(le Róislín)

Before going further with more place name possibilities, let’s practice some more with the patterns we’ve already been working on.  Just as a review, some samples include

a)      place names starting with a vowel and with no definite article (“i” becomes “in”):

tíortha: in Éírinn, in Iamáice

cathracha, bailte, stáit, contaetha, srl.: in Uachtar Ard, in Alasca, in Ouagadougou, in Uíbh Fhailí

b)      place names starting with a consonant and no definite article (“i” plus eclipsis, where possible):

tíortha: i mBarbadós, i mBuircíne Fasó, i gCósta Ríce, example with no change: i Málta

cathracha, bailte, stáit, contaetha, srl.: i nBéalgrád, i mBostún, i bPrág, i nDakota Thuaidh, i bhFear Manach; examples with no change: i Manchain, i Luimneach

c)      place names starting with a consonant and using the definite article (“i” plus “an” becomes “sa,” lenition where possible)

tíortha: sa Bhulgáir, sa Mhongóil; no lenition (“sp” never lenited), sa Spáinn; no lenition (d/t rule): sa Danmhairg, sa Téalainn

cathracha, bailte, stáit, contaetha, srl.: sa Chlochán Liath, sa Chabhán; no change: sa Háig, sa Spidéal, sa Tasmáin

Looks like I’ve got more samples above than actual practice questions below, but cén dochar?  As far as opportunities to lenite or eclipse or ponder the role of initial vocality in prepositional suffixation, dá mhéad is amhlaidh is fearr é (the more, the merrier).   

For thorough practice with Irish counties, we’ll have to wait for blag eile, since there are so many counties and possibilities for initial consonant change.  Frequently though, one really only has to worry about one initial change, (“Contae” to “i gContae”), since the word “county” is so often included in discussion.  Generally speaking I’d say that it’s much more typical to say something happened in “County Such and Such” in Ireland than to say that it happened in the “State” of Such and Such, when discussing America.  Nevertheless, we do have at least a couple counties represented above for practice:

So, care to answer these and test your knowledge of popchultúr at the same time?  Banc focal agus freagraí thíos.

1)      Cár tógadh James Tiberius Kirk (an carachtar)?

2)      Cár rugadh John Paul Henry Daniel Richard Grimes agus Edward Peter Anthony Kevin Patrick Grimes (aka Jedward)?

3)      Cár rugadh Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga)?

4)      Cár rugadh Audrey Hepburn?

5)      Cá bhfuil Muine Gall?

6)  Cár rugadh Maureen O’Hara?

Banc focal: a) i mBaile Átha Cliath; b) in Iowa; c) sa Bheilg; d) i Raghnallach (fobhaile de chuid Bhaile Átha Cliath); e); i gCathair Nua-Eabhrac; f) in Uíbh Fhailí (nó i gContae Uíbh Fhailí). 

Freagraí 1b, in Iowa; 2a, i mBaile Átha Cliath, 3e, i gCathair Nua-Eabhrac, 4c sa Bheilg, 5f in Uíbh Fhailí, 6d i Raghnallach

Nóta/cheist: Léigh mé ar líne gur rugadh agus tógadh James T. Kirk in Iowa ach ní shílim go bhfuil sé sin fíor.  Shíl mé gur rugadh i spás i gcineál de chapsúl éalaithe é.  Hmm, beirthe i spás?  Má bheirtear i spás thú, an féidir leat a bheith i d’iarrthóir i dtoghchán le bheith i d’uachtarán sna Stáit Aontaithe?  An bhfuil eolas ag duine r b?  Nó an cheist fhiúntach í – an mbeidh a leithéid is uachtaráin tíre ann sa bhliain 2233 (bliain bhreithe James Kirk)? 

Well, that’s a bit of practice anyway to tide you over till we get the next batch of examples, where “i” doesn’t simply change to “in” or “sa” but also to “san” and “sna.”  Ar ais arís roimh i bhfad. – Róislín

gluais: beirthe, born; éalú, escape; fiúntach, worthwhile; iarrthóir, candidate; rugadh, was born; tógadh, was raised; toghchán, election; uachtarán, president