Lesson: say who you are
Is mé Pól Mac Aoidh - English version: I am Pól Mac Aoidh.
This sentence can be given in answer to the
question: 'Cé thusa?' - English version: Who are you?
But this time the predicate is Pól Mac Aoidh. It will
be noticed that the emphatic form 'mise' is not used,
because this time it is the subject of the sentence.
The distinction is made in New Irish Grammar p124.
a. An [tusa] Séamas?(are you James? i.e., the one I am looking for)
b. An tú [Séamas]?(English very loose translation: Is your name James? - or Peter? - or Tom?)
Again the pool of possible predicates is useful
for sentence a. ([mise][tusa][eisean][ise])
for sentence b. ([Pól] [Séamas] [Tomás])
Structure:
1. copula 2. subject 3. predicate.
Examples:
Is mé Tadhg Mag Uidhir - pool:([Séan Mac Aoidh] [Tadhg Ó Néill] [Pól Mac Cana])
Is tú Tomás - pool:([Seán][Tomás] [Tadhg] [Síle])
Note: It is usually only the first and second person pronouns, that are
brought forward like this and used as subjects. And the predicate in these
sentences takes the stress: Is mé [Pól Mac Cana] - stress on Pól Mac Cana.
In contrast, Is [mise] Pól Mac Cana - stress on the emphatic pronoun 'mise'