Book 3:
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Preface
Phonetics

Exercise CXXVII

§ 730. Muna is the particle used in conditional sentences containing a negative. Muna = if not, unless, causes ECLIPSIS. In the S.L. it is usually pronounced mara (mor'-ă), or mur. Muna ḃfuil tart ort ná h-ól an bainne sin, if you are not thirsty, do not drink that milk. Ní raiḃ sé aċt ;na ṗáisde óg an t-am sin, agus muna raiḃ féin, do ḃí ciall aige, he was only a young child that time and even so he had sense. Muna mbéiḋeaḋ sé tinn, do ḃéiḋeaḋ sé annso. If he were not sick (only he is sick) he would be here.

§ 731. The phrase muna mbéiḋeaḋ (mun'-ă mae'-ăCH) is often used = only for; as, Muna mbéiḋeaḋ Euḋmonn, do ḃéiḋinn marḃ anois, only for Edmund (literally, if it were not for Edmund) I should be dead now. Used in this sense, the phrase is in some places contracted to meireaċ.

§ 732. Muna mbéiḋeah an aimsir ḟliuċ do ḃéiḋinn ag dul go Gailliṁ indiu, aċt ní ḃéiḋ an bóṫar tirim indiu nó i mbáraċ. Is maiṫ ḋuit atá capall láidir agat, agus is cuma ḋuit bóṫar tirim nó bóṫar fliuċ. Ċuaíḋ an Láir ḃeag ḋuḃ isteaċ ins an ?poll mór, agus muna mbéiḋeaḋ Seaġan óg, do ḃéiḋead sí marḃ. Ní ḃídís annso, aċt do ḃídís 'na gcoṁnuiḋe míle ó'n áit so. Ní'l eagla ná náire orra; dá mbéiḋeaḋ, ní ḃéidís annso indiu.

§ 733. Only for the heavy rain the grass would be dry. Only for the moon (fem.) the night would be dark. The night was not very bright and still I found my way home. I don't know where they are, if htey are not up on the mountain. If he is not standing, he is sitting or lying down. If he is not asleep, he is awake. It is a long road, and I should have been hungry if I had not bread in my pocket; only for that bread I should not be here tonight, but I should be here tomorrow.

note that
phonetic
symbols
are not
necessarily pronounced
as in English

See § 13-16