Question about Relative of Copula

[Mártan Ó G]

Dia dhaoibh a chairde,

I have two questions that I’d really appreciate your help with.

Member Abigail gave the best explanation of direct vs indirect clauses that I’ve seen in the linked thread:

http://www.daltai.com/discus/messages/13510/28726.html?1193424177

“Lena fheiceáil go soiléir, smaoinigh ar an gclásal mar abairt ann féin, agus cuartaigh an focal a dhéanann tagairt don réamhtheachtaí. Más forainm lom é an focal sin (.i. más ainmní nó cuspóir briathra é), ba chóir clásal coibhneasta díreach. Más forainm réamhfhoclach nó aidiacht sealbhach é, ba chóir clásal indíreach.

I gcás an dá shampla s’agatsa thuas:
Tá dua caite aige – tá an tagart don réamhtheachtaí an fear le fáil sa bhforainm réamhfhoclach aige. Sin feidhm an chlásail indírigh.
Tá sí acu – tá tagart don réamhtheachtaí an Ghaeilge sa bhforainm sí. Sin jab an chlásail dhírigh, .i. atá.”

In Learning Irish chapters 20 and 31, the following are given:

1. Sin é an rud is féidir a dhéanamh
2. Sin é an rud nach féidir a dhéanamh
3. Sin é an rud ba cheart a dhéanamh
3. Sin é an rud nach mba cheart a dhéanamh

Thinking of the relative clause as a sentence in itself, are the following correct?

Sin é an rud. Is féidir é a dhéanamh (or Is féidir a dhéanamh?)
Sin é an rud. Ní féidir é a dhéanamh (or Ní féidir a dhénamh?)
Sin é an rud. Ba cheart é a dhéanamh (or Ba cheart a dhéanamh?)
Sin é an rud. Ní ba cheart é a dhéanamh (Ní ba cheart a dhéanamh?)

I’m still not sure is it ‘is féidir é a dhéanamh’ or ‘is féidir a dhéanamh’. I think I read somewhere that they mean the same thing, but the second is an older construction. Any ideas?

Finally, I came across the following sentence:

Bhí Brídín, an leanbh ab óige, agus í ag slíocadh an chait…

What’s ‘ab’ doing here? Learning Irish makes no mention of it.

Thanks for your help!

[Labhrás]

In Learning Irish chapters 20 and 31, the following are given:

1. Sin é an rud is féidir a dhéanamh
2. Sin é an rud nach féidir a dhéanamh
3. Sin é an rud ba cheart a dhéanamh
3. Sin é an rud nach mba cheart a dhéanamh

Thinking of the relative clause as a sentence in itself, are the following correct?

Sin é an rud. Is féidir é a dhéanamh (or Is féidir a dhéanamh?)
Sin é an rud. Ní féidir é a dhéanamh (or Ní féidir a dhéanamh?)
Sin é an rud. Ba cheart é a dhéanamh (or Ba cheart a dhéanamh?)
Sin é an rud. Ní ba cheart é a dhéanamh (Ní ba cheart a dhéanamh?)

Yes.
Ní ba cheart = Níor cheart in Standard Irish

I’m still not sure is it ‘is féidir é a dhéanamh’ or ‘is féidir a dhéanamh’. I think I read somewhere that they mean the same thing, but the second is an older construction. Any ideas?

Yes, they mean the same and the first is older.
a dhéanamh “its doing”
é a dhéanamh “it to do”

Finally, I came across the following sentence:

Bhí Brídín, an leanbh ab óige, agus í ag slíocadh an chait…

What’s ‘ab’ doing here? Learning Irish makes no mention of it.

Thanks for your help!

Bhí Brídín, an leanbh ab óige, agus í ag slíocadh an chait = Brídín, the youngest child, was stroking the cat.

an leanbh ab óige = the youngest child (“the child which was youngest”)

Ab is the past tense direct relative form of the copula before vowels
Before consonants it is ba:
an leanbh ab óige
but
an leanbh ba shine

[Mártan Ó G]

Go raibh míle maith agat a Labhráis!

[Author]

Posts