Learning Irish Lessons 11-14

[Mártan Ó G]

Dia daoibh a chairde,

I’m back studying Irish using Ó Siadhail’s Learning Irish and have a few question about lessons 11-14, specifically regarding the copula. Hopefully someone will be able to shed some light on this.

1. Regarding the choice of pronouns as the subject of a copular sentence, are the following translations correct?

Is mé an dochtúr – I am the doctor (and not the teacher)
(Is) mise an dochtúr – I am the doctor (and that other guy isn’t)

Is é an dochtúr é – He’s the doctor (He’s not the teacher)
(Is) eisean an dochtúr – He’s the doctor (not his brother)

2. Ó Siadhail translates:

Is é [color=blue]an fear sin[/color] an sagart — [color=blue]That man[/color] is the priest
Is í [color=blue]Cáit[/color] mo bhean — [color=blue]Cáit[/color] is my wife
Is iad [color=blue]Bríd agus Máirtín[/color] na gasúir — [color=blue]Bríd and Máirtín[/color] are the children

(I’ve added the colour myself)

According to the site nualeargas, the order for copula sentences is copula – predicate – subject. The sentences above seem to be exceptions?

3. In chapter 11 we see:

Is í sin mo bhean. — That woman is my wife.

Later in chapter 14 we see seo, sin and siúd used in sentences like the following:

Seo í Cáit, sin é Máirtín agus siúd iad na daoine eile.

Now he doesn’t explicitly say so, but my hunch is that this use of seo/sin/siúd has to do with the copula? If so, do the following mean the same thing, or is there some nuance I’m missing?

Sin í mo bhean = Is í sin mo bhean
Ab ‘in í mo bhean? = Ab í sin mo bhean?

Go raibh míle maith agaibh!

[Labhrás]

1. Regarding the choice of pronouns as the subject of a copular sentence, are the following translations correct?

Is mé an dochtúr – I am the doctor (and not the teacher)
(Is) mise an dochtúr – I am the doctor (and that other guy isn’t)

Is é an dochtúr é – He’s the doctor (He’s not the teacher)
(Is) eisean an dochtúr – He’s the doctor (not his brother)

Yes, they are correct.

2. Ó Siadhail translates:

Is é [color=blue]an fear sin[/color] an sagart — [color=blue]That man[/color] is the priest
Is í [color=blue]Cáit[/color] mo bhean — [color=blue]Cáit[/color] is my wife
Is iad [color=blue]Bríd agus Máirtín[/color] na gasúir — [color=blue]Bríd and Máirtín[/color] are the children

(I’ve added the colour myself)

According to the site nualeargas, the order for copula sentences is copula – predicate – subject. The sentences above seem to be exceptions?

Yes, they are exceptions.
Demonstrative adjectives/pronouns and proper names usually come first (in identification sentences).

3. In chapter 11 we see:

Is í sin mo bhean. — That woman is my wife.

Later in chapter 14 we see seo, sin and siúd used in sentences like the following:

Seo í Cáit, sin é Máirtín agus siúd iad na daoine eile.

Now he doesn’t explicitly say so, but my hunch is that this use of seo/sin/siúd has to do with the copula? If so, do the following mean the same thing, or is there some nuance I’m missing?

Sin í mo bhean = Is í sin mo bhean
Ab ‘in í mo bhean? = Ab í sin mo bhean?

There’s a subtle nuance in meaning.
Is í sin … is just a statement.

Sin í … is more presenting or pointing at, like French voicí (seo é /í …) or voilà (sin é/í …) or Latin ecce
Ecce homo = Siúd é an duine. (English: behold the man)

It has to do with the copula though both forms are considered copula sentences nowadays.
Originally, Sin í … wasn’t a copula phrase but was preceded by a truncated verb form acc (> ag) meaning “look” (French and Latin forms originally mean “look”, too)
Ag sin mo bhean = Look there: my wife. > There is my wife.

At present, “ag” is usually lost and Sin í mo bhean is considered a copula sentence with a past form B’in í mo bhean.

[Mártan Ó G]

That’s a great help! Go raibh maith agat, a Labhráis.

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