“...the Irish for Bulbasaur is Bolgánsáir,”
May 26, 2019 7:39 PM   Subscribe

All 151 Original Pokémon As Gaeilge [Reddit] “"When I started picking Irish up again, I was going through a Pokémon mood," Nathan explains. "Redownloaded Pokémon Go, bought Pearl and started playing it for the first time. I was also looking into seeing what video games were available through Irish. I know there's one or two small Irish Let's Play channels on YouTube, and that TG4 [Ireland's all-Irish television channel] has an Irish Twitch, but I wasn't really aware of any actual video games with Irish language support. "That got me thinking of how easy/difficult it would be to translate an existing game," Nathan continues.” [via: Eurogamer]
posted by Fizz (11 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'm learning Irish right now. It is such a strange language with almost incomprehensible pronunciations. I still haven't figured out lenition.
posted by KazamaSmokers at 8:09 PM on May 26, 2019


Some brief Google searching for "video games in Gaelic" revealed meager results. "Gaelic Games: Football" for PS2 was released with both English and Gaelic options, including voice acting. It is also apparently the highest selling console game in Ireland to date, despite critics pretty much hating it as a poor man's FIFA. Developed by an Australian studio. That should just about cover your offbeat and obscure gaming trivia needs for today.
posted by Brocktoon at 8:43 PM on May 26, 2019 [3 favorites]


Developed by an Australian studio.

...presumably because it was a mod of some AFL game.
posted by pompomtom at 9:50 PM on May 26, 2019


Maith go leor!
posted by Morpeth at 2:50 AM on May 27, 2019 [2 favorites]


The Motherfoclóir and The Irish For twitter feeds are both great if you are learning or brushing up your Irish, particularly for this sort of thing.
posted by scorbet at 3:45 AM on May 27, 2019


I'd also recommend Úna-Minh Caomhánach on twitter for her Irish and gaming interests.
posted by Fence at 11:54 AM on May 27, 2019 [1 favorite]


I had a look for Irish games too, and apparently you could play at least one version of Minecraft in Irish. There's also "Ku: Shadow of the Morrigan" on Steam, with an Irish version, but the reviews are not particularly positive.
posted by scorbet at 2:08 AM on May 28, 2019


Forgive my ignorance on both the Gaelic and the Pokemon fronts, but which one is pikachu?
posted by batter_my_heart at 2:16 AM on May 28, 2019


but which one is pikachu

He kept it as Pikachu, apparently - the list linked is his explanation of the "etymology" of the translations. In the original list, Pikachu is no. 25.
posted by scorbet at 2:28 AM on May 28, 2019 [1 favorite]


As he mentions, the Irish language broadcaster TG4 branched into Fortnite streaming last year, if you want to listen to hours of casual native conversation. It's not the purest though ("Céard the fuck?").

Meanwhile I'm wondering what the most brandable translation of the word "Pokémon" itself would be. Púcaí-Pócaí?
posted by rollick at 8:15 AM on May 28, 2019 [1 favorite]


Some brief Google searching for "video games in Gaelic" revealed meager results.

That's because the language of Ireland is Irish; Gaeilge in Irish. Gaelic is an adjective except as part of the compound noun Scots Gaelic (she said pedantically). Wouldn't matter much for the results unfortunately. Seconding Motherfoclóir podcast linked above, you don't need any Irish to enjoy it, just an interest in language in general and/or Ireland.

Rollick, Púcaí-Pócaí is genius, maith thú! Thanks for the Fortnite link, I wish they would play something else but it's great to listen to, a lovely mix (Níl aon HP agam!!). Also I couldn't work out why she kept talking about "blue" (gorm) until I realised it's a shortened go raibh maith agat, grm.
posted by Iteki at 1:46 PM on May 29, 2019 [2 favorites]


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