Questions about the copula

[Sean Fitzgerald]

Dia daoibh,

I’ve been running into a few copular constructions that don’t translate as I expected them to. Could anybody shed some light on these examples? They are driving me crazy! 🙂

In “Learning Irish” by Ó Siadhail on page 44:
Is é an fear sin an sagart.
“That man is the priest.”
I was expecting: “The priest is that man.” What am I doing wrong?

In “Basic Irish” by Stenson on page 138:
Is é an sagart an múinteoir.
“The priest is the teacher.”
I was expecting: “The teacher is the priest.”

also
Is é an múinteoir an sagart.
“The teacher is the priest.”
see the reverse of my previous expectation.

In “A Learner’s Guide to Irish” by Wong on pages 82 – 83:
under paragraph II and IIA:
An é an fear seo an rí?
First, she translates it as “Is this man the king?” and then translates it under paragraph IIA as “Is the king this man?”.
I was expecting both sentences (being the same) to translate to “Is the king this man?”.

under paragraph IIIA:
An é seo an rí?
“Is the king this man?”
I was expecting: “Is this the king?”

I fear that I have the copula all backwards. If anyone could illuminate me, I would be most grateful!

Go raibh maith agaibh!

[Héilics Órbhuí]

The copula is used to establish an exact equal relationship between the two “sides” of the equation. There is no “direction” involved, as you are thinking about it. In mathematical terms, you can write 2 + 2 = 4 or 4 = 2 + 2, the meaning is exactly the same. There is no object in a copula construction, just two subjects. In every case, you have simply reversed the direction of the translation given. Generally the first element of a copula construction is the part that you desire to emphasize, but not always. Hopefully that helps.

Also, read this if you haven’t:
[url=http://www.nualeargais.ie/gnag/gram.htm]http://www.nualeargais.ie/gnag/gram.htm[/url]

[Onuvanja]

Dia dhuit, a Sean!

There are two different types of sentences with the copula:

1) Is múinteoir mé. = I am a teacher (there are also other teachers, I’m just one of them)

2) Is mise an múinteoir. = I am the teacher (I’m the only teacher there is/the teacher you’re talking about)

In type 2, the order of the elements is the same as in English, e.g. “X is Y”, “I” am “the teacher”. However, in type 1, the order is reversed in Irish. “Is múinteoir mé” does not, of course, mean “A teacher is me”, but “I am a teacher”. Perhaps that’s what got you mixed up? 🙂

Beir bua!

[Labhrás]

Dia daoibh,

I’ve been running into a few copular constructions that don’t translate as I expected them to. Could anybody shed some light on these examples? They are driving me crazy! 🙂

In “Learning Irish” by Ó Siadhail on page 44:
Is é an fear sin an sagart.
“That man is the priest.”
I was expecting: “The priest is that man.” What am I doing wrong?

It means both.
The sentence “*Is é an sagart an fear sin” is impossible. Nouns with demonstrative adjectives (seo, sin, úd) must come first, i.e. next to the copula.
So there’s no variation possible and the meaning depends on context.

Well, it depends on context without demonstrative “sin”, anyway:
“Is é an múinteoir an sagart” can mean both, too: The priest is the teacher, the teacher is the priest.
Without context the first may be more likely.

.

[An Lon Dubh]

Technically, I think there is a direction it just usually doesn’t matter.
Is é an X an Y = The Y is the X

Usually it can be read both ways. However “the X” is always emphasised.

Is mise an dochtúir = (literally) The doctor is me, with me (=mé) emphasised (=mise).

However there is a difference between these two questions:

An é sin an capall dubh?
An é an capall dubh é sin?

Let’s say there is an object in the distance. The first question asks “Is the black horse that object over there?” To which
you could answer “No, it’s the object here”.

An é sin an capall dubh?
Ní hé, Sidé é.

The second question asks “The object in the distance, is it the black horse?”, to which you could answer
“No, it’s the white horse.”

An é an capall dubh é sin?
Ní hé, ach an capall bán.

I don’t know how much the “direction of implication” is maintained today, but older native speakers told me that
this was a distinction.

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