Amadán
A fool, but a particular kind of fool: not stupid so much as foolishly behaved. The word carries no clinical weight; it is the everyday Irish term for someone who has just done something silly. Often used affectionately.
Etymology
From Middle Irish 'ammatán', surface-analysable as 'amaid' (foolish woman, simpleton) plus the masculine diminutive suffix '-án'. The modern Irish word means 'fool'. Borrowed into Hiberno-English with the fada usually preserved in careful print; the spelling 'amadan' (no accent) is common in casual writing. Regional Irish pronunciations vary slightly: Munster /(ə)mˠəˈd̪ˠɑːn̪ˠ/, Connacht /ˈamˠəd̪ˠɑːn̪ˠ/, Ulster /ˈamˠəd̪ˠan̪ˠ/.
In a sentence
"You amadán - you locked the keys in the car again."
Historical notes
Amadán sits in the same affectionate-insult space as 'eejit'. The two are not interchangeable: 'eejit' tends to be playful, 'amadán' carries a hint of exasperation. A father calling his son an eejit is fond; a father calling his son an amadán is fond and slightly tired of having to point out the same mistake again. Compound forms in Irish - 'amadán Aibreáin' (April fool), 'Lá na nAmadán' (All Fools' Day) - confirm the word's place in the everyday vocabulary.
Alternate spellings
amadan
Sources
- Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla (Ó Dónaill), entry amadán. · dictionary