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Exercise CXVIII
§ 670. Instead of ḃí mé, ḃí tú, etc, ths older and more proper forms are—
| do ḃiḋeas | dhu-vee'-ăs | I was |
| do ḃiḋis | dhŭ vee'-ish | thou wast |
| do ḃí (sé, sí) | dhŭ vee | (he, she, it) was |
| do ḃiḋeamar | dhŭ vee'-ă-măr | we were |
| do ḃiḋeaḃar | dhŭ vee'-ă-wăr | ye were |
| do ḃiḋeadar | dhŭ vee'-ădhăr | they were |
§ 671. And in the same way, instead of ní raibh mé, etc—
| an, ní, naċ, go | raḃas | rou'-ăs |
| raḃais | rou'-ish | |
| raiḃ (sé, sí) | rev | |
| raḃamar | rou'-ă-măr | |
| raḃaḃar | rou'-ă-wăr | |
| raḃadar | rou'-ă-dhăr |
§ 672. These forms are still used by the best speakers of Irish, especialy in answers to questions; as, an raḃais ar an aonaċ? Do ḃiḋeas. Where you at the fiar? I was. An raiḃ Art agus Cormac leat? Ní raḃadar. Were Art and Cormac with you? They were not.
§ 673. Strictly speaking, the perfect t4ense of every verb should be preceded by do— in fact, it is this do which causes apsiration of the first consonant of the verb. Thus, the ordinary bí sé is only the short form of the correct do ḃí sé. The use of do, and of the forms ḃiḋeas, ḃiḋeamar, etc, is much more common in Munster than elsewhere.
§ 674. The particle do is never used, however, when the verb is preceded by a negative (ní), interrogative (an, naċ) or other particle. Thus, an raiḃ, not an do raiḃ.
§ 675. The word eaḋ (ah) it. Naċ breaġ an lá é? Is eaḋ, go deiṁin. Is it not a fine day? It is so, indeed. (Is eaḋ is always pronounced ish-ah, shortened to shah). An Sagranaċ é? Ní h-eaḋ (hah). Is he an Englishman? He is not so. This neuter pronoun is never used except after the verb is. (see § 657.)
When is in the principal sentence is (or would be) followed by a pronoun, eaḋ cannot be used in reply., but the pronoun of the principal sentence must be repeated. as, Naċ é Cormac an rí? Ní h-é (not ní h-eaḋ) Is not C. the king? No. An iad na páisdí atá tinn? Ní h-iad. Is it the children that are sick? No.
note that
phonetic
symbols
are not
necessarily pronounced
as in English