an smaoinimh. Go pearsanta níl ceann déanta agam i mbliana ach chun an fhírinne a rá níor éirigh liom rúin na hathbhliana sna blianta roimhe seo a bhaint amach agus b’fhéidir gur é sin an fáth nach bhfuilim chun triail a bhaint astu sa bhliain 2021. Caithfidh mé a admháil go bhfuil buntáistí bainte leo áfach. Bíonn sé de nós ag a lán daoine rúin a dhéanamh gach Eanáir agus mar sin tá saghas dlúthpháirtíocht ann eatarthu. Is féidir leat rún a dhéanamh le duine eile agus b’fhéidir go mbeadh níos mó spreagadh agus diongbháilteacht agaibh a bhuí leis sin. Chomh maith leis sin, cé go mbíonn brabús déanta ag comhlachtaí mar gheall ar rúin na hathbhliana, bíonn lascainí ar chúrsaí agus gach rud ag an am seo den bhliain agus is fíorbhuntáiste é sin gan dabht. An buntáiste is mó, ceann saghas maoithneach, a bhaineann leis na rúin a dhéanamh i mí Eanáir dar liomsa ná go mbíonn (de ghnáth) atmaisféar dóchasach san aer. Is tús úr í bliain nua agus mar sin mothaíonn tú go bhfuil tú in ann rud ar bith a dhéanamh. Is tábhachtach an rud go bhfuil an dóchas agus an spreagadh sin agat agus tú ag iarraidh sprioc a bhaint amach. Go hiondúil, bíonn an dóchas sin beo i mbeagnach gach áit ag tús na bliana.

Tá a fhios ag an saol agus a mháthair go bhfuil rudaí an-difriúil i mbliana. Mar sin, is tábhachtach nach gcuireann tú brú ort féin liosta fada de rúin nó spriocanna a bhaint amach. Más rud é go bhfuil tú ag iarraidh rúin na hathbhliana a dhéanamh, sin thar barr ach déan iarracht gan a bheith ródhian ort féin mura bhfuil fonn ort nó an spreagadh agat chun iad a dhéanamh i mbliana. Tá sos ón mbrú agus strus tuillte ag gach duine agus táim cinnte gur thóg na Bablónaigh agus na Rómhánaigh sos fiú nuair a bhí sé uathu!

Is soiléir go bhfuil rúin na hathbhliana tar éis athrú go mór ó nuair a dhéantaí iad san tSean Róimh nó san impireacht na Bablóine. Is dóigh liom go mbraitheann an tionchar agus an tábhacht a bhaineann le rúin na hathbhliana ar cad atá ar siúl timpeall an domhain ag an am. An raibh a lán daoine á ndéanamh i rith an Dara Cogadh Domhanda mar shampla? Níl a fhios agam. I mbliana, b’fhéidir nach bhfuil an fuinneamh ag daoine iad a dhéanamh. In ionad rúin a dhéanamh, b’fhéidir gur mhaith le a lán daoine an fuinneamh sin a úsáid chun a bheith buíoch as a bheith slán.

Go raibh míle maith agat as a bheith ag éisteacht leis an eagrán seo! Tá súil agam gur fhoghlaim tú rud éigin nua. Sula n-imíonn tú, tá ceist agam duit – an féidir leat buille faoi thuairim a thabhairt faoi céard é an rún na hathbhliana is coitianta a dhéanann daoine? Fágfaidh mé an freagra mar anagram i nGaeilge sa foscríbhinn a thagann leis an eagrán seo. Is féidir leat glórphost a sheoladh chugam le do fhreagra nó faoi na rúin na hathbhliana atá agat i mbliana. Nó téigh i dteagmháil liom ar Instagram (@gaeilge_go_deo) nó seol ríomhphost chugam más mian leat. Ó agus Nollag na mBan shona duit mar is léir go mbeidh an t-eagrán seo foilsithe ar an séú lá. Go dtí an chéad eagrán eile, fan slán, labhair Gaeilge agus lean ar aghaidh ag déanamh botúin!

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Scríbhinn As Béarla

Hi, my friend and welcome to the first episode of “Imperfect Irish.” I hope you are keeping well and staying safe. Happy New Year! It’s the start of the year and as a result of this, there’s something that /the talk of the town. “I mbéal an phobail” means that everybody is talking about this thing and it is new year’s resolutions. We are going to discuss this tradition – its history and its role in today’s world. Are new year’s resolutions still beneficial or are they useless and filled with stress and pressure?

Well, my friend, to answer that question, we must look back. New year’s resolutions are not new things and the tradition’s history is interesting. It started with the Babylonians around 4,000 years ago. The resolutions were made in the form of promises to the gods. The start of the year also used to be celebrated, and the Babylonians organised a lot of parties, maybe like the ones that are usually organised here. The Romans used to do something similar. They used to make sacrifices to the gods as a promise that they would do better throughout the new year. Traditionally, new year’s resolutions gave people the opportunity to think about the mistakes they made the year before and a chance to make the decision to be better in the future in accordance with their religion. For example, new year’s resolutions were used to feel closer to the gods or to God. Today, however, a lot of people make resolutions despite their religion. You don’t have to be religious to make resolutions and you can make a resolution to do with anything – maybe you want to learn a new language, or to become more fit or to do more voluntary work, etc. There is no limit to new year’s resolutions. However, that being said, are they worth doing? It’s clear that the Babylonians and the Romans thought it was worth it. But in the year 2021, with everything that is going on in the world, is it worth it for us?

Well, according to the statistics, it isn’t worth it at all. According to forbes.com, eighty percent of people fail to achieve their new year’s resolutions. And in addition to this, for the majority of resolutions, they have already been thrown out by the start of February. But if you have made some new year’s resolutions, I’m not trying to be negative nor am I trying to put you off them, but I think that it’s interesting that this tradition is almost global even though the majority of people who make resolutions fail to achieve them.

In addition to the statistics that would discourage you, don’t forget that businesses make a profit from new years resolutions. I know that this is a cynical view but isn’t it true? Ads are everywhere at the moment saying that everyone have to lose their “Christmas weight” and other stupid things like that. Yesterday I was trying to watch a YouTube video and every five or six minutes the screen started to scream at me saying “you have to learn a musical instrument”, “download this app to study new languages – you’ll need them with Brexit and everything” and “if you don’t lose that “Christmas weight”, you’ll fail at life altogether” no that’s not true! As I said in the trailer for this podcast, I am obsessed with languages and I love hobbies in general but sometimes the ads that are everywhere at this time of the year can be too much. In the media, pressure is put on people to make new year’s resolutions and due to this, people feel that pressure, and for the majority of them, without achieving the results that they wanted. But think for a second, what would happen if we decided not to put that pressure on ourselves, not to make new year’s resolutions? If we made resolutions or goals for ourselves and not because it’s the “norm” at the start of every year.

I know that I seem to be very sceptical regarding new year’s resolutions, but I’m not totally opposed to the idea. Personally, I haven’t made one this year but to tell you the truth I didn’t succeed in achieving my resolutions from previous years and maybe that’s the reason why I’m not going to try them in the year 2021. However, I have to admit that there are advantages associated with them. Many people make it a habit to make resolutions every January and as a result, there is a kind of solidarity between them. You can make a resolution with someone else and maybe you’ll have more motivation and determination thanks to this. In addition, even though companies make a profit due to new year’s resolutions, there are often discounts on courses and everything at this time of the year and this is a true advantage no doubt. The biggest advantage, a kind of soppy one, of making new year’s resolutions in January is, in my opinion, the fact that there is (usually) a hopeful atmosphere in the air. A new year is a fresh start and as a result, you feel like you can do anything. It’s important that you have this hope and motivation when you are trying to achieve a goal. Usually, that hope is alive in almost everywhere at the start of the year.

Life and his mother know that things are very different this year. So, it’s important that you don’t put pressure on yourself to achieve a huge list of resolutions or goals. If it is the case that you want to make new year’s resolutions, that’s amazing but try not to be too hard on yourself if you don’t want to or don’t have the motivation to make them this year. Everyone deserves a break from the pressure and stress and I’m sure that even the Babylonians and Romans took a break when they needed it.

It’s clear that new year’s resolutions have changed greatly since when they were made in Ancient Rome or the Babylonian Empire. It’s clear that the influence and importance of new year’s resolutions depends on what is happening in the world at the time. Were a lot of people making new year’s resolutions during the Second World War for example? I don’t know. This year, maybe people don’t have the energy to make them. As opposed to making resolutions, maybe a lot of people would like to use that energy being grateful that they are safe.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode! I hope that you learned something new. Before you go, I have a question for you – can you guess the new year’s resolution that is the most common? I will leave the answer as an anagram in Irish in the caption that accompanies this episode. You can send me a voice message with the answer or about your new year’s resolutions this year. Or get in contact with me on Instagram (@gaeilge_go_deo) or send me an email if you would like. Oh and Happy Women’s Christmas as I think that this episode is going to be published on the 6th. Until the next episode, keep safe, speak Irish and continue making mistakes!