User:Erisceres/O'Nolan's Introduction to Studies in Modern Irish

Lesson I: Classification Sentences Using Masculine Nouns and Pronouns with the Copula and an Indefinite Predicate

Key: ⟨copula⟩, ⟨predicate⟩, ⟨subpredicate⟩, ⟨subject⟩, ⟨subsubject⟩.

Simple Classification Clauses:

In simple classification syntax, the indefinite predicate follows immediately after the copula, and precedes the subject ⟨CPS⟩:

• Is leabhar é. – “It is a book.”

The copula is the element that links the subject to a predicate. Here, the affirmative form of the copula in the present tense is is.

The predicate is the element that describes the subject. In classification clauses, the predicate is always indefinite; it cannot be a definite noun or a personal pronoun. Here, the predicate is the masculine noun leabhar – “(a) book” – which is the description being used to classify the subject.

Note: There is no indefinite article in Irish. Without the definite article, leabhar can mean either “book” or “a book” depending on the context.

The subject is the element that is being classified. Unless a specific noun is being used to refer to the subject, it is generally referred to with a pronoun. The pronoun itself conforms to the grammatical gender and number of the predicate, being a direct reference to the predicate itself. Where the predicate consists of a singular masculine noun, the singular masculine disjunctive pronoun é is used for the subject.

To form the present negative in classification syntax, the copular form ní is used:

• Ní leabhar é. – “It is not a book.”

To form the present interrogative, an is used:

• An leabhar é? – “Is it a book?”

Questions with Simple Responses

A response to such a question doesn't repeat the predicate or subject. Rather, the indefinite subpredicate pronoun – ea – is employed ⟨Cp⟩:

• —An leabhar é? – “Is it a book?”
• —Is ea. – “It is.”

The negative response would be:

• —Ní hea. – “It isn't.”

Note: The present negative copular form ní causes h-prothesis on the following word, hence hea.

Following a negative response, the correct information can be provided with the preceding conjunction ach – “but” ⟨CpP⟩:

• —An leabhar é sin? – “Is that a book?”
• —Ní hea, ach peann. – “It isn't, but a pen.”

Note: The subject often employs the demonstratives seo, sin and siúd – “this”, “that” and “that yonder”, respectively – by combining them with the subject pronoun.

A separate copular element is not employed when the clause is headed by the predicate interrogative pronoun cad and no suggestion is offered as to the classification. in this format, the subsubject pronoun é – following the predicate interrogative pronoun – refers directly to an rud in the subject an rud é sin (rud being a masculine noun), while the é in the subject refers to the predicate in question ⟨PsS⟩:

• —Cad é an rud é sin? – “What is it, the thing that that is?”
• —Is leabhar é. – “It is a book.”

Note: This type of question is used when no suggestion is given as to the classification of the object. It can be translated more simply as “what is that thing?”

Questions with Emphatic Responses

When responding in the negative, the correct information can be given in response by placing emphasis on the predicate as a means of contrasting with the previously suggested information. This is done by placing the predicate before the copula, placing the indefinite subpredicate pronoun in the original predicate position ⟨PCpS⟩:

• —An leabhar é? – “Is it a book?”
• —Ní hea; peann is ea é. – “It isn't; it is a pen.”

Note:

In this type of syntax where the predicated is headed by the interrogative predicate pronoun cé acu, an alternative is presented, divided by the conjunction nó; the preceding prepositional pronoun acu refers to this presented alternative.

e.g. Cé acu leabhar nó peann é seo? “Is this a book or a pen?”

Likewise, the true predicate can be emphasised when multiple options are presented in a question. The interrogative predicate pronoun cé acu is used to present multiple alternatives in a question, with the conjunction nó dividing the alternatives:

• —Cé acu leabhar nó peann é seo? – “Which is this, a book or a pen?”
• —Peann is ea é. – “It is a pen.”
• Cé acu leabhar nó peann é sin? Ní leabhar ná peann é, ach lasán. “Which is that, a book or a pen? It is neither a book nor a pen, but a match.”

Vocabulary

Forms of the Copula:

• is – present affirmative
• ní^H – present negative
• an – present interrogative

Note: The present affirmative form of the copula is often dropped in speech, e.g. leabhar é – “it is a book”.

Pronouns:

• é – “he”, “it” (masc.)
• é seo – “this” (masc.)
• é sin – “that” (masc.)
• an rud é sin – “the thing that it is” (masc.)
• ea – the indefinite subpredicate pronoun
• cad … ? – “what … ?”
• cé acu … ? – “whether … ?”, “which … ?” (where an alternative is presented)

Note: It could be said that the copular is already contained within interrogative predicate pronouns, thus clauses using them have no separate copular element.

Masculine Nouns:

• leabhar – “a book”
• peann – “a pen”
• peann luaidhe – “a pencil”
• bosca – “a box”
• bord – “a table”
• lasán – “a match”
• sparán – “a purse”
• rud – “a thing”

Conjunctions:

• nó – “or”
• ná – “nor”
• ní … ná – “neither … nor”
• ach – “but”

Salutations

• Dia is Muire dhuit. – “Hello.” (greeting to one person)
• Dia is Muire dhíbh. – “Hello.” (greeting to multiple people)
• Dia is Muire dhuit is Pádraig. – “Hello.” (response to one person)
• Dia is Muire dhíbh is Pádraig. – “Hello.” (response to multiple people)
• Slán agat. – “Goodbye.” (said to one person staying)
• Slán agaibh. – “Goodbye.” (said to multiple people staying)
• Slán leat. – “Goodbye.” (said to one person leaving)
• Slán libh. – “Goodbye.” (said to multiple people leaving)

Exercises

Exercises I and IV from Lesson I of the book are intended for the practical classroom environment and are thus not applicable here.

Exercise II:

Translate into English:

1. Cad é an rud é sin? Is leabhar é.
2. An leabhar é sin? Ní hea; lasán is ea é.
3. Cé acu bosca nó sparán é seo? Sparán is ea é.
4. Cé acu leabhar nó lasán é sin? Ní leabhar ná lasán é, ach peann.
5. An peann é sin? Is ea.
6. An bosca é seo? Ní hea, ach bord.

Exercise III:

Translate into Irish:

1. This is not a pen; it is a pencil.
2. Is that a pencil? Yes. Is this? No.
3. What is it?¹ A book.
4. Is that a book? No, but a box.
5. Whether is this a box or a purse? It's a purse.
6. This is a match,² is it?³ Yes.

Notes:

¹Cad é an rud é? (Don't use é sin or é seo twice of the same object in two successive questions.)
²Emphatic position.
³An ea?