Irish Roots of English Words
keen (caoine = lament), dig (tuig = to understand), crony (comh-róghna = fellow-favorites), spiel (speal = cutting satiric speech), yacking (éagcaoin = complaining, lamenting), swells (sóúil = comfortable, wealthy), scam (‘s cam = crooked, deceptive), hoodoo (uath dubh = dark spectre), cute (ciúta = clever quip), gimmick (camóg = a trick), big shot (seád = jewel, fig. “big chief”), snoot (snua ard = lofty visage), snazzy (snasach = elegant), swank (somhaoineach = wealthy, profitable), moolah (moll óir = pile of money), bunkum (buanchumadh = perpetual invention, made-up tale), natty (néata = neat, dapper), baloney (béal ónna = foolish talk), gin-i-ker (tine caor = thunderbolt of fire), puss (pus = face), gob (gob = mouth), clamour (glam mór = great howl), galore (go leor = in abundance), smithereens (smiodarín = tiny fragment), coney (coinín = little rabbit), blather (bladar = flatter), smear (smúr = cover with ashes), game (cham = lame), muck (muc = pig), whiskey (uisce bheatha = water of life), brogue (bróg = shoe), take (tóg = take), ballyhoo (bailiú = gathering), hobo (ob = reject, shun), slogan (slua gairm = warriors call), cop (ceap = grasp, understand), noggin (noigín = quart-sized wooden cask), shanty (sean teach = old house), dogie (budógín = little heifer), so long (slán = goodbye), kibosh (cap báis = death cap), jazz (teas = heat, excitement, passion), slugger (slacaire = batter, bruiser, mauler), smack (smeach = a whack), wallop (bhuail leadhb = mighty blow), duking (tuargain = hammering, slugging), rooter (radaire = ranter, boaster, bully), root (rad = rant, boast), chucker (teilgeoir = pitcher, tosser), fluke (foluach = a rare reward or occurrence), glommer (glámaire = a grabber), dude (dúd = a dolt, foolish-looking fellow).