Caibidil a Ceathair Déag:
Initial Mutations (na hAthruithe Tosaigh)
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t-, n-, h-, d'-prefixes (na Réamhlitreacha)
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Not only lenition (séimhiú) and eclipsis (urú), but also (in part also in cooperation) the prefixing of the letters t, h, n, d' change the beginnings of words.
Here is a bit about the cause of these prefixes (except th d'-prefix which is explained below)
t-prefix (an réamhlitir t)
spelling:
preceding s: ts capitalised:
tS
preceding a vowel: t-a, t-e, etc. capitalised: tA, tE, etc. e.g. an tÉireannach = the Irishman
pronunciation:
The s after t-prefix is not spoken: an tsráid [tra:d']
use:
- preceding nouns with a vowel after the article an
- in the nominative/accusative with masculine nouns, e.g.: an t-úll = the apple
(not in the genitive and dative, e.g.: craiceann an úll = the skin of the apple, ar an úll = on the apple)
- preceding nouns with s- after the article an (instead of lenition of the s; occurs only if it's followed by a vowel or l, n, r)
- in the nominative/accusative by feminine nouns: an tsráid = the street
- in the genitive by masculine nouns: an tsagairt = of the priest
- in the dative, i.e. after many prepositions + article
- in Connacht and in the standard only by feminine nouns, even if eclipsis would be required: ar an tsráid = on the street , but not by masculine nouns: ag an sagart = by the priest
- in Ulster by feminine and masculine nouns: ag an tsagart = by the priest
- in Munster by feminine and masculine nouns only after the leniting forms den (de + an), don (do + an), sa (i + an): don tsagart = to the priest
- preceding numbers with a vowel after the article an in the nominative/accusative no matter if it's followed by a feminine or masculine noun: an t-aon bhád amháin = the one boat, an t-aonú .....deag, an t-ochtú, an t-ochtódú, an t-ochtar, an t-ocht. (not in the dative: ar an ochtar)
- preceding s- after -n, if -n occurs in another word than the article (e.g. colloq. in Árainn an-tsean = very old instead of the standard an-sean), often after aon (colloq. aon tsúil = an eye ; probably etymolog. wrong, in analogy to the t-prefix after the article, standard: aon súil)
Sometimes this occurs in names, e.g. after Clann = Family : Clann tSuibhne = MacSweeney Family
h-prefix (an réamhlitir h)
spelling:
preceding a vowel: ha, he, etc. capitalised: hA, hE, etc. e.g.: Poblacht na hÉireann = Republic of Ireland
use:
h-prefix is only used preceding words beginning in a vowel. It generally serves to simplify pronunciation, if 2 vowels clash and neither lenition nor eclipsis are necessary.
- preceding nouns
- after the article na
- in the nominative/accusative/dative plural: na héin = the birds
- in the genitive singular by feminine nouns: na hoifige = of the office
- after a = her (possessive pronoun of the 3rd person sg. fem.): a huncail = her uncle
- also after a dhá = her two/both her : a dhá húll = her two apples
- in the plural after trí, ceithre, cúig, sé (esp. uaire): trí huaire = 3 hours ,
(not in the sing.: trí úll = 3 apples )
- after ordinal numbers (except an chéad) an tríú húlla = the 3rd apple
- after non-leniting prepositions
- after le = with : le hÚna = with Úna
- after go = to go hÉirinn = to Ireland
- after cá = which : cá háit = where ("which place "), cá haois = how old ("which age ");
(but not if cá occurs in the meaning where or how.)
- in names with Ó: Ó hEidhin, Ó hAnluain,
h disappears after Uí or Ní (Uí Anluain)
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preceding pronouns (é, í, iad, ea, eo, in, iúd)
- after ní (neg. copular form) ní hí = she is not
- optional after cé: cé hé = who is it
- after cá (prepositional pronoun): cá hair? = on what?
- preceding adjectives / adverbs
- after go (adverbial particle) go holc = bad
- after chomh (= so) chomh holc = so bad
- preceding verbs
- after the imperative verbal particle ná: e.g.: ná habair é = don't mention it!
- after the neg. interrogatory verbal particle and conjunction ná (common in Munster): e.g.: ná hólair é? = Don't you drink it?
- preceding the autonomous verb form (Saorbhriathar) (not so in the standard)
- in the preterite, if it's the preterite particle do: e.g.: do hóladh = one drank , in Connacht also without do: e.g.: hóladh = one drank
- in all tenses (except conditional) after the otherwise leniting words ending in a vowel. e.g.: nuair a hóltar = when one drinks, an cluiche a himrítear = the game that one plays
- preceding numeral words 1 and 8 after the numeral particle a: a haon , a hocht
- in adverbial days of the week with Dé ( = day) Dé hAoine = Friday
n-prefix (an réamhlitir n)
spelling:
preceding a vowel: n-a, n-e, etc. by capitalisation: nA, nE: e.g.: Tir na nÓg = Land of Youth
use
-
preceding a vowel by expressions/particles actually requiring eclipsis : ár n-uncail = our uncle; (unless it already ends in -n, also not after an: ar an úll = on the apple !), not after the preposition i: but instead in: in Éirinn = in Ireland (this is purely a written convention, the pronunciation is the same as i nÉireann, which also occasionally occurs.
- after le in the meaning "(in order) to " (in Connacht): cad a bheidh agat le n-ól = what will you drink? ("what will you have to drink?"), althought after le normally no eclipsis occurs.
d'-prefix (an réamhlitir d')
This is actually not a "prefix" in the sense of the other prefixes, because d' is only a short form of the independent particle do. In this way it's quite different from the other prefixes.
Do is a past verbal particle to denote the preterite, imperfect and conditional tenses. It's only still in use anymore in Munster preceding consonants: (do dhéineas = ich machte). Preceding a vowel in the form d' in all dialects and in the standard.
The abbreviation of do explains also the apostrophe by d'.
spelling:
preceding a vowel and preceding fh: d'a, d'e, d'fh, capitalised: D'a, D'e, D'fh etc.
use:
- preceding a vowel and fh by verbs in the preterite, imperfect, conditional. d'ól mé = I drank , d'ólinn = I used to drink, d'ólfinn = I would drink, d'fhoghlain the sé = he learned
- d' is only used preceding non-dependent verb forms (i.e. without another particle - but also after má = if and the direct relative particle a, e.g.: má d'ól mé = if I drank, a d'ól mé = that I drank )
- d' is not used preceding dependent verb forms (i.e. if other verbal particle (níor, nár, ar, gur etc.) are needed, e.g.: níor ól mé = I didn't drink, gur ól mé = which I drank )
- d' is not used preceding the autonomous verb form (Saorbhriathar) in the preterite.
It is possible (in Munster) to use the long form do. Do would incur an h-prefix, which sometimes also occurs without do: do hóladh / (h)óladh = onr drank
On the other hand, in the conditional/imperfect, d' is used: d'óltaí = one used to drink, d'ólfaí = one would drink
- d' preceding other words than verbs is an abbreviation of the possessive pronoun do = your or the prepositions de = of and do = to preceding vowels
suas
initial mutations
lenition, eclipsis
Gramadach na Gaeilge
© Lars Bräsicke 1999 / 2000
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