The Irish People is the only newspaper of its kind published in the United States. The Irish People is published 50 weeks a year since 1971. A sixteen page political weekly, The Irish People gives up-to date, uncensored information pertaining to the war in northeast Ireland. It also keeps its readers abreast of events here in the United States aimed at combating the injustices carried out by the British forces of occupation.
  

 
 
 

Irish Language Lessons

Irish Lesson 97

Third declension nouns and practice

Remember that in this group of nouns, the genitive singular ends in "-a." Plurals form in various ways, so that each noun must be learned separately.

Vocabulary

Masculine (firinscneach) Nouns

rás (raw*s), an rás, an rása, na rásaí; race, the race, of the race, the races.

anam (AH-nuhm), an t-anam, an anama (AH-nuh-muh), na hanamacha (HAH-nuh-mahk*-uh); soul, etc.

conradh (KOHN-ruh), an conradh, an chonartha (K*OHN-uhr-huh), na conarthaí (KOHN-uhr-hee),; contract, etc. This word also means "league", and Conradh na Gaeilge is "The Gaelic League"; ag síniú an chonartha (SHEEN-yoo); signing the contract.

feirmeoir (fer-im-OH-ir), an feirmeoir, an fheirmeora, na feirmeoirí; farmer, etc.

Feminine (bainiscneach) Nouns

filíocht, (FIL-ee-ohk*t), an fhilíocht, na filíochta, (no plural); poetry, etc.; ag foghlaim filíochta, learning poetry.

tabhacht (TOU-uhk*t), an tabhacht, na tabhachta, (no plural); importance, etc.

milseacht (MIL-shahk*t), an mhilseacht (VIL-shahk*t), na milseachta, (no plural); sweetness; ag blaiseadh na milseachta (BLASH-uh), tasting the sweetness.

áilleacht (AW*-il-ahk*t), an áilleacht, na háilleachta, (no plural); beauty, etc.; ag moladh a háilleachta, praising her beauty; caighdeán na háilleachta (keye-DAW*N), the standard of beauty.

bochtaineacht (BOHK*T-in-ahk*t), an bhochtaineacht, na bochtaineachta, (no plural); poverty, etc.; ualach na bochtaineachta (OO-uh-lahk*), the burden of poverty.

cráifeacht (KRAW*-fahk*t), an chráifeacht, na cráifeachta, (no plural); piety, devotion; ag cleachtadh cráifeachta ((KLAK*-tuh), practicing piety.

Verbs

lean, ag leanúint (lan-OO-int), follow; leanann sé, he follows; leanfaidh sé (LAN-hee), he will follow; ag leanúint an bhainisteora, following the manager.

ordaigh (OHR-dee), ag ordú, order; ordaíonn sé (ohr-DEE-uhn), he orders; ordóidh sé (ohr-DOH-ee), he will order; d'ordaigh sé leabhar dom, he ordered a book for me.

réitigh (RAY*-tee), ag réiteach (uh RAY*-tyahk*), solve; réitíonn sé (ray*-TEE-uhn), he solves; réiteoidh sé (ray*-TYOH-ee), he will solve; ag réiteach na faidhbe (FEYE-be), solving the problem. (réitigh also means "smooth out," "unravel," "set in order;" réitigh sé an teach, he set the house in order; réiteoidh mé an bord, I will set the table).

Compound prepositions with the genitive

i lár (i LAW*R), in the middle of; i lár an tseomra (TOHM-ruh), in the middle of the room.

i rith (i RI), during; i rith an cheachta (HYAHK*T-uh), during the lesson.

Adjectives

beo (byoh), alive

marbh (MAHR-ruhv), dead

Adjectives derived from some of the words in this lesson are:

tábhachtach (TOU-uhk*-tuhk*), important; níos tábhachttaí (nees TOU-uhk*-tee), more important.

anamúil (AH-nuh-MOO-il), lively, spirited; níos anamúla, livelier.

cráifeach (KRAW*-fahk*), devout; níos cráifí (KRAW*-fee), more devout.

 

By pacing prefixes in front of adjectives, the meaning of the adjective can be changed, as in English. The prefix "mí-" is an example.

It is equivalent to "un-" or "dis-" in English.

Examples:

macánta (mah-KAW*N-tuh), honest, becomes, mímhacánta (mee-vuh-KAW*N-tuh), dishonest.

compordach becomes míchompordach (mee-k*ohm-POHR-dahk*), uncomfortable.

sásta; míshásta (mee-HAW*S-tuh); satisfied, dissatisfied.

dílis; mídhílis (mee-YEE-lish); loyal, disloyal.

 

"Mí" always causes aspiration of a consonant, if the consonant can be aspirated. "Mí" cannot be added to every adjective. For example: "daor" (day*r), expensive, and "saor" (say*r), cheap or free, are opposites, but "mí" cannot be added to either.

CONVERSATION (COMHRÁ)

Deirdre (DIR-dre): Dia dhuit, A Fheilim.

Feilim (FEL-im): Dia's Muire dhuit, a Dheirdre (YIR-dre). Cé'n chaoi (KAY*-hee) bhfuil tú inniu?

Deirdre: Tá mé go maith anois. Agus conas tá tú féin?

Feilim: Níos fearr ná a bhí mé inné. Beagnach marbh (BYUHG-nahk* MAHR-ruhv) a bhí mé, le slaghdán (sleye-DAW*N). Bhí fiabhras (FEE-vruhs) orm, freisin, agus d'fhan mé sa leaba ó mhaidin go tráthnóna.

Deirdre: Ar cuireadh fios ar an dochtúir?

Feilim: Cuireadh, go cinnte. D'ordaigh sé mé fanúint sa leaba.

Deirdre: Ar tháinig sé go dtí do theach, mar sin (HAW*-nig)?

Feilim: Níor tháinig. Labhair mé leis ar an guthán, agus tá orm bheith sásta leis sin.

 

Translation:

Deirdre: Hello, Feilim.

Feilim: Hello, Deirdre. How are you today?

Deirdre: I am well now. And how are you?

Feilim: Better than I was yesterday. Nearly dead I was, with a cold. I had a temperature (fever), too, and I stayed in bed from morning to evening.

Deirdre: Was the doctor sent for?

Feilim: He was, certainly. He ordered me to stay in bed.

Deirdre: Did he come to your house, then?

Feilim: He didn't. I spoke with him on the phone, and I have to be satisfied with that.



Irish Lesson 98

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