Foclóir Faoi Mhíchumas
Disability Dictionary
This project has been supported by the
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
through the Ultach Fund 2025.
About the project
Fócloir Faoi Mhíchumas (Disability Dictionary) is a digital resource and reflection created through our workshops in Belfast and Dublin exploring the Irish language and disability.
Our workshops engaged writers, theatre makers, activists and Irish language speakers and learners.
Disabled artists Soso Ní Cheallaigh and Billí Mills invite you to play with Irish language disability terms through conversation, sound, movement, and rest.
As people passionate about the Irish language and how disability is represented within the Irish language, SoSo Ní Cheallaigh and Billí Mills invite you to question how we talk about disability and who gets to decide the words.
They ask what happens when disabled people take a lead in how language about them is created. They hope you will move beyond medical language and reclaim self-description and experiment with words.
Please enjoy our digital resource, Fócloir Faoi Mhíchumas (Disability Dictionary). We would love to hear what you think about it, or if it has inspired any thoughts about language and disability. You are welcome to email or call us at neave@universityofatypical.org or 028 9023 9450.
Is acmhainn dhigiteach agus machnamh é Fóclóir Faoi Mhíchumas (Disability Dictionary) a cruthaíodh trí ár gceardlanna i mBéal Feirste agus i mBaile Átha Cliath, ag fiosrú na Gaeilge agus an mhíchumais.
Bhí scríbhneoirí, déantóirí amharclainne, gníomhaithe, agus cainteoirí agus foghlaimeoirí Gaeilge páirteach sna ceardlanna seo.
Tugann na healaíontóirí faoi mhíchumas, SoSo Ní Cheallaigh agus Billí Mills, cuireadh duit súgradh le téarmaí Gaeilge a bhaineann le míchumas trí chomhrá, fuaim, gluaiseacht agus scíth.
Mar dhaoine atá paiseanta faoin nGaeilge agus faoin gcaoi a léirítear míchumas inti, tugann SoSo Ní Cheallaigh agus Billí Mills cuireadh duit ceistiú a dhéanamh ar an gcaoi a labhraímid faoi mhíchumas agus cé a fhaigheann cead na focail a roghnú.
Cuireann siad an cheist: cad a tharlaíonn nuair a ghlacann daoine faoi mhíchumas ceannasaíocht ar an teanga a úsáidtear fúthu? Tá súil acu go mbogfaidh tú thar theanga leighis, go n-athghabhfaidh tú féinléiriú, agus go ndéanfaidh tú turgnamh le focail.
Bainigí taitneamh as ár n-acmhainn dhigiteach, Fóclóir Faoi Mhíchumas (Disability Dictionary). Ba bhreá linn cloisteáil uait faoi do thuairimí air, nó má spreag sé smaointe ar bith duit faoi theanga agus míchumas. Tá fáilte romhat ríomhphost a chur chugainn ag neave@universityofatypical.org nó glaoch orainn ar 028 9023 9450.
Notes on from our Workshop Discussions in Belfast and Dublin
Nótaí ón ceardlann i mBéal Feirste agus Baile Átha Cliath
An bhfuil muid ábalta an teanga a úsáid le cur síos fírinne a dhéanamh ar an mhíchumas, go háirithe leis an dochtúr nó an tseirbhís leighis?
Can we use a model of Gaeilge to more accurately describe our relationship with the illness or disability, particularly with doctors or the health service?
Cá háit a chónaíonn an mhíchumas? An bhfuil sé ort, an bhfuil sé agat, thart, faoi nó leat? (Smaoinigh an bhfuil sé orm, agam, faoi, ionam, liom/leat, ar mo chúl?)
Where does disability exist? Is it on you, do you have it, is it around you, under you or with you? (Think is it Orm, Agam, Faoi, Ionam, Liom/Leat, Ar Chúl)
Cad faoin fírinne den teanga? Cén dóigh atá muid ábalta onóir a thabhairt den sanasaíocht agus stair an teanga, agus, ag an am céanna, onóir a thabhairt den phobail agus smaoineamh nua polaitiúil teanga. Cad atá difriúil idir sanasaíocht polaitiúil teanga Béarla agus an sanasaíocht polaitiúil Gaeilge?
What does it mean to ensure we hold the authenticity of Irish language, etymology, and history in line with new ideas of political language? What’s the difference between the politicisation of Irish etymology and the English etymology?
- Tagann an focal autism ón bhfocal Gréigise ‘autós’ a cháilíonn ‘féin’, agus, sa Gaeilge, is ea “Uath” nó “Auto” a thagann uathachas, an tSean-Ghaeilge úathad — féin nó aonair. — Eoin, ó ceardlann Disrupt i mBaile Átha Cliath.
- ‘Autism comes from the Greek word ‘autós’ meaning “self”, while uathachas derives from the Old Irish úathad “singleness”’ – Eoin, participant at Disrupt Workshop in Dublin
Níl focail in aon teanga atá ábalta cur síos iomlán a dhéanamh ar ár dtaithí choíche. Ní bheidh muid i ndáiríre go hiomlán sásta leis an dóigh a oibríonn an teanga agus an dóigh a oibríonn an cur síos ar mhíchumas.
We can accept that words might not ever be fully able to or truly describe us in any language. We might always feel a sense of discomfort with how language works with disability.
Is mórán an trua go bhfuil beagán eolas Gaeilge maidir le míchumas, fiú i measc cainteoirí ardleibhéil
Knowledge of Irish words on disability is absolutely limited even within the Irish language community.
Cén fáth go bhfuil sé tábhachtach? Níl sé cothrom ar an duine aonair bac a chur orthu maidir leis an cumarsáid go háirithe maidir le cumarsáid mhíchumais. Ma tá duine ag smaoineamh i nGaeilge, is ceart s’acu féin é cur síos fíor a dhéanamh orthu féin as Gaeilge. Ba é taithí rannpháirtí amháin gur ghá dá bpáistí athrú go mBéarla agus iad ag caint leis an altra scoile.
Why is it important? We cannot put another barrier in front of people’s experience of describing disability. If someone is thinking in Irish we must respect that they have the option to self describe in Irish. One participant’s children had to change languages in school to talk to the nurse.
A History of Irish Words and Disability
Stair na bhfocal Gaeilge agus an mhíchumais
“There are multiple, specific early Irish terms which appear to differentiate between a social barrier ‘disability’ and a physical affliction ‘impairment’.”
“The terms used for eye impairments are extensive and varied. Dall primarily means ‘blind totally in both eyes’, while the terms cáech and goll mean ‘blind in one of the two eyes’. Cáech comes from the Latin term for ‘blind’ (caecus) but in early Irish, the word specifically developed into the meaning ‘blind in one eye’ or ‘dim-sighted’. The concept of being blind in just one eye is also indicated with Irish compounds that combine leth ‘half, one of two’ óen/oín ‘one’ and túath ‘left’, with cáech and goll or rosc and súil (which both mean eye).”
“Tá go leor téarmaí luatha, sonracha sa tSean-Ghaeilge a fheictear a dhéanann idirdhealú idir ‘míchumas’ mar bhac sóisialta agus ‘lagú’ mar ghortú nó mar riocht fisiciúil.”
“Tá na téarmaí a úsáidtear le haghaidh laguithe súl fairsing agus éagsúil. Ciallaíonn dall go príomha ‘dall go hiomlán sa dá shúil’, agus ciallaíonn na téarmaí cáech agus goll ‘dall i gceann de dhá shúil’. Tagann cáech ón Laidin caecus a chiallaíonn ‘dall’, ach sa tSean-Ghaeilge d’fhorbair an focal go dtí an bhrí ‘dall in aon tsúil amháin’ nó ‘lagradharcach’. Léirítear an coincheap de bheith dall i súil amháin freisin trí chomhfhocail Ghaeilge a chomhcheanglaíonn leth (‘leath, ceann de dhá cheann’), óen/oín (‘aon cheann amháin’) agus túath (‘clé’), le cáech agus goll nó rosc agus súil (a chiallaíonn súil araon).”
Bailey, D. (2024) The Good, The Bad, and The Blemished: Disability Terminology in Medieval Ireland. Irish Humanities Alliance.
Core Terms - Príomhthéarmaí (preev-HAYR-maw-ree)
Disability terminology – Téarmaíocht faoi mhíchmas (TCHAYR-mah-ocht fwee VEE-khuh-muss)
- Duine faoi mhíchumas (DIN-yeh fwee VEE-khuh-mus) – Person with a disability
- Míchumas (VEE-khuh-mus) – Disability
- Míchumas fisiciúil (VEE-khuh-mus FISH-ih-cool) – Physical disability
- Míchumas intleachtúil (VEE-khuh-mus in-CHLAKH-tool) – Intellectual disability
- Míchumas foghlama (VEE-khuh-mus FOH-lah-mah) – Learning disability
- Míchumas céadfach (VEE-khuh-mus KAY-dukh) – Sensory disability
- Riachtanais speisialta (REE-akh-tan-ish spesh-AL-ta) – Special needs
- Rochtain (ROKH-tin) – Access
- Inrochtaineacht (in-ROKH-tin-ukht) – Accessibility
Social Model Language – Teanga an Mhúnla Shóisialta (TYANG-gah un WOO-nlah HOH-shul-tah)
- Bacainní (BAK-in-ee) – Barriers
- Bacainní sóisialta (BAK-in-ee SOH-shul-ta) – Social barriers
- Bacainní struchtúracha (BAK-in-ee STRUKH-too-rah-kha) – Structural barriers
- Eisiamh (ESH-uv) – Exclusion
- Idirdhealú (ID-ir-yal-oo) – Discrimination
- Inrochtaineacht (in-ROKH-tin-ukht) – Accessibility
- Comhionannas (COH-in-un-us) – Equality
- Cuimsiú (KWIM-shoo) – Inclusion
Rights and Advocacy Language – Teanga bunaithe ar chearta & ar abhcóideacht (TYANG-gah bun-ih-hah er KHYAR-tah agus er AV-koh-djuhkht)
- Cearta daoine faoi mhíchumas (KYAR-ta DEE-nee fwee VEE-khuh-mus) – Disability rights
- Féin-abhcóideacht (fayn av-KOH-djacht) – Self-advocacy
- Neamhspleáchas (nyowm-SPLAH-khuss) – Independence
- Dínit (DEE-nitch) – Dignity
- Rannpháirtíocht iomlán (rown-FAWR-chee-ukht ee-um-LAWN) – Full participation
My Health Condition – Mo riocht sláinte (muh REE-ukht slawn-cha)
- Dall (dowl) – Blind
- Lagamhairc (LAG-ah-work) – Visually impaired
- Bodhar (BOH-er) – Deaf
- Lagchloisteála (LAG-khlish-TAW-la) – Hard of hearing
- Uathachas (OO-ah-hakh-us) – Autism
- Pairilis cheirbreach (PAR-il-ish HYER-brakh) – Cerebral palsy
- Siondróm Down (SHUN-drohm down) – Down syndrome
- Dúlagar (DOO-lag-er) – Depression
- Imní (IM-nee) – Anxiety
Inclusive Language- Teanga chuimsitheach (TYANG-gah KHIM-shih-hakh)
- Duine atá dall (DIN-yeh ah-TAW dowl) – A person who is blind
- Duine bodhar (DIN-yeh BOH-er) – A deaf person
- Duine le huathachas (DIN-yeh leh HOO-ah-hakh-us) – A person with autism
- Duine le riachtanais speisialta (DIN-yeh leh REE-akh-tan-ish spesh-AL-ta) – A person with special needs
Chronic Illness – Galar ainsealach (GOL-er AN-shal-akh)
- Galar (GAL-er) – Illness / disease
- Ainsealach (AN-shal-akh) – Chronic / long-term
Heart, Circulatory Conditions and Neurological Conditions –
Coinníollacha Croí agus Imshruthaithe & Coinníollacha Néareolaíocha
(kun-EEL-akh-ah KHREE agus IM-shroo-hee-hah) & (kun-EEL-akh-ah NAYR-uh-LOH-jee-ah)
- Heart disease — Galar croí (GAL-er kree)
- Coronary heart disease — Galar croí corónach (GAL-er kree kor-OH-nakh)
- Heart failure — Cliseadh croí (KLISH-ah kree)
- Stroke — Stróc (strohk)
- High blood pressure (Hypertension) — Brú fola ard (broo FOL-ah ard)
- Epilepsy — Titimeas (TITCH-im-ass)
- Multiple sclerosis — Scléaróis iolrach (SKLAIR-rohsh il-rakh)
- Dementia — Néaltrú (nyal-TROO)
- Parkinson’s disease — Galar Parkinson (GAL-er PARK-in-sun)
- Alzheimer’s disease — Galar Alzheimer (GAL-er ALTZ-hy-mer)
Musculoskeletal and Autoimmune Diseases, Digestive and Other Chronic Conditions – Galair an Chórais Díleá agus Galair Ainsealacha Eile
(GAL-er un KHOH-ris DEE-law agus GAL-er AN-shal-akh-ah EL-eh)
- Arthritis — Airtríteas (ar-TREE-tass)
- Rheumatoid arthritis — Airtríteas réamatóideach (ar-TREE-tass Rehm-Toyed-akh)
- Lupus — Lúpas (LOO-pas)
- Fibromyalgia — Fibrimialgia (FIB-ri-mee-AL-gee-ah)
- Crohn’s disease — Galar Crohn (GAL-er kroon)
- Ulcerative colitis — Colitis ulcrach (ko-LEE-tis UL-krakh)
- Celiac disease — Galar céiliach (GAL-er KAY-lee-akh)
- Chronic kidney disease — Galar duáin ainsealach (GAL-er DWAWN AN-shal-akh)
- Chronic liver disease — Galar ae ainsealach (GAL-er ay AN-shal-akh)
Mobility Aids – Áiseanna soghluaisteachta
(AW-shun-ah SOW-loosh-takhta)
- Cathaoir rothaí (KA-hir Raw-hee) – Wheelchair
- Bata siúil (BAH-tah SHOOL) – Walking stick
- Madra treorach (MAH-dra TRYO-rahkh) – Guide dog
- Áiseanna cúnta (AW-shun-ah KOON-ta) – Assistive devices
Resources Acmhainní — (AKH-wun-ee)
Download worksheet here