{"id":2205,"date":"2012-04-19T22:36:32","date_gmt":"2012-04-19T22:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=2205"},"modified":"2013-10-06T07:10:15","modified_gmt":"2013-10-06T07:10:15","slug":"an-focal-ann-agus-beagainin-faoi-ionam-ionat-srl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/an-focal-ann-agus-beagainin-faoi-ionam-ionat-srl\/","title":{"rendered":"An Focal \u201cann\u201d (agus beag\u00e1in\u00edn faoi \u201cionam,\u201d \u201cionat,\u201d srl.)"},"content":{"rendered":"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of you might be wondering about the word \u201cann<\/strong>\u201d in the question \u201cAn ann di<\/strong>?\u201d from the recent blog entitled \u201cC\u00e9n Ghaeilge at\u00e1 ar \u2018rusticle\u2019<\/strong>?\u00a0 An Ann Di (D\u00f3)?<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0 It is a short but multi-purpose, multi-faceted, and very important word in Irish.<\/p>\n

The very literal translation of \u201cAn ann di?<\/strong>\u201d is, perhaps intriguingly, \u201cIs it in it to it?\u201d and the masculine variation (with \u201cd\u00f3<\/strong>\u201d) also translates as \u201cIs it in it to it?\u201d\u00a0 If that\u2019s caught your interest, read on!<\/p>\n

Before we go farther with \u201cann<\/strong>,\u201d though, let\u2019s just look at its pronunciation.\u00a0 There are two main ways to pronounce \u201cann<\/strong>,\u201d each quite widespread: one as \u201cahn,\u201d and the other, more typical of Munster Irish, as \u201coun\u201d as in \u201cnow,\u201d \u201ccow,\u201d \u201csound,\u201d or \u201ctau\u201d (as in the Tory Island tau cross), Taos (New Mexico, not the Irish word \u201ctaos<\/strong>,\u201d pronounced \u201cteess\u201d), or Tao<\/em> (Chinese for \u201cthe way\u201d).\u00a0 Why so many examples for one simple, if diphthongized, sound?\u00a0 Well, just trying to cover the bases, since some readers are more likely to talk about the \u201csoon\u2019 of the broon coo\u2019s moo\u201d than the \u201csound of the brown cow\u2019s moo.\u201d\u00a0 The spelling of English is hopeless in this regard!\u00a0 The best recourse, of course, would be IPA: \/au\/.\u00a0 At any rate, either \u201cahn\u201d or \u201coun\u201d is fine, in accordance with whatever dialect of Irish you speak.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s helpful in understanding \u201cann<\/strong>\u201d to have a background in the Irish-English usage of \u201cin it\u201d to question or state something\u2019s existence.\u00a0 Sentences like \u201cLet\u2019s finish the work while the day is in it\u201d (i.e. while it\u2019s still daylight), \u201cGiven the week that\u2019s in it \u2026\u201d (heard a few years ago in reference to the week surrounding St. Patrick\u2019s Day), or \u201cwith the times that are in it\u201d (heard recently on the Marian Finucane radio show).\u00a0 Or, jumping back about 150 years ago, \u201cOh, murther alive! and\u00a0is it himself that’s in it?\u201d from novelist Charles Lever.\u00a0 That\u2019s not a reference to a man being in a box or cupboard or closet or some such thing, but simply a way of welcoming someone, like saying \u201cIs it you that has come here?\u201d (or, more colloquially, \u201cWell, look who\u2019s here!\u201d).\u00a0 Using the third-person form in this example is a token of respect; the question could also be asked using \u201cyourself\u201d?\u00a0 All of these usages come from the Irish word \u201cann<\/strong>,\u201d which can be translated as \u201cin it,\u201d \u201cin him,\u201d \u201cin existence\u201d (loosely speaking, not overly philosophically), \u201chere\u201d or \u201cthere.\u201d<\/p>\n

The most literal translation of \u201cann<\/strong>\u201d is \u201cin him\u201d or \u201cin it\u201d (including masculine nouns, like box, room, house, etc.).\u00a0 It is part of the preposition \u201ci<\/strong>\u201d (in), which you may know from its full paradigm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u201ci\u201d<\/strong> (in)<\/td>\nUatha<\/strong> (singular)<\/td>\nIolra<\/strong> (plural)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1st<\/sup> person<\/td>\nionam<\/strong> (in me)<\/td>\nionainn<\/strong> (in us)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2nd<\/sup> person<\/td>\nionat<\/strong> (in you)<\/td>\nionaibh<\/strong> (in you, pl.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3rd<\/sup> person<\/td>\nann<\/strong>(in him, in it);inti<\/strong> (in her, in it)<\/td>\niontu<\/strong> (in them)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A few more expressions with \u201cann<\/strong>\u201d are:<\/p>\n

T\u00e1 ocht dtroithe ann<\/strong>, It measures (is) eight feet high, lit. there are eight feet in it.<\/p>\n

Is duine ann f\u00e9in \u00e9<\/strong>, He\u2019s a peculiar person, lit. he is a person in himself.<\/p>\n

N\u00edl an an\u00e1il ann<\/strong>, He isn\u2019t breathing, lit. the breath isn\u2019t in him<\/p>\n

M\u00fainteoir at\u00e1 ann<\/strong>, He is a teacher, lit. a teacher is in him (likewise, \u201cM\u00fainteoir at\u00e1 ionam<\/strong>,\u201d I am a teacher; \u201cM\u00fainteoir at\u00e1 ionat<\/strong>,\u201d You are a teacher, etc.)<\/p>\n

To top things off, there is also the expression, \u201cT\u00e1 m\u00e9 in ann sci\u00e1il<\/strong>\u201d (I can ski), where \u201cann<\/strong>\u201d has a completely different meaning, part of the phrase \u201cin ann<\/strong>\u201d indicating talent or ability,<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s \u201cann<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 Now, how about the word \u201can<\/strong>\u201d?<\/p>\n

Well, there are seven different words \u201can<\/strong>\u201d in Irish.\u00a0 We\u2019ll only deal with a couple here, primarily focusing on the one that fits in the question \u201cAn ann di (d\u00f3)?<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0 Of the others, the two most basic are \u201can<\/strong>\u201d (the definite article, as in \u201can leanbh<\/strong>,\u201d the child, and \u201can tsl\u00e1inte<\/strong>,\u201d the health) and \u201can-<\/strong>\u201c (with the dash), meaning \u201cvery,\u201d as in \u201can-mhaith<\/strong>\u201d or \u201can-dona<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 But neither of these is our \u201can<\/strong>\u201d for today\u2019s purposes.\u00a0 The \u201can<\/strong>\u201d in today\u2019s question is a form of the verb \u201cis<\/strong>,\u201d specifically, the interrogative form.\u00a0 In its two scant letters it encompasses both the subject and verb for our question \u201cIs it \u2026?\u201d \u00a0The whys and wherefores of that could perhaps be \u00e1bhar blag eile<\/strong>, but for now, the translation should suffice.<\/p>\n

Our final word in the title question is a form of the preposition \u201cdo<\/strong>\u201d (to, for; pronounced \u201cduh,\u201d as in \u201cdone\u201d or \u201cdun\u201d).\u00a0 \u201cDi<\/strong>\u201d is feminine (grammatically, pronounced with a short \u201ci,\u201d as in \u201cdin\u201d or \u201cditto\u201d), meaning \u201cto it\u201d or \u201cto her\u201d and \u201cd\u00f3<\/strong>\u201d is masculine, meaning \u201cto it\u201d or \u201cto him.\u201d\u00a0 As you may recall, the reference was either to \u201can Ghaeilge<\/strong>\u201d (a feminine noun) or, by implication to \u201cfocal Gaeilge<\/strong>\u201d (a masculine noun).<\/p>\n

Putting these three elements together, we have a perfectly complete and grammatical Irish question (An ann di [d\u00f3]?<\/strong>), even if it barely appears to have a verb.\u00a0 It does really have a verb, embedded in the interrogative word \u201can<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cIs it in it to it?\u201d means, in plainer English, \u201cDoes it exist?\u201d<\/p>\n

Why not just say, \u201cAn bhfuil sin ann?<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0 Well, we could, I guess.\u00a0 Or we could say, \u201cAn bhfuil a leith\u00e9id ann?<\/strong>\u201d (Is the likes of it in it?, i.e. Does it exist?\u00a0 Or should that be \u201cAre the likes of it in it?\u00a0 Hmmm, Irish singular, English collective plural \u2026 \u00e1bhaarrgh blag eile <\/strong>— and that\u2019s me combining a Charlie Brownish frustration interjection with the Irish word \u201c\u00e1bhar<\/strong>,\u201d not actual Irish, except to the extent that \u201caargh\u201d is an equal-opportunity wail!).<\/p>\n

We could also say, \u201cAn bhfuil sin ar f\u00e1il?<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0 Or, fairly philosophically and not very colloquially, \u201cAn eiseann sin?<\/strong> (Does it exist?).\u00a0 The phrasing \u201cAn ann di \/ d\u00f3 \/ d\u00f3ibh?, <\/strong>etc.\u201d is reasonably widespread though, and, to my mind at least, has a nice conciseness and Irish pithiness to it.\u00a0 It can exist for all seven forms of the preposition, although it would, admittedly, be rare in the first-person singular (An ann dom?<\/strong> Do I exist?).\u00a0 But even there, it could be part of some first-hand existential query that could be connected, for example, to M\u00edche\u00e1l \u00d3 Conghaile\u2019s short story, \u201cAg Ithe Daoine<\/strong>,\u201d where the narrator continues to tell us the story of his demise even after he should be, well, in full demise.\u00a0 Or, similarly, as a post-script to the song \u201cI\u2019m Being Swallowed by a Boa Constrictor,\u201d where the narrator is devoured before the song is over, but then that\u2019s Shel Silverstein for you.\u00a0 Eiseachas dra\u00edochta<\/strong> (magic existentialism), an ea? \u00a0N\u00f3 gn\u00e1thosr\u00e9alachas?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Want the works to query your own or other folks\u2019 existence?<\/p>\n

An ann dom? <\/strong>Do I exist? <\/strong><\/p>\n

An ann duit? <\/strong>Do you exist? (cf. the comment \u201cIs ann duit!,\u201d <\/strong>literally \u201cIt\u2019s in it to you!\u201d but understood as \u201cYou exist!\u201d in the sense of \u201cSo you are still alive!\u201d)<\/strong><\/p>\n

An ann d\u00f3? <\/strong>Does he\/it exist?<\/strong><\/p>\n

An ann di? <\/strong>Does she\/it exist?<\/strong><\/p>\n

An ann d\u00fainn? <\/strong>Do we exist? (first-person plural existential querying again, is d\u00f3cha, <\/strong>perhaps this time by Star Trek\u2019s Sargon and Thalassa?)<\/p>\n

An ann daoibh?\u00a0 <\/strong>Do you (pl.) exist?<\/p>\n

An ann d\u00f3ibh?\u00a0 <\/strong>Do they exist?<\/strong><\/p>\n

An ann do Mharsaigh?\u00a0 <\/strong>Do Martians exist?<\/strong><\/p>\n

An ann do dhuine ar bith?<\/strong> Does anyone exist?\u00a0 (Henry Bemis, b\u2019fh\u00e9idir, san eipeas\u00f3id<\/strong> Twilight Zone \u201cTime Enough at Last,\u201d d\u00e1 mbeadh Gaeilge aige, ar nd\u00f3igh<\/strong>)<\/p>\n

Hope that wasn\u2019t too far-fetched, but after all, existence is a sort of ficsean eolaiochta<\/strong> type of topic, nach ea<\/strong>?\u00a0 Sl\u00e1n go f\u00f3ill, \u00f3 R\u00f3isl\u00edn (arb ann di f\u00f3s, fad a heolais!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gluais: eis<\/strong>, exist (with \u201ceiseann s\u00e9<\/strong>\u201d for \u201che\/it exists,\u201d completely separate from \u201ceisean<\/strong>\u201d with one \u201cn,\u201d which means \u201che himself,\u201d and also separate from \u201ceis\u00edonn s\u00e9<\/strong>,\u201d meaning \u201che\/it issues,\u201d as, for example, money; ficsean eola\u00edochta<\/strong>, science fiction; gn\u00e1th<\/strong>-, ordinary; osr\u00e9alachas<\/strong>, surrealism; sci\u00e1il<\/strong> [SHKEE-aw-il], skiing; troigh<\/strong> [silent \u201cg\u201d], foot, mostly for measuring these days, not for the body part (pl: troithe<\/strong>, remember the 2nd<\/sup> \u201ct\u201d is silent, making the \u201cth\u201d mostly just breath).<\/p>\n

N\u00f3ta 1:\u00a0<\/strong>If you\u2019re curious about M\u00edche\u00e1l \u00d3 Conghaile\u2019s story, it\u2019s in his collection, An Fear nach nD\u00e9anann G\u00e1ire<\/em> (ISBN 1-902420-65-9), winner of Gradam an Oireachtais<\/strong> in 2001, available from http:\/\/www.cic.ie<\/a> (Cl\u00f3 Iar-Chonnachta) and other bookdealers.<\/p>\n

N\u00f3ta 2: Maidir le Sargon agus Thalassa, an cuimhin leat iad? \u00a0Neacha d\u00edchollaithe iad san eipeas\u00f3id <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>“Return to Tomorrow” (9 Feabhra 1968). \u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn) Some of you might be wondering about the word \u201cann\u201d in the question \u201cAn ann di?\u201d from the recent blog entitled \u201cC\u00e9n Ghaeilge at\u00e1 ar \u2018rusticle\u2019?\u00a0 An Ann Di (D\u00f3)?\u201d\u00a0 It is a short but multi-purpose, multi-faceted, and very important word in Irish. The very literal translation of \u201cAn ann di?\u201d is, perhaps…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3898],"tags":[298541,298570,11087,298537,211575,27,298542,298543,298567,298568,298544,298548,298546,298549,298545,5120,298547,298552,8292,298540,298565,3818,8972,211578,211579,298538,298551,298550,298560,298535,298566,298554,298555,6545,298569,298563,6709,298553,298536,3687,6940,54986,298564,3043,298558,298562,298539],"class_list":["post-2205","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-irish-language","tag-298541","tag-9-feabhra-1968","tag-an","tag-an-fear-nach-ndeanann-gaire","tag-ann","tag-body","tag-cic-ie","tag-clo-iar-chonnachta","tag-dichollaithe","tag-eipeasoid","tag-eis","tag-eisean","tag-eiseann","tag-eisionn","tag-exist","tag-existence","tag-exists","tag-ficsean-eolaiochta","tag-foot","tag-gradam-an-oireachtais","tag-henoch","tag-here","tag-in","tag-in-him","tag-in-it","tag-isbn-1-902420-65-9","tag-issue","tag-issues","tag-measuring","tag-micheal-o-conghaile","tag-neacha","tag-ordinary","tag-osrealachas","tag-pronunciation-tips","tag-return-to-tomorrow","tag-sargon","tag-sciail","tag-science-fiction-gnath","tag-short-story","tag-skiing","tag-star-trek","tag-surrealism","tag-thalassa","tag-there","tag-troigh","tag-troithe","tag-winner"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2205"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4447,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2205\/revisions\/4447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}