Wait? Costello is an IRISH name? (hexbear.net)

submitted 2 months ago by Diuretic_Materialism@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

15 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I just met an Irish guy named Costello, the fuck? How is that not Italian?

Next your gonna tell me there's an Italian name like "McPattyleanein" or something.

top 15 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[-] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

"Costello", apparently from "Mac Oisdealbhaigh" according to Wiktionary. Oisdealbhaigh itself is from os ("deer") + dealbhach ("in the form of")

Wait, wouldn't that mean that "Costello" is a descendant of...

Screencap from Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan, or My Deer Friend Nokotan, showing deer-girl Shikanoko Noko with a smile reaching for her antlers. A classroom blackboard is visible in the background. On the left-hand side of the screen we see that a desk is covered in deer crackers. There is a black-haired schoolgirl in the background looking at Shikanoko Noko with apparent bewilderment.

[-] Diuretic_Materialism@hexbear.net 19 points 2 months ago

"Costello", apparently from "Mac Oisdealbhaigh"

Oh yes a totally intuitive anglicization!

[-] context@hexbear.net 11 points 2 months ago

it is if you sound it out

[-] Diuretic_Materialism@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago

Gaelic is a mystery to me

[-] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 10 points 2 months ago

Irish spelling actually makes a lot of sense if you have even a little bit of background in Irish grammar, pronunciation, and language history, but the problem is that most people don't have any background at all in those things, so the letter choices just seem completely arbitrary. It's truly the "Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation." of orthography.

[-] Staines@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Gaelic is confusing to English speakers because they expect the letters to have the same sounds. Mhath (good) for example is pronounced "vah"

[-] someone@hexbear.net 1 points 2 months ago

Mhath (good) for example is pronounced "vah"

So why not anglicize it as "vah"?

[-] stink@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 2 months ago

Preserve culture

[-] context@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

AyyyyyOC tchotchke arla

[-] Diuretic_Materialism@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

WHY IS THERE A T THERE?!?!?

[-] context@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago

because in yiddish orthography the way to spell a ch sound as in cheese is טש

[-] SpiderFarmer@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago

I love misleading surnames.

[-] Breath_Of_The_Snake@hexbear.net 8 points 2 months ago

A number of Italians used it as a stage name.

[-] SorosFootSoldier@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago

I knew a Costello in school, he was a cool dude.

[-] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I always thought Costello was simply an Italian surname because of Abbott and Costello.

Lou Costello (1906–1959), Italian-American actor and comedian (born Louis Francis Cristillo), part of Abbott and Costello

I was a boy in the 1970s. I watched a zillion hours of tv as a teen and teen - especially cop shows. If I heard the name Costello in fiction - I bet it was the surname of cop or a criminal in a tv cop series due to this guy.