Book 3:
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Preface
Phonetics

Exercise CXX

§ 687. The infinitive "to be" is translated into Irish by beiṫ (beh, like be in best). In modern Irish the b is always aspirated, ḃeiṫ (veh, like ve in vest) an the particle a is almost always placed before it, wrongly. Is fearr liom ḃeiṫ láidir ioná ḃeiṫ lag, I prefer to be strong rather than to be weak; b'ḟearr liom ḃeiṫ in Eirinn ioná in Albain, I'd rather be in Erin than in Scotland. In sentences of this last sort ḃeiṫ is often omitted; as, is fearr liom sa mbaile ná as baile, I rather (be) at home than from home.

§ 688. For the future of the verb "to be" in addition to the colloquial forms béidh mé, béidh tú, etc, we have the older and better forms—

Instead of béiḋ, we find in older Irish biaiḋ. In Munster, béiḋ is often pronounced beig, and the synthetic forms are used, as given in this paragraph. The é is very often pronounced short; as, bedh, ber, bei; plural bemid, be-hee, bed.

§ 689. When two persons or things are compared and one is said to be AS (big, old, etc) AS the other, the two words AS...AS are translated by ċoṁ...le ċoṁ (pronounced CHō with a nasal sound); it is often softened to (hō). In parts of Munster pron. (CHoon). Ċoṁ le súiṫċe; (sooh-yĕ) as bitter as soot; (chael, Conn. dheel) as black ċoṁ duḃ le súiṫċe; ċoṁ duḃ le daolas a chafer, or beetle. Ċoṁ gael leis an easla, as white as the swan; ḋoṁ milis le mil, as sweet as honey.

§ 690. Translate into English

• Ní'lim chomh sean leat-sa, agus ní'lir chomh sean lem' athair.
• Atáid óg fós, acht béidhid chomh mór le Fionn Mac Cumhaill.
• An mbéiḋir (mae'-ir) ar an aonaċ?
• Atá Eudhmonn agus mé féin ag dul a bhaile anois, acht béidhmid ar an aonach.
• Do bhí an duine beag chomh h-árd leis an bhfueir, agus do bhí a cheann chomh mór le h-ubhall; do bhí cóta beag deas air.
• An maith leat bheith ins an mbád so? Ní maith, b'fhearr liom bheith ins an mbád mór úd.
• Ní'l Donnchadh chomh h-árd lé Seumas.
• Feuch an daol dubh ar an urlár!
• Ní h-aoibhinn dó, atá bean an tighe ag teacht agus uisge te aici.
• Ní bidheann an oidhche chomh fada leis an lá, ins an samhradh.
• Is fearr leis an ḃfiaḋ (vee-ă) ḃeiṫ astiġ ins an gcoill (Gel) aċt b'ḟearr dó ḃeiṫ amuiġ ar an sliaḃ.

§ 691. Translate into Irish

• Patrick was not as strong as Finn.
• Did you know patrick? I knew him when he was young, but now he is as old as myself.
• THe day is not as cold as the night.
• The night is as warm as the day in that country.
• I'd rather be young than old.
• The Boyne is not as wide as the Liffey; and the Lee is not as wide as the SHannon.
• Will they be with us?
• The horse that we have is theirs.
• Was the ship as large as the big boat? Yes.
• As sweet as music.
• There is no place as good as (the) home (an baile)

note that
phonetic
symbols
are not
necessarily pronounced
as in English

See § 13-16