-se

[Aodhán01]

What is the point in using the -se suffix and in what cases are you socially expected to do so? By the -se suffix I mean like as used in táimse as opposed to táim or Tá mé

[LiamO]

Read the following page carefully, especially the last paragraph:

http://www.nualeargais.ie/gnag/person.htm

Basically, it shows emphasis. Imagine a child boasting about going to a party that her brother wasn’t allowed to attend. James isn’t going, but I am. In English, she’d put emphasis on the word I. She’d say “I” louder and with more emphasis because she’s boasting.

In Irish, the same would be rendered instead with the suffix -se.

Níl Séamus ag dul ann, ach táimse.

There’s no need to say the new word (táimse) with extra emphasis as in English, the suffix itself does the job in Irish.

[Author]

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