Book 3:
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Preface
Phonetics

exercise CXIX

§ 647. The difference in meaning between is and atá is well illustrated in the two familiar idiomatic Gaelic phrases corresponding to the English verbs "have" and "own".

We have no modern Irish verb for the Irish verb for the English "have" so we use the phrase "there is at;", thus, "Cormac has a ship" is translated by "there is a ship at Cormac", atá long ag Cormac. Here atá simply means that the ship is in Cormac's possession at the present time, implying conditions.

§ 648. Then take the verb "to own" a thing. We do not use any special verb to convey this idea in modern Gaelic. "Cormac owns a ship" or "ths ship is Cormac's" is translated by "the ship is with Cormac". Here is with has an idea of being permanently connected with, as a thing is with its owner, so the verb used is is, not atá. We say, therefore, is le COrmac an long. Note the order of the words.

§ 649. The words agam, agat, aige, aici, agaiḃ, aca, are already known to the student = at me, thee, him, her, us, you, them.

Liom, leat, leis, linn, with me, thee, him; as, léiṫi (lae'-hĕ) or léi, with her; liḃ (liv), with you; leo (lō), with them.

§ 650. Translate into English

• An leat an capall úd? Ní liom é, is le Domhnall O'Connaill é.
• Nach leis an láir so? ní leis; is le Nóra an láir agus an t-uan.
• Atá caora ag Úna, acht ní léithi an chaora so.
• Is leis an bhfear sin an leabhar so atá agam anois.
• Ní linn an áit so, is le Bríghid agus lé n-a (with her) fear í.
• Ceannuigh uaim an t-asal so, is liom é.
• Cá mheud atá air? Is beag an teach é rúd.
• Is beag, is lé Nóra é.
• Feuch Aodh agus Eoghan, an leo an áit so? Ní leo, is linn é.
• Ní'l áit ná teach agam anois, bhí áit dheas agus teach breagh agam fad' ó, agus bhí caoi mhaith orm, acht anois atáim bocht.

note that
phonetic
symbols
are not
necessarily pronounced
as in English

See § 13-16