Adam Sharp

@adamcsharp.bsky.social

I’m currently reading up on an old Irish term for a person who likes to stay home by the warmth and comfort of the fireplace (a person we might today call a couch potato). The term, cailleach na luatha, should immediately replace couch potato though. It essentially means “divine hag of the ashes”

Mar 19, 2024 at 20:36 UTC

56 replies 720 reposts 2482 likes

Sue @suepook.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 20:44 UTC

I feel seen.

0 replies 0 reposts 9 likes

fidelioscabinet @fidelioscabinet.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 08:50 UTC

📌

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Slightly Foxed @oftreading.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 23:12 UTC

I’d read that as ash-witch but in fairness I don’t have a strong grasp of the language.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Clearyb @clearyb.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 21:38 UTC

The term Cailleach reminded me of caochán from the Dictionary of Hiberno English: caochán /'kirxoin/, /ker'xoin/ n., a partially blind person; a potato without an eye and hence useless for seed purposes (SOM, Kerry); fig. a house with a single window/tiny house www.thedailyspud.com/2014/08/25/i...

0 replies 2 reposts 7 likes

Felix | 🍉🇵🇸✨ @captnbubaru.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 03:03 UTC

Finding this while listening to Red Menace podcast hosts Breht & Alyson break-down an allegory of the sack of potatoes vs the potatoes in a sack for class consciousness just feels right, like I’m in the right place at the right time or somethin’ lol

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Adam Sharp @adamcsharp.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 21:14 UTC

And here are more alternative terms for a couch potato, from other languages... 7. House cockerel (Ghanaian Ewe) 6. House mouse (Finnish) 5. One who squats in the parlour (German) 4. Slipper guy (Italian) 3. Living room pig (Norwegian) 2. Armchair fungus (Flemish) 1. Sofa turd (Chilean Spanish)

22 replies 70 reposts 302 likes

root@eruditorum.œrg @root2702.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 00:12 UTC

Enclosed, please find my resume.

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

CrazyMyra @outonthemoors.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 06:40 UTC

Don't appropriate my culture

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Decade of Indigenous Languages @thecorrection.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 23:12 UTC

also means cricket doesn't it

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Terri Lyndie @terrilyndie.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 23:03 UTC

I knew it! I always knew I was a divine hag of the ashes.

0 replies 0 reposts 6 likes

Bleaktea @bleaktea.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 12:53 UTC

21st century life is about choosing what kind of hag you want to become.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Kat @kat86.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 11:39 UTC

That’s awesome! When I’m cremated I’m going to have that etched into my urn!

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Carolyn Griffiths @carolyngriffiths.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 20:55 UTC

Doesn't trip off the tongue though does it?

1 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

SID Chip Vicious @fatseanlives.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 02:15 UTC

in my hag arc I'm ashpilled

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Lauren McKenzie [free 🇵🇸] @themckenziest.gay
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 21:31 UTC

Immediately the biggest fan ever and all in

0 replies 0 reposts 11 likes

Greg ”Shalashaska” Kinnear 🏳️‍🌈 @tedcruzinusa.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 21:26 UTC

Love that Dark Souls boss. So difficult.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Just (Dr.) Monica @pkpd-babe.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 13:36 UTC

@rabbitholer.bsky.social it me

1 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Harkthorn @harkthorn.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 01:58 UTC

@kingdonncha1.bsky.social

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Halley Valentine 🏳️‍⚧️ @halleyvalentine.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 03:30 UTC

Holt shit that goes so hard. If i make it to that age, I'm demanding my nieces and nephews refer to me as this and only this.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Trinlay K @trinlayk.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 00:03 UTC

Don't interrupt the Ash Wife, she's watching her stories. I also need a pronunciation guide.

1 replies 1 reposts 8 likes

Queer Witch (they, their) @puck1008.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 01:23 UTC

I'd go with divine winter hag of the ashes.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Beejieweejie she/her @beejieweejie.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 05:02 UTC

I like this so much, that I'll trade my current sobriquet: "Hag at the churn" for it. 👏😍

0 replies 0 reposts 6 likes

Pod @poddraws.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 23:47 UTC

Thank you, this is now a character design assinment for my students ❤️

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

justin achilli @jachilli.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 22:05 UTC

When I lived in Stockholm, a local told me a (translated, gendered) Swedish phrase for this was "shiver woman."

1 replies 1 reposts 8 likes

Thirdnamejane @thirdnamejane.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 01:48 UTC

I like Hermit just fine!

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

VikingIrishGoddess @vikingirishgoddess.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 10:52 UTC

Sign me up💚🐾🌻

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Increasingly Invisible Older Woman @pierrette1789.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 14:46 UTC

For anyone wanting assistance with pronouncing this (or any other) fine Irish phrase, go to abair.ie

It will pop up _as gaeilge_, but there’s a handy toggle on the upper right to show it in English.

You can pick from multiple regional dialects, and male or female voice. Type & listen! 🙂

0 replies 1 reposts 0 likes

Starlit_Stella @starlilstella.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 00:36 UTC

The thatch cottages on Roan Inish are calling. 🦭

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Debbie Blanchard @debblanch44.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 21:09 UTC

I feel seen

0 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

Tully Quinn @tullyquinn.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 23:41 UTC

Got a pronunciation guide?

1 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Jane Dough @lastresponder.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 00:48 UTC

It me! I'm the divine hag of the ashes 😘

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Liese Blumenwiese @bitumenwiese.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 06:18 UTC

„divine hag“ is what I aspire to become in my granny years

0 replies 1 reposts 3 likes

Flee @flee613.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 23:41 UTC

What an eloquent way to call someone Cinderella.

1 replies 1 reposts 4 likes

ZenTangent @zentangent.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 23:12 UTC

fröm "The Junior Pyromaniac Handbook", Rule 42, "Building fires INSIDE is a really good way to get Fried Couch Potatoes.

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Teton Kali @tetonkali.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 02:25 UTC

I'm sorry, I can't use it. If I tried I'd probably seriously damage my tongue. And it'd probably come out as "Unholy ash of hashes". Probably a mortal Gaelic curse.

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

@jiminnh.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 03:46 UTC

Of relevance youtu.be/Hwstj9FJHGg?...

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Ron Hebshie @ronthinkmedia.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 06:08 UTC

Put me in front of a peat fire on a cold night, and I'd be a divine hag of the ashes and damn proud of it!

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell @marsheilarockwell.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 22:48 UTC

This is my new official title.

0 replies 0 reposts 5 likes

/gen @genna.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 20:42 UTC

Would it be good manners to learn Irish first, or can I just change all my social media bios to that phrase right now????

0 replies 0 reposts 25 likes

H. Owlett @hedwigowlett.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 17:40 UTC

That should go for Ireland only. In America we not only have couch potatoes; worse: we have couch Pringles.

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Mary50shadesofWTF @kapdoll.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 22:49 UTC

Oh my lords and fairies, that’s me!

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

@bleuchat.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 15:19 UTC

Ok but how the heck do I pronounce THAT collision of unfamiliar vowels?

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Jay Blanc @jayblanc.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 22:45 UTC

I should caution that the translation 'hag' is pretty literal, while you can call yourself a caileach, you shouldn't call someone else one. Unless you want to insult them.

0 replies 1 reposts 18 likes

Logiclust @logiclust.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 00:24 UTC

Couch potato is now racist

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Dr Legume @goodnightnobody.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 03:20 UTC

"couch potato" is a pretty accurate translation of that, like that's "divine hag of the ashes" in modern times. Blunt, flat, likeable, saves a couple syllables. Irish might have got there, but they got the potato late. It's a new world term.

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Hipster Sasquatch @hipstersasquatch.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 07:46 UTC

Cinderella?

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Jesse Hughey @hughey.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 01:52 UTC

Is there a male/guy equivalent of “hag,” or is that gender neutral in old Irish?

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Leslie Ordal @gencounsnews.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 21:19 UTC

you rang?

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

whetstone @whetstone.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 00:10 UTC

potatoes were often cooked in the ashes, this replacement retains a beautiful resonance

1 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

Flapjack 🥞 @flapjacq.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 21, 2024 at 10:14 UTC

Wart of the davenport

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Kevin Kretsch @drkevguitar.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 08:28 UTC

Not sure "divine" is part of the meaning, it's certainly not present in the words as written and wouldn't be assumed at all.

1 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Nothings Monstered @nothingsmonstrd.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 19, 2024 at 22:38 UTC

📌

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Marxist Theories & Lore @marxistlore.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 20, 2024 at 06:16 UTC

Would

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes