#Lesson20
1. Relative of the Copula
(i) Direct Relative
(a) Positive:
This one is easy — just use *is* again. *Is í sin an bhean is maith leis* — That's the woman he likes
(b) Negative
Use *nach* instead. *Sin é an fear nach maith léi* — That's the man she doesn't like.
(ii) Indirect Relative
(a) Positive
Use *ar* instead of *is* here.
*Sin é an fear ar maith leis an bia* — That's the man who likes the food
(b) Negative:
Once again we use *nach*. easy, right?
*Sin é an fear nach maith leis gasúir* - That's the man who doesn't like children
2. Future of the Copula
The copula has no specfic future form, so you can use te present tense forms to express a future meaning. It looks like these are really only used with adjectives and a temporal phrase. I'm not certain, but I don't think you can use it to say tings like "He will be a doctor in a year."
3. The preposition *le*
(i) Introduction
The preposition *le* generally prefixes and h to a noun beginning with a vowel, though this is rarely said in speech. So you'll write *le hÚna*, but *le Úna* will be said (and sometimes written). Before *an*, it becomes *leis* giving *leis an madra*, for example.
(ii) Prepositional pronouns
As usualy, the ordinary form will be out, with the Connacht form in parentheses where it differs
*liom*
*leat*
*leis*
*léi* (*léithe*)
*linn*
*libh* (*lib*)
*leo* (*leob*)
(iii) Basic meaning 'with'
The most basic meaning of *le* is 'with': *Tá an gasúr liom* - the kid is with me
More idiomatically, it can be eused to express:
(a) 'with the motion of'
Basically things like where English would use "He moved with the crowd" or "It went with the current"
*Thit an bheilleog leis an ngaoth* - The leaf fell with the wind
(b) 'at the same time as'
Makes sense if you read it literally: "He was here with the day" = "He was here at the same time as the day (at daybreak)."
*Chuaigh sí abhaile leis an oíche* = She went home at nightfall
(c) 'with', 'as a result of'
This is basically the English 'with' in these sense of 'because'
It's used in the idiom: *Tá mé spalptha leis an tart* - I'm dying of thirst (literally parched with the thirst). Also *tinn le himní* - sick with worry, etc.
(d) 'away', 'continuing'
Basically like 'work away' or 'continuing to work'. Can be used with any verbal noun:
*Tá Seán ag rith leis* - Seán is (just) running away (i.e. Seán is just continuing to run)
(iv) Secondary meaning: "to":
(a) 'To', 'for the purpose'
This usage involves a verbal noun or a verbal noun phrase. Note that if you have a preposition following *le* here, it does not change to the combined form, but it *does* prefix "n-" to a vowel:
*Tá mé anseo le n-í (len í) a shábháil* - I am here to save her.
(b) Likewise, it can express 'to', 'due to be'.
This one also prefixes n- to it.
*Tá an bia sin le n-ithe* — That food is to be eat
*Caife le n-imeacht* - Coffee for taking away (Take away coffee); this is actually on a sign of a cafe in Carraroe
(v) Other idiomatic meanings:
(a) 'to', 'towards'
Such as who you're showing niceness to, or what you're looking forward to, etc.
*Tá éad agam leat* - I'm jealous of you
*Tá sé gnaoiúil leis an ngasúr" - He's generous to the kid
(b) 'to', 'against'
With direction, really.
*Tá mo dhroimse leis an gclaí* — My back is to the stonewall
*Tá droim Cháit leis an mballa* - Cáit's back is to the wall
I'm pretty sure this is used literally, and not idiomatically int he English "My back's against the wall"
(c) Duration
So *le* can be used for 'for' when talking about times. However, this only happens when the time period is on-going.
*Tá mé i Meiriceá le dhá mhí* - I've been in America two months/ I'm in America for two months.
4. Idiomatic uses of the copula and *le*
(i) To express 'it seems'
These are basically examples like *is maith le X Y* to express 'x likes y'. It can be used with several other adjectives. Can be expressed in things like "Isn't it worthwhile to Cáit", or "It's likely to Cáit", etc. See the list in the book for the several main adjectives
1. Relative of the Copula
(i) Direct Relative
(a) Positive:
This one is easy — just use *is* again. *Is í sin an bhean is maith leis* — That's the woman he likes
(b) Negative
Use *nach* instead. *Sin é an fear nach maith léi* — That's the man she doesn't like.
(ii) Indirect Relative
(a) Positive
Use *ar* instead of *is* here.
*Sin é an fear ar maith leis an bia* — That's the man who likes the food
(b) Negative:
Once again we use *nach*. easy, right?
*Sin é an fear nach maith leis gasúir* - That's the man who doesn't like children
2. Future of the Copula
The copula has no specfic future form, so you can use te present tense forms to express a future meaning. It looks like these are really only used with adjectives and a temporal phrase. I'm not certain, but I don't think you can use it to say tings like "He will be a doctor in a year."
3. The preposition *le*
(i) Introduction
The preposition *le* generally prefixes and h to a noun beginning with a vowel, though this is rarely said in speech. So you'll write *le hÚna*, but *le Úna* will be said (and sometimes written). Before *an*, it becomes *leis* giving *leis an madra*, for example.
(ii) Prepositional pronouns
As usualy, the ordinary form will be out, with the Connacht form in parentheses where it differs
*liom*
*leat*
*leis*
*léi* (*léithe*)
*linn*
*libh* (*lib*)
*leo* (*leob*)
(iii) Basic meaning 'with'
The most basic meaning of *le* is 'with': *Tá an gasúr liom* - the kid is with me
More idiomatically, it can be eused to express:
(a) 'with the motion of'
Basically things like where English would use "He moved with the crowd" or "It went with the current"
*Thit an bheilleog leis an ngaoth* - The leaf fell with the wind
(b) 'at the same time as'
Makes sense if you read it literally: "He was here with the day" = "He was here at the same time as the day (at daybreak)."
*Chuaigh sí abhaile leis an oíche* = She went home at nightfall
(c) 'with', 'as a result of'
This is basically the English 'with' in these sense of 'because'
It's used in the idiom: *Tá mé spalptha leis an tart* - I'm dying of thirst (literally parched with the thirst). Also *tinn le himní* - sick with worry, etc.
(d) 'away', 'continuing'
Basically like 'work away' or 'continuing to work'. Can be used with any verbal noun:
*Tá Seán ag rith leis* - Seán is (just) running away (i.e. Seán is just continuing to run)
(iv) Secondary meaning: "to":
(a) 'To', 'for the purpose'
This usage involves a verbal noun or a verbal noun phrase. Note that if you have a preposition following *le* here, it does not change to the combined form, but it *does* prefix "n-" to a vowel:
*Tá mé anseo le n-í (len í) a shábháil* - I am here to save her.
(b) Likewise, it can express 'to', 'due to be'.
This one also prefixes n- to it.
*Tá an bia sin le n-ithe* — That food is to be eat
*Caife le n-imeacht* - Coffee for taking away (Take away coffee); this is actually on a sign of a cafe in Carraroe
(v) Other idiomatic meanings:
(a) 'to', 'towards'
Such as who you're showing niceness to, or what you're looking forward to, etc.
*Tá éad agam leat* - I'm jealous of you
*Tá sé gnaoiúil leis an ngasúr" - He's generous to the kid
(b) 'to', 'against'
With direction, really.
*Tá mo dhroimse leis an gclaí* — My back is to the stonewall
*Tá droim Cháit leis an mballa* - Cáit's back is to the wall
I'm pretty sure this is used literally, and not idiomatically int he English "My back's against the wall"
(c) Duration
So *le* can be used for 'for' when talking about times. However, this only happens when the time period is on-going.
*Tá mé i Meiriceá le dhá mhí* - I've been in America two months/ I'm in America for two months.
4. Idiomatic uses of the copula and *le*
(i) To express 'it seems'
These are basically examples like *is maith le X Y* to express 'x likes y'. It can be used with several other adjectives. Can be expressed in things like "Isn't it worthwhile to Cáit", or "It's likely to Cáit", etc. See the list in the book for the several main adjectives