Words for rain

slowburner

Well, it seems we might need to borrow a new vocabulary from the Hawaiians.

As with Eskimo snow, however, many of the words are variations on a single theme. For example, the glossary section includes the basic word noe (mist or fine rain) as well as noe kolo (small fine rain of the mountains), noenoe (fine mist, fog or rain) and noe 'ula (red-eyed from going out in the rain).
Then there is paka (raindrops), pakaku (rain falling in large drops), pakapaka (a heavy shower of large raindrops or the spattering noise that such drops make on a hollow or dry substance), paka ua (raindrops making a noise as they spatter on dry leaves), paki'o (showery rain), and paki'oki'o (to rain in short showers and often). And who is to say whether pipinoke (to rain continuously) has the same root as paka or not?

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/weather-forget-eskimo-snow--here-are-139-hawaiian-rain-words-1142513.html

It's surprising really, that we have such a limited number of words for such a common weather pattern on this island.

Mist, drizzle, rain, downpour, deluge: they're the only nouns I can think of, which name types of rain.

Is the Irish language any richer in these terms?

Nabber

P*ssing is one i use the most.

English language is a limited language in all areas, our own language has suffered from lack of use amongst a wide populas.

Tom Cruises Left Nut

Or as I heard someone on the train say this morning "Its geeing down" :pac:

eskimocat

We have lots of descriptive ways to talk about rain instead of individual words. Perhaps its the Irish story tellers in us, why use one word when a sentence would do! Here are a few that I have heard over the years

It was bucketing down (or raining buckets)
It was raining cats and dogs
It wasn't waiting to rain
The heavens opened
It was absolutely rotten out (conjures up images of wind and rain)
Its a good day for the ducks
It was 'wet' rain (very big drops, as opposed to the misty stuff)
It was pouring down
It came in sideways

I am sure there are lots more.....

desolate sun

English language is a limited language in all areas

I disagree with this statement. English is one of the richest languages in the world.

Synonyms and phrases for rain:

Shower
Pour
Pelt
Come down
Bucket
Piss down
Rain hard
Pour with rain
Rain cats and dogs
Rain torrents
Rain sheets
Pitter patter
Drizzle
Mizzle
Drip
Spit
Sprinkle
Mist

Courtesy of Roget's Thesaurus

Deep Easterly

slowburner wrote: »

As with Eskimo snow, however, many of the words are variations on a single theme.

Not sure where it actually stemmed from originally, but the idea that Eskimos have 50 words for snow is a total myth. They have between 2 and 4 words at most to describe snow. In fact, I remember reading in some weather journal years ago that there are more descriptive terms for snow in the English language than in any other -- though that itself may be a complete myth as well.. :cool:

Edit. A local saying around here is 'boiling for rain' when the air feels heavy and threatening.

DOCARCH

Tipping down.

slarkin123

Its lashing

gurramok

Its monsoon out(like this morning)

Sponge Bob

slowburner wrote: »

Is the Irish language any richer in these terms?

Absolutlely.

A heavy shower is a Múr, more continous rain is Báisteach/Fearthainn and a squally shower is a Ráig.

Drizzle of the soft variety is Ceobhrán which derives from Ceo=Fog. Drizzle is translateable as a 'Fogette'

Gleáradh is clattering or percussive rain.

Then there are regional variants in Ulster and Munster. Those are connacht words.

Simon Gruber Says

"The clouds burst". Referring to torrential rain

desolate sun

A local saying around here is 'boiling for rain' when the air feels heavy and threatening.

If it's quite hot out, my mum will always say, 'Ah sure it's boiling rain!' Meaning rain isnt far away.

It drives me mad! Just enjoy the sun when it's out and stop jumping ahead, mum!!

Wine Goddess

Manky - one of my fave terms as it reflects how everyone is feeling as a result of the rain too!!!

My mother-in-law from Belfast has a lovely word - Scots Gaelic I think

"It's a draíoch (pronounced dree-ach) day" when there is that persistent, fine rain that soaks everything it touches........sigh.

We've had too many draíoch days recently.

Sponge Bob

Wine Goddess wrote: »

"It's a draíoch (pronounced dree-ach) day" when there is that persistent, fine rain that soaks everything it touches........sigh.

That is similar to a phrase used in border counties for the same weather (or worse) and in English the phrase is 'A Drawky Day' .

It comes from the Irish Phrase Droch Chaoi and as the hard suffix "ch" sound is not pronounced in Ulster Irish it comes out as "aw" or seeing as we are talking border counties more like "awww". It is always written as Droch irrespective of dialect.

Droch Chaoi means "in bad shape" or "in a bad way"

Tá Droch Chaoi ar an lá = The day is crap

Droch exists (spelt the same way) in Scots Gallic but may be pronounced as Dríoch depending on some local dialectic convention.

Qualitymark

In Irish, there's even a word for a short intermission between showers.

Sponge Bob

Qualitymark wrote: »

In Irish, there's even a word for a short intermission between showers.

One also uses different words for an Audible Fart and for an INAudible Fart.

Simon Gruber Says

Qualitymark wrote: »

In Irish, there's even a word for a short intermission between showers.

Yeah, its called An Samhradh :-|