(le Róislín)

So, back to an ghramadach, after some pleasant digressions about naoimh, féilte, úitsigh, scáthanna, and sneachta.

 

Let’s quickly review the verb “to be” and its relative forms.  Then we’ll turn to another irregular verb, “to see” (the first of 9 more irregulars!):

 

Aimsir láithreach: Tá an fear tinn.  An bhfuil an fear tinn? (The man is ill.  Is the man ill?). Sin é an fear atá tinn (That is the man who is ill).  Sin é an fear a bhfuil a mhac tinn. (That is the man whose son is ill).

 

Aimsir chaite: Bhí an fear tinn.  An raibh an fear tinn?  (The man was ill.  Was the man ill?).  Sin é an fear a bhí tinn (That is the man who was ill).  Sin é an fear a raibh a mhac tinn (That is the man whose son was ill). 

 

Aimsir fháistineach: Beidh an fear tinn.  An mbeidh an fear tinn? (The man will be ill.  Will the man be ill?  Sin é an fear a bheidh tinn (That is the man who will be ill – our example of medical prognostication).  Sin é an fear a mbeidh a mhac tinn (That is the man whose son will be ill). 

 

And now the verb “to see” in the present, past, and future tenses.  You might recall its command form (feic) and the verbal noun form (feiceáil).

 

Aimsir láithreach:  Feicim an bhó.  An bhfeiceann tú an bhó?  (I see the cow.  Do you see the cow?).  Note the eclipsis of “feiceann” for the question form (“f” changes to “bhf,” pronounced as “v”)

 

And now the relative forms, direct and then indirect.

 

Sin é an fear a fheiceann an bhó.  That is the man who sees the cow.  (lenition)

Sin é an fear a bhfeiceann a mhac an bhó.  That is the man whose son sees the cow. (eclipsis)

 

Some speakers also attach a final “s” to the verb to mark the relative clause (a fheiceanns: Sin é an fear a fheiceanns a bhó, mar shampla). 

 

Aimsir chaite: Chonaic sé an bhó.   An bhfaca sé an bhó?  (He saw the cow.  Did he see the cow?).

 

Relative forms:

Sin é an fear a chonaic an bhó.  That is the man who saw the cow.

Sin é an fear a bhfaca a mhac an bhó.  That is the man whose son saw the cow.

 

Aimsir fháistineach:  Feicfidh sé an bhó.  An bhfeicfidh sé an bhó?  (He will see the cow.  Will he see the cow?).  Actually I’m always relieved when this verb turns up in the negative (ní fheicfidh [say: nee EK-hee]) or interrogative (an bhfeicfidh [un VEK-hee]), since it doesn’t end up sounding so much like that feckin’ word that so many feckin’ books have used in their titles lately (just Google “feckin’” and you’ll probably find the whole series).  No relation to f*ck, or so we’re constantly told!

 

At any rate, ag saighdiúireacht linn trí “feck and thin,” here are the relative forms, conveniently lenited and eclipsed, to avoid any embarrassment:

 

Sin é an fear a fheicfidh an bhó.  That is the man who will see the cow.

Sin é an fear a bhfeicfidh a mhac an bhó.  That is the man whose son will see the cow. 

There is also a special form of this verb in the future tense with an “–s” ending instead of the “–fidh,” but again, not all speakers use it.  More on that later, if there’s interest.

 

So, I guess there’s no danger that an bhó has gone ar strae — it’s been seen so many times!  And here’s hoping this hasn’t lulled you all asleep, but as some of you have written in to say that mastering these clauses really is important.   They will help you reach a comfort zone (“sócúlacht“) with Irish literature and advanced composition, in fact, anything other than the most basic type of sentences.  And here’s a fun sampler for starters.  Can you spot the relative clauses, identify the author, and translate the sentence? I’ve finished it off with a comhartha focalbhá, since the full sentence would be twice as long:

 

Is cóir cuí go gcuirfí ar fáil don mhuintir a leanann sinn faisnéis éigin ar na dibheairseans agus na haidbhintiurs a bhí ann lenár linn mar nach mbeidh ár samplaí arís ann …

An aithníonn tú an abairt?  Slán go foill – Róislín