-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
/
Copy pathsatz2.htm
633 lines (554 loc) · 31.5 KB
/
satz2.htm
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<link href="stíl.css" rel="stylesheet">
<link rel="icon" href="favicon.ico">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="Author" content="Lars Bräsicke">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="me fein">
<title>Sentences and Syntax</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFCC99" link="#0000EE" vlink="#551A8B" alink="#FF0000" background="bg524f.jpg">
<table width="100%" bgcolor="#FFCC99">
<tr>
<td>
<h1>
<span class="red">Caibidil a Trí Déag: </span></h1>
<h1>
<i id="oben" class="red">Sentences and Syntax (Abairt agus Comhréir)</i></h1>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr width="100%">
<table width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<colgroup><col width="50%"><col width="50%"></colgroup>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><b class="red">the sentence </b>
<br>
<a href="#wortfolge">word order </a>
<br>
<a href="#praed">predicate</a>
<br>
<a href="#sub">subject</a>
<br>
<a href="#logsub">grammatical and logical subject </a>
<br>
<a href="#sublos">grammtical subjectlessness </a>
<br>
<a href="#obj">object</a>
<br>
<a href="#der einfache Satz">simple affirmative sentence </a>
<br>
<a href="#verneinung">negative clause </a>
<br>
<a href="#leathdhiultach">semi-negative clause </a></td>
<td valign="top"> <a href="#Die Entscheidugsfrage">simple query </a>
<br>
<a href="#ergaenzung">full queries </a>
<br>
<a href="#disjunkt">double question </a>
<br>
<a href="#Antwort">answers</a>
<br>
<br>
<b class="red">subordinating clauses with go/nach</b>
<br>
<a href="#go/nach">go/nach</a>-joined clauses </td>
</tr>
</table>
<h2><b class="red">The Sentence (an abairt)</b></h2>
<h2 id="wortfolge"><i class="lightgreen">Word Order (ord na bhfocal)</i></h2>
<table border bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr>
<td><b>predicate - <span class="blue">subject</span>
- <span class="lilac">object</span> (PSO)</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
Irish is part of the "PSO" language group, and is thus differentiated from most of the other Indo-European languages such as German or English (where the prevailing word order is subject - predicate - object: SPO). Among all Insular Celtic languages, however, the PSO word order is usual.<br>
This principle word order is rigid and can only be altered by means of special constructions (see: <a href="satz5.htm">alterations in the word order in a sentence </a>).
<br>
An alteration in the word order does not usually occur for syntatic reasons, and thus even in interrogative and negative sentences the same word order persists and the sentence is merely introduced by a verbal particle or conjunction (verbal particle - predicate - subject - object)
<h4 id="praed"><span class="lightgreen">the predicate (an fhaisnéis)</span></h4>
<p>The predicate is the "statement"of the sentence, mostly an "action". An action is expressed by a verb (<i><b>"predicate verb"</b></i>) <br>
The statement of a sentence can also be a classification ("Paul is a teacher ") or an identification ("Paul is the teacher "). In these cases, a noun is the predicate (<b><i>predicate noun </i></b>). Subject and predicate noun are then connected via the <a href="kopul1.htm">copula</a>. It is, in this sense, a "<b><i>non-predicate verb</i></b>", itself being <i>not</i> the predicate but the introductory particle.
<br>
Through this, there is a slightly altered word order in the copular clause, which basically follows "PSO": (copula-predicate-subject)
<p>The statement of the sentence can also consist of attributing a quality ("Paul is young "). In this case, an adjective is the predicate (<b><i>predicate adjective</i></b>). The coupling of subject and <a href="adjekt4.htm#Prädikat">predicative adjectives</a> follows mostly with the verb <a href="bi.htm">bí</a>. Bí is in itself actually a predicate verb and forms, with the adjective, a <b><i>predicate framework </i></b> with the subject in the middle. (e.g. <i>Tá Pól óg = Paul is young.</i>).
<br>
Occasionally, the copula may link a subject and predicate adjective (e.g. <i>Is deas é Pól = Paul is nice.</i>)
<h4 id="sub"><span class="lightgreen">the subject (an t-ainmní)</span></h4>
<p>The subject is the "agent" of the sentence. The subject of a sentence is for the most part a noun or a pronoun in the nominative.
<br>
In the case of synthetic verb forms, the subject is already contained in it.(e.g. <i>bhíomar = we were, táim = I am </i>).
<br>
It can (e.g. in copular clauses) also be an infinitive construct or a subordinating clause.
<br>
In passive sentences, then it is the one "suffering" the action and not the agent as the subject. ["passive" from Latin patior, pati, passus sum = to suffer, to undergo]
<h4 id="logsub"><span class="lightgreen">grammatical and logical subject</span></h4>
<p>In Irish there are a number of idiomatic expressions, in which subject of the corresponding English sentence is not the <b>grammatical subject</b>, but a <b>logical subject</b> in the form of a prepositional phrase (here <b><i>bold</i></b>). e.g.:
<ul>
<li><i>Is maith <b>liom</b> é = I like it </i> (lit.: "is good with-me it ")</li>
<li><i>Tá teach <b>agam</b> = I have a house.</i> (lit.: "is house at-me")</li>
<li><i>Bhí ocras <b>orm</b> = I was hungry </i> (lit.: "was hunger on-me")</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="sublos"><span class="lightgreen">grammatical subjectlessness </span></h4>
<p><font size="-1">
Caution: This bit becomes more complicated, advanced learners only! :-)
</font>
<p>By some, very few verbs, there is always grammatical complete <b>subjectlessness</b>. In Irish, this doesn't appear as disturbing as it seems.
<br>
In most cases, a <i>logical subject</i> appears with a preposition.
<br>
Because the prepositions used mostly are in the dative, the term <b>dative of the agent (an tabharthach gníomhach)</b> seems appropriate.
<br>
(Latin. <b>"dativus auctoris"</b>). The "dative of the agent " is in bold. e.g.:
<ul>
<li><i>Is as Dóire <b>dom</b> = I am from Derry.</i> (lit.: "Is out of Derry to-me")</li>
<li><i>Chuaigh air <b>aici</b> = She defeated him </i> (lit. "went on-him at-her")</li>
<li><i>Theip / chinn <b>orm</b> é a dhéanamh = I failed to do it.</i> (lit.: "failed on-me it to do ")</li>
<li><i>D'éirigh <b>liom</b> é a dhéanamh = I managed to do it.</i> (lit.: "rose with-me it to do ")</li>
<li><i>Bhris <b>ar an bhfoighne</b> agam = My patience ran out.</i> (lit.: "broke on the patience at-me")</li>
<li><i>Mhéadaigh <b>ar mo mhisneach</b> = My courage increased.</i> (lit.: "increased on my courage ")</li>
</ul>
<p>These constructions are also possible in the perfect (with the verbal adjective of the verb) e.g.
<ul>
<li><i>Tá teipthe <b>orm</b> = I have failed </i></li>
</ul>
<p>Aside from such rather idiomatic phrases, the dative of agent appears above all regularly in <a href="verbnom1.htm#gleichzeit">Expressions of precedence/consequence/concurrence</a> with the verbal noun, which is always used with the preposition <a href="do.htm">do</a>. e.g.:
<ul><li>le linn gloine a ól <b>dom</b> = <i>while I drink a glass</i> (lit.: "with the span a glass to drinking to-me") </li>
<li>tar éis sin a chloisteáil <b>dó</b> = <i>after he heard that</i> (lit.: "beyond the trail that to hearing to-him")</li>
</ul>
<p>In perfect or passive sentences with the <a href="verbadj.htm">verbal adjective</a> a grammatical subject can likewise be missing, if a transitive verb introduces its object with a preposition even in the active voice (e.g. <em>"beir ar rud" = catch something"</em>). Preposition + object then forms the logical subject in the passive voice (see the first example.)
<p>Additionally, the agent can here be expressed with ag, in the perfect the logical subject is thus ag + agent (see the second example):
<ul>
<li><i>Tá beirthe <b>ort</b> = You've been caught </i> (lit.: "is borne on-you") <i>instead of</i> present active: <i>Beirim ort = I catch you.</i> (lit.: "bear-I on-you")</li>
<li><i>Tá beirthe <b>agam ort</b> = I have caught you, you have been caught by me </i> (lit.: "is borne at-me on-you")
</ul>
<p>A subject also basically does not appear in sentences with the <a href="verb1.htm#saorbhriathar">autonomous verb form</a> (<i>Saorbhriathar</i>). Whereas the English translation may use "one" or "they" in a general, impersonal sense, there is no subject word in Irish separate from the saorbhriathar, e.g..: <i>Déantar é = (Some)one does it.</i>
<br>
<a href="#Antwort">Short answers</a> (expressed in English with "yes/no") are also mostly subjectless, e.g.: <i>An ólann sé? - Ólann. = Does he drink? - Yes.</i>
<h4 id="obj"><span class="lightgreen">the object (an cuspóir)</span></h4>
<ul>
<li>The <b>direct</b> (accusative-) object is the object of the action. It is for the most part a noun or pronoun, it can also be an infinitive construction or a subordinate clause.</li>
<li>The <b>indirect</b> (dative-) object appears in Irish only with prepositions.</li>
<li><b>genitive</b> objects can only be taken by the verbal noun; it is in that case the direct object. The genitive also appears as the indirect object of compound prepositions. </li>
</ul>
<p>In English and Irish the subject and the object do not always correspond.<br>
e.g.: <i>Tá teach agam = I have a house </i> etc.
<br>
(teach is the grammatical subject in Irish but house is the object in English)
<h2 id="der einfache Satz"><i class="lightgreen">The Simple Affirmative Sentence (an abairt dhearfach shimplí)</i></h2>
<p>In Irish, in non-copula sentences, <b>the (predicative) Verb come first, then the subject, then the object (VSO)</b>
<br>
<table width="750" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<h4> <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object</b></h4>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="20%"><b>Irish:</b></td>
<td width="80%"><b>Feiceann <span class="blue">tú</span> <span class="lilac">an fear</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50"><b>English:</b></td>
<td><b><span class="blue">You</span> see <span class="lilac">the man </span></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><b>Further sentence additions </b> follow:
<br>
<table width="750" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" nowrap bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<h4> <b>verb</b>
+ <b><span class="blue">subject</span>
+ <span class="lilac">dir. object</span>
+ <span class="tangerine">indir. object</span>
+ <span class="pink">local modifier </span>
+ <span class="lightgreen">modal modifier </span>
+ <span class="darkgrey">temporal modifier </span></b></h4>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="20%"><b>Irish:</b></td>
<td width="80%"><b>Scríobh <span class="blue">sé</span> <span class="lilac">litir</span> <span class="tangerine">don chailín</span> <span class="pink">anseo</span> <span class="lightgreen">go cúramach</span> <span class="darkgrey">aréir</span>. </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50"><b>English:</b></td>
<td><b><span class="blue">He</span> wrote <span class="lilac">a letter</span><span class="tangerine"> to the girl </span> <span class="lightgreen">carefully</span><span class="pink"> here</span> <span class="darkgrey">last night</span>.</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><b>Direct pronominal objects</b> (in the form of simple <a href="person.htm">personal pronouns</a>) principally fall at the <i>end</i> of the sentence:
<br>
<table width="750" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" nowrap bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<h4> <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="tangerine">indir. object</b>
+ etc.
+ <b class="lilac">dir. pronominal object</b></h4>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="20%"><b>Irish: </b></td>
<td width="80%"><b>Scríobh <span class="blue">sé</span> <span class="tangerine">don chailin</span> <span class="lilac">é</span> </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50"><b>English:</b></td>
<td><b><span class="blue">He</span> wrote <span class="lilac">it</span> <span class="tangerine">to the girl </span>.</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>The pronoun cannot be placed before essential sentence elements. These elements are the verb, the subject, and the direct/indirect object. It must be placed after all of these sentence elements. One cannot, for example, have. <i>*Scríobh sé</i> <b>é</b> <i>don chailín.</i>
<p>If, however, more sentence elements appear (e.g. more adverbial modifiers, etc.) which are not essential for sentence coherence, the pronoun can appear before such a modifier (e.g. <i>Thug sé don fhear</i> <b>é</b> <i>anseo</i>).
<br>
Should
<i>more</i> sentence additions appear, the pronoun can optionally appear before or after any one of those elements:
<p><table width="100%"><tr>
<td nowrap> <i>Thug sé don fhear</i> <b>é</b> <i>anseo aréir.</i>
<br> <i>Thug sé don fhear anseo</i> <b>é</b> <i> aréir.</i>
<br> <i>Thug sé don fhear anseo aréir</i> <b>é</b>.</td>
<td nowrap> <i>He gave </i><b>it</b><i> to the man here last night</i></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><b>Indirect objects</b> are sometimes placed <i>between</i> subject and direct object, particularly in:
<ul>
<li>prepositional and adverbial phrases which are linked to the verb: (e.g. <i>tabhair do = give, cuir ar = put on </i>)
<br>
e.g.: <i>Thug sé <b>dom</b> an litir = He gave <strong>me</strong> the letter</i>
<br>
oder: <i>Chuir sí <b>uirthi</b> a cóta = She put her coat on </i>(lit. "Put she <strong>on-her</strong> her coat")</li>
<li>Always in imperative sentences:
<br>
e.g. <i>Scríobh <b>dom</b> litir! = Write <strong>me</strong> a letter!</i>
<br>
(but not in normal indicative sentences:
<br>
e.g. <i>Scríobh sé litir <b>dom</b> = He wrote <strong>me</strong> a letter</i>)</li>
</ul>
<table width="750" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" nowrap bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<h4>
<b>verb</b>
+ <b><span class="blue">subject</span>
+ <span class="tangerine">indir. object</span>
+ <span class="lilac">dir. object</span></b></h4>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="20%"><b>Irish: </b></td>
<td width="80%"><b>Thug <span class="blue">sé</span> <span class="tangerine">duit</span> <span class="lilac">an litir seo </span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50"><b>Deutsch: </b></td>
<td><b><span class="blue">He</span> gave <span class="tangerine">you</span> <span class="lilac">this letter</span></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
In cases where the indirect object is <b><i>not</i></b> eng closely linked with the verb and is <em><strong>not</strong></em> concerned with an imperative, it takes its usual place in the sentence structure.
If the indirect object appears in the form of simple prepositional pronoun, even it falls (like a pronominal direct object) at the end of the sentence:
<br>
e.g.: <i>Scríobh sé litir <b>dom</b> = He wrote <strong>me</strong> a letter.</i>
<br>
A direct pronominal object however still stands after it:
<br>
e.g.: <i>Scríobh sé <b>dom</b> é = He wrote it <strong>to me</strong>.</i>
<h2 id="verneinung"><i class="lightgreen">The Negative Clause (an abairt dhiúltach)</i></h2>
<p>The <a href="part.htm">verbal-particle</a> <b class="red">ní</b> / <b class="red">níor</b> is simply placed at the beginning of the sentence. In the <b>imperative, </b> the negating particle <b class="red">ná</b> appears.
<br>
<table width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr>
<td nowrap>present tense:</td>
<td nowrap><b class="red">Ní</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object</b></td>
<td nowrap>Ní fheiceann tú an fear = You do not see the man.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap>simple past : </td>
<td nowrap><b class="red">Níor</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b><span class="lilac">object</span> </b></td>
<td nowrap>Níor ól mé fuisce = I didn't drink whiskey.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap>imperative: </td>
<td nowrap><b class="red">Ná</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b><span class="lilac">object</span> </b></td>
<td nowrap>Ná hól fuisce! = Don't drink whiskey!</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><b class="red">ní</b> / <b class="red">níor</b> require lenition, after <b class="red">ná</b> there is no lenition, but h is prefixed to a vowel.
<p>In Donegal <b class="red">cha</b> / <b class="red">char</b> is sometimes used instead of <i>ní / níor</i> <b><span class="red"></span></b>(see <a href="part.htm#neg">verbal particles</a>)
<br>
<h2 id="leathdhiultach"><b><i class="lightgreen">The Semi-Negative Clause (an abairt leathdhiúltach)</i></b></h2>
<p>In Irish there is no word for <b><i>"only"</i></b>.
<br>
Instead of this, the sentence is <b><i>negated</i></b>, and <b><i>ach = but </i></b> stands at the end of the sentence followed by the sentence element that "only" is meant to go with (subject, object, etc.). In English it is thus "It is not but..." instead of "It is only..."
Hence the confusing designation "semi-negative." <br>
e.g.:
<blockquote><i><b>Níl</b> ann <b>ach</b> mé = Only I am here </i> (lit.: "not-is in-it, but me ")
<br>
<i><b>Ní</b> raibh mé in Éirinn <b>ach</b> uair amháin = I was only in Ireland once </i> (lit.: "not was I in Ireland but time alone ")
<br>
<i><b>Ní</b> raibh mé <b>ach</b> ag gáire = I was only laughing </i> (lit.: "not was I but at laughing ")</blockquote>
<br>
Not only after negatives, but also after certain interrogatives <i>ach</i> can mean "only":
<br>
e.g.:
<blockquote><i>An ndéanann tú bróga nó <b>an</b> ndéanann tú <b>ach</b> a ndeisiú? = Are you making shoes are you only mending them?</i> <br>(lit.: "IP make you shoes or IP make you but their mending?")</blockquote>
<p><br>
<h2 id="Die Entscheidugsfrage"><i class="lightgreen">The Simple Query (an cheist chinntitheach)</i></h2>
<p>Yes-no questions require a <a href="part.htm">verbal-particle</a>, which again is simply placed at the front of the sentence. No change in word order (as in English) takes place.<br>
<table width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr>
<td rowspan="2">present tense</td>
<td>affirmative:</td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> An</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object</b></td>
<td nowrap>An ólann tú fuisce? = Do you drink whiskey?</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>negative</td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> Nach</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object</b></td>
<td nowrap>Nach n-ólann tú fuisce? = Don't you drink whiskey?</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2">simple past </td>
<td>affirmative: </td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> Ar </b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object</b></td>
<td nowrap>Ar ól tú fuisce? = Did you drink whiskey?</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>negative</td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> Nár </b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object</b></td>
<td nowrap>Nár ól tú fuisce? = Didn't you drink whiskey?</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><b class="red">An</b> / <b class="red">nach</b> require eclipsis, <b><span class="red">ar</span> / <span class="red">nár</span></b> require lenition
<p>In Munster, <b class="red">ná</b> is used instead of <i>nach</i>. There is no lenition ná or eclipsis, but h prefixes a vowel.<br>
e.g.: <i>Ná hólir fuisce? = Don't you drink whiskey? </i> (see <a href="part.htm#neg">verbal particles</a>)
<p>In casual colloquial speech the interrogative particle is occasionally omitted, but the eclipsis however remains: (e.g.: <em>Bhfuil tú cinnte? = Are you sure?</em>) <br>
<h2 id="ergaenzung"><i class="lightgreen">The Full Query (an cheist líonta)</i></h2>
<p>Full questions contain an <a href="sonstig.htm#Fragewörter">interrogative</a> (<i>who, what, how, where, why, with what, wherefore </i>, etc.).
<br>
A question word, however, cannot simply be placed in front of a verb, because the P-S-O world order must be preserved. In accordance with the PSO rule, it would have to stand after the verb when the interrogative pronoun is the subject or the object of the sentence.
This does not occur, however (incorrect: *Rinne cé é? = Who did it?). <br>The question word in Irish stands <strong>always at the beginning of the sentence</strong>.
<br>
In order to get around the PSO rule, then, the interrogative sentence is divided <em>into two subsets</em>:
<ol>
<li>First, the <strong>question word</strong> stands in the form of a small <strong>copula clause</strong>. This copula clause consists only of the question word, the copula remain invisible and/or is understood as part of the question word <em>(cé = who (is it)</em></li>
<li>The rest of the question follows as a (direct/indirect) <strong>relative clause</strong>. This relative clause is the formal subject of the preceding copula clause.</li>
</ol>
<p><table bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr><td><b><span class="red">interrogative</span> + relative clause</b> </td>
<td> (<i>Cé a rinne é? = Who did it? </i>) lit.: "Who is it that did it?")</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>The interrogatives <i><b>cé = who, cad = what, céard = what, conas = how </b></i> require a <a href="satz4.htm#Direkter%20Relativsatz">direct relative clause</a>.
<br>
The interrogatives <i><b>cá = where, cén fath = why, cén chaoi = how </b></i>, as well as the combinations with prepositional pronouns <i><b>cé/cad leis = with what, cé/cad air = on what </b></i>, etc. require an <a href="satz4.htm#Indirekter%20Relativsatz">indirect relative clause</a></p>
<p><b>examples:</b></p>
<p><table width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<tr><td nowrap><b>statement</b></td>
<td nowrap><b>question</b></td>
<td nowrap><b>literally</b></td></tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap><i>Rinne sé é sin. = He did that.</i></td>
<td nowrap><i><b>Cé a</b> rinne é sin? = Who did that?</i></td>
<td><i>"Who(-is-it), that did it that?"</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap><i>Rinne sé é sin. = He did that.</i></td>
<td><i><b>Cad a</b> rinne sé? = What did he do?</i></td>
<td><i>"What(-is-it), that did he?"</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap><i>Scríobh sé le peann é = He wrote it with a pen. </i></td>
<td nowrap><i><b>Cad leis ar</b> scríobh sé é? = What did he write it with?</i></td>
<td nowrap><i>"What with-it(-is-it), that wrote he it?"</i></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>This construction follows exactly those <a href="satz5.htm">changes in the word order</a> in a statement (and acts as a <i><a href="satz5.htm">cleft construct</a></i>, see there). comp.:
<br>
<i>Cad a rinne sé? = What did he do?</i> (lit.: "(is it) what, that did he?")
<br>
<i>(Is é) sin a rinne sé. = He did that.</i> (lit.: "(is it) that, that did he.") </p>
<p>Questions with 2 interrogatives like "Who did what?" are not possible in Irish.
<p><br>
<h2 id="disjunkt"><i class="lightgreen">The Double Question (an cheist deighilteach)</i></h2>
<p>Also called a "disjunctive" question.These questions already contain a choice of answers:
<ul>
<li><b>cé acu ... nó</b> = what ... or: (with a direct relative clause):
<br>
<i>Cé acu is fearr leat, tae nó caife? = What do you prefer, tea or coffee?</i></li>
<li><b>an ... nó</b>
<br>
<i>An fearr leat tae nó caife? = Do you prefer tea or coffee?</i>
<br>
<i>An ólann tú tae nó caife? = Do you drink tea or coffee?</i>
<br>
<i>An tae nó caife a ólann(s) tú? = Do you drink tea or coffee?</i></li>
</ul>
<p><br>
<h2 id="Antwort"><b><i class="lightgreen">The Answer (an freagra)</i></b></h2>
<p>One answers a complete question with a complete sentence or with just one word, as in English:<br>
<em>Cé a rinne sin? - Pól (a rinne sin). = Who did it? - Paul (did it)).</em></p>
<h3><span class="red">yes and no (sea agus ní hea)</span></h3>
<p>A simple question would be answered in English with either <b><i>yes </i>or <i>no</i></b>.
<br>
In Irish there is simply <b>no yes or no </b>!
<p>Instead, the repetition of the <b class="red">predicate</b> takes the place of the answer.
<br>
Thus the
<b>verb form</b> <i>without</i> a subject or an object. In negation, the negative particle is also used.
<blockquote><i>An ólann sé bainne? - Ólann. = Does he drink milk? - Yes.</i> (lit.: "drinks")
<br>
<i>An ólann sé fuisce? - Ní ólann. = Does he drink whiskey? - No.</i> (lit.: "does not drink ")<br>
<em>An bhfaca sí mé? - Chonaic. = Did she see me? - Yes. </em>(lit.: "Saw")<br>
<em>An bhfaca tú an cailín? - Ní fhaca. = Did you see the girl? - No.</em> (lit.: "Did not see")</blockquote>
A subject appears as part of a <a href="verb1.htm#synthetisch/analytisch">synthetic</a> verb form: e.g.: <em>ní ólaim = no</em> (lit.: "not drink-I").
<blockquote><i>Nach n-ólann tú fuisce? - Ní ólaim. = Don't you drink whiskey? - No.</i> (lit.: "not drink-I")
<br>
<i>Nach n-ólann sibh bainne? - Ólaimid. = Don't you drink milk? - Yes.</i> (lit.: "drink-we")</blockquote>
In Ulster and Connacht, otherwise uncommon synthetic forms appear in short answers (so-called <a href="echo.htm">Echo forms</a>)
<br>
e.g.: <i>ólfad = yes </i>(lit.: "drink-will-I") instead of <i>ólfaidh = yes </i>(lit. "drink-will"):
<blockquote><i>Nár ól tú fuisce? - Níor ólas. = Didn't you drink whiskey? - No.</i> (lit.: "not drank-I")
<br>
<i>An déanfaidh tú sin? - Déanfad. = Will you do that? - Yes.</i> (lit.: "do-will-I")</blockquote>
<p>In the case of <a href="verb1.htm#synthetisch/analytisch">analytic</a> verb forms, the subject is always missing. A subject is used only for emphatic affirmation/denial in the answer, see:
<blockquote><i>An ólann sé fuisce? - Ní ólann = Does he drink whiskey? - No.</i>
<br>
<i>An ólann sé fuisce? - Ní ólann sé ar chor ar bith! = Does he drink whiskey? - No, he doesn't drink whiskey at all!</i></blockquote>
<p>The absence of <i>yes and no </i> has a substantial <b>advantage:</b>
<br>
A question such as "Don't you drink whiskey" answered with "Yes" is ambiguous. (Yes, I don't drink whiskey or Yes, I do not drink whiskey)
<br>In Irish it is clear: <em>Ólaim - I drink</em>, <em>Ní ólaim - I do not drink</em>.
<p><b>note:</b>
<br>
The words
<b class="red">sea</b> (< <b class="red">is ea</b> = "<i>is-it</i>") and <b class="red">ní hea</b> (= "<i>not-is it </i>") can understandably help as a yes/no replacement, but their correct usage is very limited. They are grammatically correct and permitted only as the answer to a <a href="kopul5.htm#antwort">copula</a>-question with an indefinite predicate!<a href="kopul5.htm#antwort"></a>
<blockquote>
<p><i>An dochtúir é Pól? - Sea. = Is Paul a doctor? - Yes.</i><br>
<i>Ólann tú fuisce, an ea? - Ní hea. = You drink whiskey, isn't that so? - No.</i></p>
</blockquote>
<i>Sea</i> and <i>ní hea</i> also serve as replacements for the words "yes" and "no" in general expressions where they do not have the function of the answer to a question:
<br>
e.g.: <i>Sea nó ní hea a rá =to say yes or no</i>(such as <i>"sea agus ní hea"</i> in title of this article)
<p>As a general short answer, a form of the verb <a href="dean.htm">déan</a> = do can be used, independent of the verb of the interrogative clause. With <em>déan</em>, however, the pronoun is repeated in the answer:
<blockquote><i>An ólann tú fuisce? - Déanaim = Do you drink whiskey - Yes.</i> (lit.: "do-I")
<br>
<i>An ólann sé bainne? - Ní dhéanann sé = Does he drink milk? - No.</i> (lit.: "not does he")</blockquote>
<h3><span class="red">supplementing answers </span></h3>
<p>Often one does not want to say only <em>yes</em> and <em>no</em>, but to supplement the answer by corrections, additions, etc. A complete sentence can be used here. In short answers an addition is enough, introduced by:
<ul>
<li><b class="red">agus</b>: with <i>agus = "and"</i> stands with an addition in a positive answer, often corresponding to English by <b>"and also ..." "and ... too"</b>:
<br>
e.g.: <i>An ólann sé fuisce? - Ólann, agus mise = Does he drink whiskey? - Yes, and me too.</i> (lit.: "drinks, and I ")
<br>
<i>An bhfuil cead agam tobac a chaitheamh? - Tá, agus fáilte = May I smoke? - Yes, gladly.</i> (lit.: "is, and welcome ") <em>Tá mé fuar. - Tá, agus mise. = I'm cold. - Yes, me too. </em></li>
<li><b class="red">ná</b>: <i>ná = "neither/nor"</i> stands in negative answers before an addition, corresponding to English <b>"neither ... nor "</b>
<br>
e.g.: <i>An raibh Pól ann? - Ní raibh, ná Seán = Was Paul there? - No, and neither was John.</i> (lit.: "not was, nor John")</li>
<li><b class="red">ach</b>: <i>ach = "but"</i> stands in negative answers before a correction:
<br>
<i>An dochtúir é? - Ní hea, ach múinteoir. = Is he a doctor? - No, a teacher.</i> (lit.: "not-is it, but teacher ")</li>
</ul>
<p><br>
<hr width="100%">
<h2 id="go/nach"><span class="red">The go/nach-joined clause (an clásal ráiteasach)</span></h2>
<p>This is equivalent to the subordinating clauses with <span class="red">"<b>that....</b>", "<b>that not...</b>."</span>
<br>
Joined clause means, that such a subordinating clause is a part of the of the main clause (subject clause, object clause).
<p><b>present tense:</b>
<table width="850" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<colgroup><col width="15%"><col width="30%"><col width="55%"></colgroup>
<tr>
<td nowrap>affirmative clause </td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> go</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b><span class="blue">subject</span>
+ <span class="lilac">object</span></b></td>
<td nowrap> Sílim go bhfuil tú sásta = I think that you are happy</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap>negative clause </td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> nach</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b><span class="blue">subject</span>
+ <span class="lilac">object</span></b></td>
<td nowrap> Sílim nach bhfuil tú sásta = I think that you are not happy</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><b>past:</b>
<table width="850" bgcolor="#FFFFCC">
<colgroup><col width="15%"><col width="30%"><col width="55%"></colgroup>
<tr>
<td nowrap>affirmative clause </td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> gur</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object </b></td>
<td nowrap> Bhí mé sásta gur shíl tú é = I was happy that you thought it.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap>negative clause </td>
<td nowrap><b class="red"> nár</b>
+ <b>verb</b>
+ <b class="blue">subject</b>
+ <b class="lilac">object</b></td>
<td nowrap> Bhí mé sásta nár shíl tú é = I was happy that you didn't think it.</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><b><span class="red">go</span> </b>/ <b class="red">nach</b> requires eclipsis of the verbs,<b class="red"> gur</b> / <b class="red">nár</b> requires lenition
<br>
In Munster <b class="red">ná</b> is used instead of
<i>nach</i> (without lenition or eclipsis).
<p>The "go" joined clause is used similarly to the English "that" subordinate clause. However, it appears with a multitude of other <a href="conaisc.htm">conjunctions</a>, since this display "go/nach" as a component.
<p>On the other hand, an <a href="verbnom1.htm#Infin">infinitive construct</a> (infinitive with "to") can frequently appear in Irish, similar to English (in expressions of emotion, will, preference, etc. this is the default use in English, and the Irish form sounds awkward in literal translation).
go-subordinate clause: <i>Ba mhaith liom go bhfuil tú sásta = I would like it that you are happy = I would like you to be happy</i>
<br>
infinitive with zu: <i>Ba mhaith liom tú a bheith sásta = I would like you to be happy.</i>
<br>
<p><hr width="100%">
<center><a href="#oben" title="nach oben">suas</a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="satz1.htm">sentences and syntax</a>
<br>
<a href=".">Gramadach na Gaeilge</a>
<br>
<hr width="100%">
<p><font size="-2">© <a href="https://braesicke.de/index.htm">Lars Bräsicke</a> 1999 / 2003</font></p>
<p><font size="-2">English translation by Daniel Nieciecki </font></p>
</center>
<a href="https://github.com/cuplamilefocal/gnag">view on github</a>
<a href="https://braesicke.de/satz2.htm">view original German</a></body>
</html>