Book 3:
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Preface
Phonetics

exercise CXXX

§ 749. An fear ḃiḋeas (vee'ăs) ag obair. An fear ḃéiḋeas (vae'-ăs) ag dul go Baile Áṫa Cliaṫ. The man who does be working. The man who will be going to Dublin.

§ 750. These forms, ḃiḋeas and ḃéiḋeas are used in relative sentences instead of biḋeann, does be, and béiḋ, will be. In relative sentences the first consonants of the verb is aspirated, as shown in § 749. Ḃíos is another spelling of ḃiḋeas.

§ 751. In the spoken language a fear a ḃiḋeas, an fear a ḃéideas, are more common; the a being regarded as a relative pronoun, who, which, that. In Munster, these relative forms ending in -as are not generally heard, but an fear a ḃiḋeann, an fear a ḃeiḋ, or even an fear do ḃiḋeann, an fear do ḃeiḋ, are heard. In such phrases the do is wrongly used, from analogy with do in sentences like § 756 below.

§ 752. When relative sentences contain a negative, the particle naċ (NoCH0 is used, causing eclipsis. An fear naċ ḃfuil ag obair, the man who is not working; an duine maċ mbiḋeann (mee'-aN) ag obair, who does not be working; an fear naċ mbéiḋ (mae'-ee) ag obair, who will not be working. In Munster, ná is used, and does no eclipse; as, an fear ná fuil ag obair; an duine ná bíḋeann, ná beiḋ, ag obair.

§ 753. Proverbs

Is binn an beul ḃiḋeas iaḋta. Eloquent is the mouth that is usually closed;
iaḋta (ee'-ă-thă) = dúnta, but is not a common word. Compare donas iaḋta, back door.

Is fearr an cú ḃiḋeas ag siuḃal ioná an cú ḃiḋeas 'na lúib, nó, an cú ḃiḋeas san gcúil (goo'-il). Better is the hound that does be moving, travelling, than the hound that does be coiled up (in his loop) or in the corner.

Deoċ do'n tart naċ dtáinig, a drink for the thirst that has not (yet) come.

Má's maiṫ leat ḃeiṫ buan, ól fuar agus te. If you wish to be long-lived (boo'-ăn) drink cold and hot. This was the advice given to an Irish chief at an English banquet. He understood it as a warning, te, hot, and teiċ, flee, runn away, being prounounced almost alike.

§ 754. Translate into English

Is fearr dóiḃ an áit atáfolláin, ioná an áit maċ ḃfuil folláin. Ní ḃiḋeann aiṫne ar an ḃear naċ ḃfuil saiḋḃir. Ní maiṫ léiṫi bróg naċ mbiḋeann deas. Ar b'ḟearr leat (would you prefer) an ṁin atá ins an mála 'ná an t-uḃall atá ṡuas ar an gcrann? B'fearr liom an ṁin, aċt b'ḟearr liom an t-uḃall 'ná an t-ocras. Ní linn an ċaṫaoir atá ar an urlár. Biḋeaḋ (let it be) an t-airgead ag an ḃfear ḃéiḋeas ar an aonaċ i mbáraċ. Is liom-sa an teaċ mór sin ar an gcnoc. An é an teaċ atá ag an dún, nó an teaċ beag atá ṡuas ag an tobar?

§ 755. When there is a negative in the relative sentence, naċ mbiḋeann, naċ mbéiḋ are used.

• Who owns the lamb that was at the fair yesterday?
• Did you hear the price that was asked for that lamb?
• What price will you be asking for the horse (cia an luaċ ḃéiḋeas agat air)?
• The man who will be with me going, he will not be with me coming home.
• Are not you the man that was standing on the road when I was coming home last night? I am not, that is he.
• Would you prefer the little apple that is growin gon the tree, or the applie that you got in the shop?
• You ought not to go out yet, it is raining.
• It was not right for Jamesand John to come here today. It were better for them to be at home.

note that
phonetic
symbols
are not
necessarily pronounced
as in English

See § 13-16