In English, my daughters say "Daddy?" to get my attention when they need or want something, and I answer "Yes?" meaning "What do you need/want?".

Since we started using Irish at home, the girls have started saying "a Dheaide ?" (See at viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1542) instead. So now I'm in panic mode.

What is the native way to answer a child when they call you inquisitively?

I'm pretty sure Sea doesn't cut it (though "pretty sure" isn't always "right", of course.) Am I right that sea (= is ea) means "it is" or "it is so" and only works as a substitute for "yes" when affirming a statement?

What are some natural ways to respond to being called in Irish?

"A Dheaide ?" "Tá mé anseo. Céard atá uait ?"

Something a little shorter perhaps ...

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

Excellent! I am awaiting the answer to this one with particular interest! 8 In fact, I should have asked this years ago!

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Found this in Dinneen:


So, perhaps:

- A Dheaide ?
- É !?

(The "conversation" could be identical in Japanese. Son: おやじ？Father: ええ？ )

Don't know how current the Irish usage might be ...

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

B'fhéidir "Cad é?"

You may find the answer in the Irish literature ; it should happen sometimes that a character calls another one...
I hope you don't have to read entire books till you find the answer

A Bhríd, cad é a déarfadh do mháthair nó d'athair nuair a chuirfeá scairt orthu mar sin?

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

There's an answer in De Bhaldraithe:
A Sheáin! - Déanfaidh sin!

I wonder if all native speakers would answer "déanfaidh sin" or its equivalent when someone calls them...

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

I've heard (depending on dialect) "cad é" and "ceard" on several occasions.

Redwolf

That would seem odd to me unless the person was specifically asked to do something.


Ced [ceard] é féin? - is very common.

Sea - is ok too. When said in that context it doesn't mean "it is" but asking the person to elaborate. It's a multi-meaning word.
Sea a leanbh (a leana)
Sea a mhac etc
In Ceantar an nOileáin I think they are more like to say "ha" (it is probably spelled as "shea"). I remember a boy in secondary school saying it and me being puzzled by it. (I didn't have experience of the different local dialects until I went to secondary school as that school had a big catchment area whereas the children in the National school were all from my own village. ) Máirtín Tom Sheainín says "ha" often too, listen to him in "Comhrá". It means you are listening to what the person has to say.

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
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Phew! [Insert relieved smiley!] " 'Sea, a stóirín" is in regular usage around here!

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I would have thought it has only become a multi-meaning word by being misused as an equivalent of the word 'yes' in English. That is to say - it's plain wrong, and Béarlachas. But you live and learn. Whether Béarlachas or not, it seems that Bríd is right (again!). Under the heading ea, FGB gives this and other examples: Is ea, is cuimhin liom í - Yes, I remember her.