Thirty-Two Words for Field by Manchan Magan
Thirty-Two Words for Field by Manchan Magan
SUPERFOLK SAYS:
“Language shapes our world. When we name something we confer status and value on it - we say “this matters”. When we loose a place name we loose a way of seeing, understanding and connecting with generational knowledge about this place. This book offers us a way back - ideal for curious lovers of culture, heritage, nature and language”
Gearoid
ABOUT THIS BOOK:
The Irish language has thirty-two words for field. Among them are; geamhar - a field of corn-grass, tuar - a field for cattle at night, reidhlean - a field for games or dancing and cathairin - a field with a fairy-dwelling in it.
The richness of a language closely tied to the natural landscape offered our ancestors a more magical way of seeing the world. Before we cast old words aside, let us consider the sublime beauty and profound oddness of the ancient tongue that has been spoken on the island of Ireland for almost 3,000 years. In Thirty-Two Words for Field, Manchan Magan meditates on these words - and the nuances of a way of life that is disappearing with them.
Details:
Format: Hardback with dustcover
Size: 14.5cm x 22cm
Pages: 375pp
Illustrations: Black and white linocut illustrations
Publisher: Gill Books
Published: September 2020
About the Author:
Manchán Magan is a writer and documentary-maker. He has written numerous books on his travels and two novels. He writes occasionally for The Irish Times, reports on travel for various radio programmes, and has presented dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture. He lives in an oak wood, with bees, hens and veg, in a grass-roofed house near Lough Lene, Co. Westmeath.
Reviews:
'A rip-roaring, archaeological and anthropological exploration of the lyricism, mystery and oddities of the Irish language, and the layers of ancient knowledge encoded within.'
The Irish Times
