gus an coinnich sinn a-rithist
The Gaelic phrase for "until we meet again" is gus an coinnich sinn a-rithist.
This phrase is used to say goodbye to someone when you expect to see them again in the future.
Did you know?
- The word a-rithist is built from the prefix frith, which historically implies something being 'against' or 'opposite' a previous state, creating a linguistic sense of 'doing something against the previous end'.
- Gaelic possesses a high degree of 'initial consonant mutation', meaning the sounds at the start of words in phrases like this can change depending on the words preceding them.
- In much of the Gaelic-speaking diaspora, this phrase is often used in song lyrics to evoke a sense of longing for the homeland.
Example conversation
Callum and Isla are saying goodbye at the train station.
- CallumTha an trànaire a' tighinn, Isla.The train is coming, Isla.
- IslaTha e sin, gus an coinnich sinn a-rithist, Callum.That's it, until we meet again, Callum.
- CallumTìr mo chridhe, tìr mo ghreim.Land of my heart, land of my hold.
- IslaTuras math a th' agad!Have a good journey!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a-rithist, an, gus, sinn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
