(le Róislín)

Before we proceed further with such topics as tearmainn asal and seitreach (an fhuaim a dhéanann capaill), let’s take a look at a few more basic vocabulary words for ceathairchosaigh eachaí.  And, to really revisit an ábhar from the past, let’s pick one from each declension.  Remember the díochlaontaí (categories of nouns), from 1^st to 5^th?   Our equine terms just happen to fill all five categories: asal (1ú), miúil (2ú), grúmaeir (3ú), pónaí (4ú), láir (5ú).  “Grúmaeir” is an occupational term, a groom – none of the terms for the equines themselves seem to fit in the third declension.   The rest all refer to animals.

So here’s a little review of what happens to these nouns when we go through their various forms, plural, possessive (genitive), and plural possessive.  I’m giving all the forms with the definite article, since the indefinite forms are reasonably predictable from them:

asal

1) An Chéad Díochlaonadh: Asal (donkey, ass)

an t-asal, the donkey

an asail, of the donkey (ceanndánacht an asail)

na hasail, the donkeys

na n-asal, of the donkeys (ceanndánacht na n-asal)

miúil

2) An Dara Díochlaonadh: Miúil (mule, both the animal and the shoe)

an mhiúil [ un VYOO-il, with “vyoo” like English “view”], the mule

na miúile, of the mule (cic na miúile [kik nuh MYOO-il-yuh, with “myoo” as in “muse” or “mews”]

na miúileanna, the mules

na miúileanna, of the mules (ciceanna na miúileanna)

3) An Tríú Díochlaonadh: grúmaeir (groom)

an grúmaeir, the groom

an ghrúmaera, of the groom (cíor chapaill an ghrúmaera)

na grúmaeirí, the grooms

na ngrúmaeirí, of the grooms (cíora capaill na ngrúmaeirí)

pónaí

4) An Ceathrú Díochlaonadh: pónaí (pony)

an pónaí, the pony

an phónaí, of the pony (diallait an phónaí)

na pónaithe, the ponies

na bpónaithe, of the ponies (diallaití na bpónaithe)

an láir, the mare