Lesson: how to use an identifying phrase (2) 3rd person
Predicate in square brackets, throughout.
a. Is é [Pól] an fear mór. - pool([Seán] [Tadhg] [Liam])
b. Is é Pól [an fear mór]. - pool([fear beag] [fear mór] [fear ramhar])
The first pronoun is a bit of a puzzle, and confusion can arise as to whether it is part of the subject
or the predicate.
Graiméar Gaeilge na mBráithre Críostaí gives the following explanation. P 209
Ní féidir an t-alt ná ainmfhocal a chur go díreach ar lorg na copaile in abairt ionannais. Chun
é sin a sheachaint is iondúil forainm pearsanta oiriúnach ar a dtugtar an fhofhaisnéis a chur
ar lorg na copaile. (Neither the article(an/na) nor any noun can be placed directly after the copula
in an indentification sentence. To avoid that it is usual to put in an appropriate personal pronoun,
which is called a subpredicate.)
So in sentence a. above 'é' is a subpredicate, and it is in appossition to the actual predicate 'Pól'.
And in sentence b. above 'é' is a subpredicate, and it is in appossition to the actual predicate 'an fear mór'.
It will be seen that the pronoun agrees with the predicate in gender and number.
We can use curly brackets to mark the subpredicate:
a. Is {é} [Pól] an fear mór.
b. Is {é} Pól [an fear mór].
Note: The predicate will always take the stress.
From this pattern, we should be able to build similar sentences:-
1. Is {í} [Síle] an duine beag.
2. Is {é} Síle [an duine beag].
New Irish Grammar(P 124) gives these examples in question form:-
i. An {é} [an teach bán] an leabharlann? -> Is {é} [an teach bán] an leabharlann.
- pool([an teach dearg][an teach buí] [an teach bán])
The answer makes it clear what the predicate is: Ní he ach an teach dearg.
ii. An {í} [an Leabharlann] an teach bán? -> Is {í} [an leabharlann] an teach bán.
- pool([an scoil] [an halla mór] [an amharclann])
Again the answer makes it clear what the predicate is: Ní {í}, ach an scoil.