Eamonn O'Brien-Strain

MastodonBlueskyThreads

One of the nice things about the Irish language is that its spelling is very regular. However for non-Irish speakers some of the pronunciation rules can be confusing.

This is particularly true of some of the lengthened consonants which in the modern spelling are indicated by adding an “h”:

“th” and ”sh” (pronounced /h/)

“bh” and ”mh” (pronounced /w/ or /v/ depending on context)

dh” and ”gh” (pronounced /y/ or a /g/, /h/ mixture depending on context)

“fh” (silent)

I propose that we adopt a new spelling system that is more accessible to non-Irish speakers.

Consonant Lengthened, In Standard Spelling Lengthened, In New Spelling Example
p ph Gaiṽ mo f̃ardún.
t th Go raiṽ maiĥ agat.
c ch Óik̃e w̃aiĥ.
b (+aou) bha bho bhu ŵa ŵo ŵu An laŵarann tú ...?
b (+ei) bhe bhi ṽe ṽi Sa ṽliain 2005 ...
d (+aou) dha dho dhu ĥa ĥo ĥu Dia ĥuit.
d (+ei) dhe dhi ŷe ŷi rud a ŷéanfaí
g (+aou) gha gho ghu ĥa ĥo ĥu Cuireaĥ ĥá ~oclóir
g (+ei) ghe ghi ỹe ỹi k̃uir an taiỹde seo
m (+aou) mha mho mhu w̃a w̃o w̃u Tá fáilte row̃at.
m (+ei) mhe mhi ṽe ṽi teanga a ṽíniú
s sh míle bliain ó ĥin
f fh ~ K̃un treorak̃a a ~áil


date: '2005-03-13 14:03:00' layout: post slug: taking-plato-out-of-software status: publish title: Taking Plato Out Of Software wordpress_id: '67' categories: Programming


Object-oriented methods are considered the best way to build large, maintainable software systems. Languages such as C++, Java, and Python now dominate in many areas, and the conventional wisdom encourages us to do analysis and design in an object-oriented manner.

It seems pretty obvious to me that object-oriented thinking is a direct application of Plato’s philosophy of ideal types that has been the foundation of much of Western philosophy and religion. If we look outside this parochial tradition we find that Buddhism proposes that there are no such ideal types, that objects and people are constantly in flux, and have indefinite boundaries. It proposes that the perception of type, or even self, is an illusion.

Imagine there was a software methodology that was based on Buddhist philosophy rather than Plato’s philosophy. What would it look like?



date: '2004-12-17 17:25:53' layout: post slug: a-tedious-explanation-of-the-fstop status: publish ref: http://www.uscoles.com/fstop.htm title: A Tedious Explanation of the f/stop wordpress_id: '65' categories: Product


I have learned and forgotten what f/stop means several times in my life. A Tedious Explanation of the f/stop, which is not at all tedious, explains it nicely. Maybe now I won't forget.



date: '2004-12-09 19:30:57' layout: post slug: kid-language-reference status: publish ref: https://web.archive.org/web/20050212200948/http://lesscode.org/projects/kid/wiki/KidLanguage title: Kid Language Reference wordpress_id: '64' categories: Programming


I really like Kid — an elegant pythonic templating language.



date: '2004-12-09 19:11:19' layout: post slug: python-is-not-java status: publish ref: http://dirtsimple.org/2004/12/python-is-not-java.html title: Python Is Not Java wordpress_id: '63' categories: Programming


As a long-time Java programmer who occasionally writes in Python I found this useful. Python Is Not Java warns you what Java idioms do not translate well into Python, and explains how to write more pyhonically.



date: '2004-11-23 10:30:56' layout: post slug: notes-while-visiting-the-ogden-museam-of-southern-art status: publish title: Notes while visiting the Ogden Museam of Southern Art wordpress_id: '61' categories: Travel


George dureau, male figures, satyrs

gerald cannon, google image search

evelyn witherspoon, portraits



date: '2004-11-23 20:26:55' layout: post slug: amazingly-good-dinner-at-bayonna status: publish title: Amazingly good dinner at Bayonna wordpress_id: '62' categories: Travel


Quail salad, rabbit, lamb. At base, Southern, but done in a wonderful California way. The best meal we had in New Orleans.

Wine: Chorey-Cote-de-Beaune 2001, domaine tollot beaut. like calif pinot noire

Yesterday we ate at K Pauls, the original popularizer of Cajan food back in the 80's. Also a very good meal.



date: '2004-11-22 09:13:53' layout: post slug: dramatic-events-in-the-middle-of-the-night status: publish title: Dramatic events in the middle of the night wordpress_id: '59' categories: Travel


A blaring alarm roused us, hearts a pounding, from a deep sleep at 2am. As soon as we realized that it must be the fire alarm we hurriedly threw on clothes and headed down the emergency stairs and joined the other guests in the lobby.

Two Fire Department vehicles came and after investigating for a bit they declared the all clear. Apparently it had been a false alarm.



date: '2004-11-22 09:39:33' layout: post slug: loft-523-design status: publish title: Loft 523 Design wordpress_id: '60' categories: Travel


Agape Spoon tub. Modern fan co. Vola bathroom accessories. Fortuny lamp.



date: '2004-11-21 07:48:32' layout: post slug: arrived-in-new-orleans status: publish title: Arrived in New Orleans wordpress_id: '55' categories: Travel


Arrived in New Orleans yesterday for a short vacation before spending Thanksgiving in Texas.

We had a reservation in the International House hotel, but when we arrived we found we had been bumped (“upgraded” in their words) to their nearby sister hotel Loft 523. We are in an ultra-modernistic room with a concrete floor and spartan furniture. Ì like it.

After exploring the French Quarter a bit, we had dinner at 201.