Imatges de pàgina
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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 loċran, the night 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 manner; as, ta se (ann) na seasam, he is standing; i. e. he is in his standing state.

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*The preposition is almost entirely lost, except with a, his, hers, its, their; or, ar, our, with which n only is used; as, ta se na duine mait, 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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Deiread an geimrid.
An teac agus an fearrain.
A gcluin tu
tu fuaim
ngota?

Ta me mo codlad.
An bfuil tu do suide?
Bhi sisi na seirbiseaċ.
Ta se na seanduine.
Beid sinne nar seasaṁ.
Bhi tu do seasam.
Bhi me mo saigideoir.
Thainic mac an duine

ag ite agus ag ol. Chuaid se asteać go tig De.

Do tuit se on treas lota.

Lomfuid a nfeasog.

Dò druid a nuair linn, agus ata mac an duine aga tabairt a lamaib na bpeacać.

a

The end of the winter.
The house and land.

Do you hear the sound
of their voices?
I am asleep.
Are you sitting?
She was a servant.
He is an old man.
We shall stand.
You were standing.
I was a soldier.
The son of man came eat-
ing and drinking.
He went into the house
of God.

He fell from the third story.

It shall consume the beard.

The hour is at hand and

the son of man is delivered into the hands of sinners.

Slige a nfir air a dtalam. The way of a man on the

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1. Substantives signifying the same thing agree in case; as, epistil Phoil easbail, the epistle of Paul the apostle.

* The

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*The latter substantive may be put in the nominative case, though the former is in an oblique one; but the article is then inserted; and some word, such as eadon, or is e sin, is understood; as, mac Joseip an saor, the son of Joseph the carpenter. (109)

2. An adjective agrees with the substantive before it, in gender, number, and case; as, an fir gil, of the fair man; na mna gile, of the fair woman; dona fearaib geala, to the fair men.

3. For the aspiration of adjectives joined with nouns, see pages 36, 37.

4. When two or more substantives are joined to an adjective, the adjective is commonly referred to them separately; as, is geanamuil an fear agus an bean, the man and woman are lovely.

5. Adjectives of one syllable may be prefixed to their substantives, without undergoing any inflexion; forming, in this manner, compound terms; as, dearg lasair, red flame; for lasair dearg.

*In this case, if the noun begins with a mutable consonant, that consonant is aspirated; as, oigfear, a young man.

6. When the adjective is asserted of, or concerning the noun, it is placed before the noun, and undergoes no inflexion; as, is glic an duine sin, that man is wise. (110)

7. Substantives signifying the same person or thing, require their adjectives between them; as, an curaid croda Conlaoċ, the valiant hero Conloch.

8. Many synonymous adjectives are elegantly joined to the same substantive; as, a ndaiġnib dorca dùnta, in dark, close, fastnesses.

9. When the adjective is connected, in meaning and force, with the verb, it assumes an adverbial form, and undergoes no inflexion; as, rinne se an talam tirim, he made the earth dry. (111)

GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT.

SUBSTANTIVE.

10. When two substantives come together, signifying different things, the latter is put in the genitive; as, mac na mna, the woman's son (112)

11. The latter substantive is sometimes joined with the former, as an adjective, making one compound expression, but still inflected in the genitive; as, fear corrain, a reaper.

12. The active infinitive and participles govern the genitive, as nouns; as, bi me dul a iarraid mna, I was going to seek a wife; iar leaġad an tsoisgeil, after reading the gospel.

The object of the infinitive may come before it, in the accusative; as, is mait an obair Dia do molad, it is good to praise God; for, is mait an obair molad De.

13. When one substantive governs another in the genitive plural, without the article being joined with the genitive, the latter substantive may be aspirated; as, fuil ġabair, the blood of goats. (113)

ADJECTIVE.

14. Adjectives signifying profit, proximity, fitness, and their opposites, require the dative; as, is mait duit, it is good for you.

15. Adjectives signifying dimension, require air before the measure; as, tri troige air doimneacd, three feet deep.

16. Adjectives and nouns, signifying a part of any thing, require de an, or de na, of the, (commonly written don, and dona,) with the ablative; as, gaċ rann don leabar, each part of the book; fear do na daoinib, one of the men; an fear is sinne do na braitrib, the elder of the brothers; an fear is airde don triur, the highest of the three. * But

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