Amazon Alexa learns iconic Irish sayings but here's what they really mean

If you’ve ever wanted to know how to dodge the subject and cheerfully suppress emotion just like a real Irish person would, Amazon’s Alexa can now teach you how.

Amazon has just announced that its famous voice assistant has been taught 20 iconic Irish phrases with the help of Irish comedian Aisling Bea – which include the inevitable “what’s the craic”, the catch-all “ah sure, it’ll be grand” and even a bit of the Irish language: “slainte” (which means “cheers”).

The much-needed innovation came after research showed that 80% of Irish people use local and cultural expressions daily, but 63% say they often find their Irish lingo isn’t understood outside of Ireland.

So, to fix this glaring issue, Aisling has been "flat out" teaching Alexa the ins and outs of the island's top 20 expressions as part of a new film set in the heart of Dingle, County Kerry.

Aisling said: "Our pal Alexa now understands what the craic is, and I am delighted to have helped teach Alexa how to be more than a bit sound." (Translations provided further down).

Meryem Tom, Alexa Director UK and Ireland, also said: “Irish sayings are iconic, and it’s part of what makes Irish culture instantly recognisable around the world. Now Alexa can join in too, responding with everything from a casual ‘It’s grand’ to a charming ‘Sláinte’.

“Language is at the heart of how people connect with Alexa, and we hope customers enjoy discovering or reconnecting with these expressions.”

Well, as an Irish person living abroad myself and who has certainly been misunderstood upon occasion, all I can say is I’m glad to hear some confusions might be cleared up. So what has Alexa been taught to say?

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1. It’s grand (It’s fine, neutral, or perhaps bad.)
2. What’s the craic? (‘Craic’ comes from the Irish word for ‘fun’. It basically means ‘What’s up’)
3. Ah sure, it’ll be grand (A generic phrase you can say when met with terrible news.)
4. Thanks a mill (million)
5. What’s the story (Don’t mistakenly tell anyone your actual life story when asked this. Again, it means ‘what’s up’. Or, if said to you by a young man on an electric scooter, ‘can I have your number?’)
6. Fair play to ye (‘Well done’)
7. Sound (Of a person, ‘decent’ or ‘trustworthy’.)
8. Eejit (‘Idiot’)
9. How’s things (‘How’s it going?’)
10. You know yerself (This can be used in response to someone asking you how something is going and it’s going terribly.)
11. That’s gas (‘That’s hilarious’)
12. Sláinte (‘Cheers’)
13. Yer man (A man whose name you do not know.)
14. C’mere to me (‘Come over here’)
15. Who’s yer man / yer woman (Again, ‘who is that man?/who is that woman?’)
16. Adding “ah” before a sentence (An expression of deep anguish)
17. Giving out (‘Telling off’ or complaining)
18. Flat out (working without a break)
19. The craic was 90 (‘It was extremely fun’. The expression comes from a 1960s folksong ‘The Craic Was Ninety in the Isle of Man by Barney Rush.)
20. Good man yerself (‘Well done/thank you’)

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