Imatges de pàgina
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CONJUNCTION.

The following is a list of the most usual con

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aċd, but

DISJUNCTIVE.

na, than

no, or, nor, else, other- ni, neither `(102)

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INTERJECTION.

In Irish, as in all other languages, there are various exclamations, many of them inarticulate, used to express sudden emotions of the mind. The following are à few of the most usual.

a, o

as truag! wo! faraor! alas! uč! oh!

mairg! wo to!
monuar! alas!
ceinmear! o happy!
eist! hush! (104)

SYNTAX.

SYNTA X.

ARTICLE.

1. The article agrees with its substantive, in gender, number, and case; as, an fear, the man; na mna, of the woman.

2. For the influence of the article, in aspirating, eclipsing, &c. the noun with which it is declined, see pages, 30, 31, 32.

3. When two nouns come together, signifying the same person or thing, that one only is eclipsed or aspirated which is immediately joined with the article; as, tig an bratair Briain, the house of brother Brian.

4. When the article follows a particle ending in a vowel, it loses a; as, o, from, an, the; on, from the; do an, to the; don.

5. When the article precedes a word beginning with a consonant, the n is scarcely heard in speaking; and in poetry it is sometimes altogether omitted; as, an tinne, commonly pronounced a tinne, the fire. (105).

6. When the article precedes f, or feminines beginning with vowels, the n is often separated from a, and prefixed to the following noun; as, an fir, written and pronounced a nfir, of the man; an uair, written and pronounced a nuair, the hour. (106)

7. When the article follows ann, in, for better sound, s is inserted between it and ann; as, ann sa nuair, in the hour.

*This is frequently written san; as, san dtir, in the country. Or, omitting n, it is written sa; as, sa dtig, in the house.

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8. Although the primary use of the article be to speak definitively, as the in English, yet the use of it does not exactly correspond to that of the English article: for,

First, When a person's state or office is expressed; or when this, that, yon, occur in English, although the be not used, yet an is used in Irish; as, is mait an fear corran tu, you are a good reaper; tainic an fearsa go Heirinn, this man came to Ireland.

The same may be observed after go de; as, go de a nuair? what o'clock is it?

Secondly, When the precedes a noun which governs another in the genitive, the article, in Irish, is used with the genitive only; as, ridire an locrann, the knight of the lamp; mac an duine, the son of man. (107)

But proper names admit no article; as, rig Eirinn, the king of Ireland.

9. The Irish language has no article corresponding to the English a or an; but when the office, or state of being is expressed, a possessive pronoun is used, having ann expressed or understood before it; as, bi me (ann) mo saigideoir, I was a soldier; i. e. I was in my soldier state. (108)

10. Present participles, which are also nouns expressing a state of being, are used in the same Banner; as, ta se (ann) na seasam, he is standing; i. e. he is in his standing state.

*The preposition is almost entirely lost, except with a, his, hers, its, their; or, ar, our, with which only is used; as, ta se na duine maït, he is a good man; beid sinne nar daoine glice, we shall be wise men; ta tu do seasam, you are standing.

The use of the article exemplified promiscuously. Si an tsuil solus an cuirp. The eye is the light of

Tabair pog don tslait.

the body. Give a kiss to the rod.

Thug

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