Would someone be able to give some explanation of the usage of "och" and "ach" in Ireland? I understand that "ach" is Irish for "but." I've heard that "och" is just the phonetic spelling of "ach," and I've also heard that "och" is a different expression, used in surprise in the way that "oh" would be used in America.

Any explanations would be greatly appreciated!

Christy

I reckon och is an exclamation equating to oh! or alas!. Certainly it would have emotion of some sort in it. It is used in the poem An Tigh Nua by Seán Mac Fheorais (and the word ach is in the same line). You'll find it if you Google.

Same here. I'd think of "och" as a shorter, less intense, form of "ochón," which I usually describe as "an inarticulate expression of sorrow."

Redwolf

Och sounds very Ulster-Scots to me. But it could have got there by way of Irish or Scottish Gaelic. The connection with ochón is interesting.

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