Focal an Lae #221
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: trá (TRAW) [traː]
Meaning: trá = shore, beach; ebbtide
Usage:
- ar an trá thirim (ehr uhn TRAW HIH-rihm) [er′ ən traː hir/əm′] = high and dry (lit., on the dry beach)
- Tá sé ag trá. (TAW shay uh TRAW) [taː s′eː ə traː] = The tide is going out. (lit., it is at ebbing)
- Ní féidir leat an dá thrá a fhreastal. = You can’t do two things at once; you can’t have it both ways.
(lit., not possible with-you the two shores to serve)
History: Old Irish “tráig” (shore, ebb-tide) and “trágud” (ebbing, drying up), and Welsh “traeth” (beach) and “trai” (ebb-tide)
derive from the Indo-European root *tragh- (to draw, drag). Cognates include Irish “trácht” (
Focal #205) and English “tract”.
Scottish Gaelic: tràigh