{"id":933,"date":"2011-05-27T01:45:14","date_gmt":"2011-05-27T01:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=933"},"modified":"2016-08-17T20:12:08","modified_gmt":"2016-08-17T20:12:08","slug":"gaolta-and-the-fifth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/gaolta-and-the-fifth\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaolta and the Fifth"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

Fifth declension, that is.\u00a0 So, no, the fifth here is not a c\u00faigi\u00fa<\/strong> as in 4\/5 of a gal\u00fan<\/strong>, traditionally filled with uisce beatha, vodca, rum<\/strong>, or other hard liquor, ar nd\u00f3igh.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not the \u201cFifth\u201d that Americans, at least, might take, demand, or plead, to protect against f\u00e9in-ionchoiri\u00fa<\/strong>, etc.\u00a0 That\u2019s \u201can C\u00faigi\u00fa Leas\u00fa ar Bhunreacht na St\u00e1t Aontaithe<\/strong>,\u201d if we can momentarily consider the Amendments in Irish.\u00a0 Needless to say, this is completely different from \u201can C\u00faigi\u00fa Leas\u00fa ar Bhunreacht na h\u00c9ireann\u201d (<\/strong>the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland), which deals with the role of an Eaglais<\/strong> (the Church).<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s \u201cfifth\u201d is the long-awaited discussion of the last of the five declensions in Irish.\u00a0 .\u00a0 Or should I call it the \u201cerstwhile fifth declension\u201d the term is no longer much used in discussing Irish grammar.<\/p>\n

Why \u201cgaolta<\/strong>\u201d (relationships), other than to catch your eye?<\/p>\n

Three nice examples of the fifth declension all concern relationships with people: athair, m\u00e1thair<\/strong>, and dearth\u00e1ir<\/strong>.\u00a0 We might think that the word for \u201csister\u201d (deirfi\u00far<\/strong>) would also belong here, but no, that one, with its \u201cdeirf\u00e9ar<\/strong>\u201d genitive, is considered irregular, together with other irregulars like \u201cbean<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cleaba<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyway, here are \u201ct\u00e9arma\u00ed an lae<\/strong>\u201d don ch\u00faigi\u00fa d\u00edochlaonadh<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1. athair<\/strong>, a father<\/p>\n

an t-athair<\/strong>, the father.\u00a0 T\u00e1 an t-athair anseo<\/strong>. (The father is here)<\/p>\n

an athar<\/strong>, of the father.\u00a0 In ainm an Athar<\/strong> \u2026 (In the name of the Father \u2026)<\/p>\n

aithreacha<\/strong>, fathers<\/p>\n

na haithreacha<\/strong>, the fathers.\u00a0 T\u00e1 na haithreacha ag fanacht<\/strong>.\u00a0 (The fathers are waiting).<\/p>\n

na n-aithreacha<\/strong>, of the fathers.\u00a0 Sin c\u00f3ta\u00ed na n-aithreacha<\/strong>.\u00a0 (Those are the coats of the fathers).\u00a0 If capitalized, as in a title, the hyphen is dropped: L\u00e1 na nAithreacha<\/strong> (the Day of the Fathers, i.e. Father\u2019s Day, which is singular in English, but, as you can see, plural in Irish; both have the same implication)<\/p>\n

2. m\u00e1thair<\/strong>, mother<\/p>\n

an mh\u00e1thair<\/strong>, the mother<\/p>\n

na m\u00e1thar<\/strong>, of the mother.\u00a0 Sin c\u00f3ta na m\u00e1thar<\/strong>.\u00a0 (That\u2019s the coat of the mother).<\/p>\n

m\u00e1ithreacha<\/strong>, mothers<\/p>\n

na m\u00e1ithreacha<\/strong>, the mothers.\u00a0 T\u00e1 na m\u00e1ithreacha ag fanacht<\/strong>.\u00a0 (The mothers are waiting).<\/p>\n

na m\u00e1ithreacha<\/strong>, of the mothers (no change).\u00a0 L\u00e1 na M\u00e1ithreacha<\/strong> (the Day of the Mothers, Mother\u2019s Day)<\/p>\n

3. dearth\u00e1ir,<\/strong> brother<\/p>\n

an dearth\u00e1ir<\/strong>, the brother.\u00a0 Or, perhaps more topical in general conversation, \u201cmo dhearth\u00e1ir<\/strong>\u201d (my brother), \u201cdo dhearth\u00e1ir<\/strong>\u201d (your brother).<\/p>\n

ainm an dearth\u00e1r<\/strong>, the name of the brother (ainm mo dhearth\u00e1r<\/strong>, my brother\u2019s name, etc.)<\/p>\n

dearth\u00e1ireacha<\/strong>, brothers<\/p>\n

na dearth\u00e1ireacha<\/strong>, the brothers, as in \u201cIs iad Tito agus Ossie na dearth\u00e1ireacha sa scann\u00e1n<\/strong> Into the West<\/em>.<\/p>\n

na ndearth\u00e1ireacha<\/strong>, of the brothers, as in \u201cIs iad Tito agus Ossie ainmneacha na ndearth\u00e1ireacha sa scann\u00e1n<\/strong> Into the West<\/em>\u00a0 (Tito and Ossie are the names of the brothers in the film \u2026).<\/p>\n

For the genitive plural indefinite, the word remains \u201cdearth\u00e1ireacha<\/strong>,\u201d (with no \u201cna<\/strong>\u201d and \u00a0no eclipsis of \u201cd\u201d to \u201cnd\u201d), as in \u201can scata beag againn, an scata beag sona againn, sinne at\u00e1 mar bhanna dearth\u00e1ireacha<\/strong>\u201d.\u00a0 An aithn\u00edonn t\u00fa an sliocht beag sin as litr\u00edocht na Breataine?\u00a0 Leid: De chuid Shakespeare at\u00e1 s\u00e9.\u00a0 M\u2019aistri\u00fach\u00e1n f\u00e9in at\u00e1 ansin; molta\u00ed ag duine ar bith faoi aistri\u00fach\u00e1in eile?\u00a0 Aistri\u00fach\u00e1n an aistri\u00fach\u00e1in (ar ais go B\u00e9arla) th\u00edos.<\/strong><\/p>\n

One can also apply these rules to related words like \u201cseanmh\u00e1thair,<\/strong>\u201d \u00a0\u201csin-seanathair<\/strong>,\u201d and \u201cleasdearth\u00e1ir<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Somewhat similarly, we have br\u00e1thair<\/strong>, a brother (mostly used in the religious sense these days), friar, and less typically today, a kinsman:\u00a0 an br\u00e1thair, an bhr\u00e1thar<\/strong>, na br\u00e1ithre<\/strong>, na mbr\u00e1ithre<\/strong>.\u00a0 The plural of this word (br\u00e1ithre<\/strong>) has evolved away from the added \u201c-ach-\u201c of m\u00e1ithreacha, aithreacha, and dearth\u00e1ireacha.<\/strong> At one time, however, this word had \u201c-ach\u201d as the genitive plural, so the pattern was closer to m\u00e1thair, athair<\/strong>, and dearth\u00e1ir<\/strong>, though without the final \u201c-a.\u201d\u00a0 An example would be \u201ccn\u00e1mha na gc\u00f3mh-bhr\u00e1ithreach<\/strong>\u201d (the bones of the confreres). \u00a0Today, we\u2019d most likely just say \u201c\u2026 na gc\u00f3mh-bhr\u00e1ithre<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few other 5th<\/sup>-declension nouns that we can take up later are \u201cbeoir<\/strong>,\u201d \u201ccathaoir<\/strong>,\u201d and \u201ccathair,<\/strong>\u201d with genitives \u201cbeorach<\/strong>,\u201d \u201ccathaoireach<\/strong>,\u201d and \u201ccathrach<\/strong>,\u201d which establish a sub-pattern with the \u201c \u2013ach\u201d ending.\u00a0 And then there\u2019s \u201ccomharsa<\/strong>\u201d and \u201ccara<\/strong>,\u201d (two more pionna\u00ed rotha<\/strong> in the topic of \u201cgaolta<\/strong>\u201d), with their beautifully distinct patterns.\u00a0\u00a0 Here an \u201c-n,\u201d here a \u201c-d,\u201d everywhere a genitive singular ending!\u00a0 The irregular nouns make na d\u00edochlaonta\u00ed<\/strong> rialta<\/strong> look like child\u2019s play.<\/p>\n

Gluais<\/strong>: bunreacht<\/strong>, constitution; ionchoiri\u00fa, <\/strong>incrimination; leas<\/strong>-, step-; leas\u00fa<\/strong>, amendment (also preservation, currying of a horse, seasoning, and fertilizer, ach na cialla eile sin, sin sc\u00e9al eile<\/strong>); pionna rotha<\/strong>, linchpin; sean<\/strong>-, grand- (lit. \u201cold\u201d)<\/p>\n

Aistri\u00fach\u00e1n:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cWe few, we happy few, we band of brothers\u201d (Henry V<\/em>).\u00a0 One could, of course, also use \u201cbu\u00edon<\/strong>\u201d (band) and\/or \u201cbr\u00e1ithre<\/strong>,\u201d to really use \u201cbrother\u201d in the sense of \u201ccomrade\u201d as opposed to \u201cblood-relative.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn) Fifth declension, that is.\u00a0 So, no, the fifth here is not a c\u00faigi\u00fa as in 4\/5 of a gal\u00fan, traditionally filled with uisce beatha, vodca, rum, or other hard liquor, ar nd\u00f3igh. And it\u2019s not the \u201cFifth\u201d that Americans, at least, might take, demand, or plead, to protect against f\u00e9in-ionchoiri\u00fa, etc.\u00a0 That\u2019s \u201can…<\/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":[460700,4236,4337,283126,460746,229395,32975,460736,32988,278784,7372,411259,411260,460747,273209,6022,273208],"class_list":["post-933","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-irish-language","tag-5th","tag-athair","tag-beoir","tag-brathair","tag-bunreacht","tag-cara","tag-cathair","tag-cathaoir","tag-comharsa","tag-dearthair","tag-declension","tag-gaol","tag-gaolta","tag-leasu","tag-linchpin","tag-mathair","tag-pionna-rotha"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/933","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=933"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/933\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8283,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/933\/revisions\/8283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}