The
fourth declension of nouns
This
group of nouns is the simplest in one respect:
the genitive or possessive form is the same as
the basic or nominative form. An example: bosca
(BOHSK-uh), an bosca, an bhosca, na boscaí
(BOHSK-ee); box, the box, of the box, the boxes.
The
word bosca is masculine. A feminine noun of this
declension is banaltra (BAHN-uhl-truh), an bhanaltra,
na banaltra, na banaltraí (nuh BAHN-uhl-tree);
nurse, the nurse, of the nurse, the nurses.
There
are several plural endings in this declension.
One common one is an "-í" (ee)
added to nouns ending in "-a"
Examples:
Masculine
babhta
(BOU-tuh), an babhta, an bhabhta (VWOU-tuh), na
babhtaí; bout, etc.
cárta
(KAW*R-tuh), an cárta, an chárta,
na cártaí; card, etc.
fógra
(FOHG-ruh), an fógra, an fhógra
(OHG-ruh), na fógraí; notice, advertisement,
etc.
Feminine
bearna
(BAR-nuh), an bhearna (VAR-nuh), na bearna, na
bearnaí; gap, blank space in a questionnaire,
etc.
eala
(AH-luh), an eala, na heala, na healaí;
swan, etc.
mala
(MAHL-uh), an mhala (VWAHL-uh), na mala, na malaí;
eyebrow, etc.
Not
all fourth-declension nouns ending in "-a"
form their plural in this way. Another way: Most
masculine fourth-declension nouns ending in "-ín"
(een) add "-í" for the plural.
Examples:
cailín,
an cailín, an chailín, na cailíní;
girl, etc.
toitín
(ti-TYEEN), an toitín, an toitín,
na toitíní; cigarette, etc.
gairdín
(gahr-DEEN), an gairdín, an ghairdín,
na gairdíní; garden, etc.
Here
are some phrases that contain some fourth-declension
nouns in various forms:
ar
eagla na heagla (ah-gluh); in fear of fear, meaning
"just in case, to be on the safe side."
lá
an dreoilín (droh-LEEN); wren day.
duine
na dúiche (DOO-i-he); a person of the district.
ar
shlí na firinne (er hlee nuh FEER-in-ye);
(literally: on the way of the truth), gone to
eternal reward, dead.
Vocabulary
of fourth-declension nouns
Masculine
(firinscneach)
hata
(HAH-tuh), an hata, an hata, na hataí;
hat, etc.
páiste
(PAW*SH-te), an páiste, an pháiste
(FAW*SH-te), na páistí; child, etc.
práta
(PRAW*-tuh), an práta, an phráta,
na prátaí; potato, etc.
nia
(NEE-uh), an nia, an nia, na nianna; nephew, etc.
seomra,
an seomra, an tseomra, na seomraí; room,
etc.
cóta,
an cóta, an chóta, na cótaí;
coat, etc.
céilí
(KAY*-lee), an céilí, an chéilí,
na céilithe (KAY*-li-he); dance, etc.
balla
(BAHL-uh), an balla, an bhalla (VWAHL-uh), na
ballaí; wall, etc.
gloine
(GLIN-e), an gloine, na ghloine, na gloiní;
glass, etc.
gúna
(GOON-uh), an gúna, an ghúna, na
gúnaí; dress, etc.
Feminine
(baininscneach)
bá
(BAW*), an bhá (VWAW*), na bá, na
bánna; bay, etc.
eorna
(OHR-nuh), an eorna, na heorna, (no plural); barley,
etc.
oíche
(EE-he), an oíche, na hoíche, na
hoícheanta (HEE-huhn-tuh); night, etc.
léine
(LAY*-ne), an léine, na léine, na
léinte; shirt, etc.
saoirse
(SEER-she), an tsaoirse (un TEER-she), na saoirse,
(no plural); freedom, etc.
Adjectives
álainn
(AW*-lin) is "beautiful", but dathúil
(dah-HOO-il) is "handsome:, na madraí
dathúla (MAH-dree dah-HOO-luh), the handsome
dogs.
Is
dathúla Seán ná Brían;
Seán is handsomer than Brian.
oiriúnach
(ir-OON-ahk*), suitable. Seomra oiriúnach,
seomraí oiriúnacha; a suitable room,
suitable rooms.
Tá
Gráinne níos oiriúnaí
don phost ná Treasa (GRAW*N-ye; ir-OON-ee;
fohst; TRAS-uh); Gráinne is more suitable
for the job than is Treasa.
clúiteach
(KLOO-tyahk*), famous; filí clúiteacha,
famous poets.
Is
clúití Gráinne ná
Eilís; Gráinne is more famous than
Eilís.
ceomhar
(KYOH-wuhr), foggy; ceomhaire, foggier
deonach
(DYOHN-ahk*), voluntary, volunteer; oibritheoir
deonach (ib-ri-HOH-ir), a volunteer worker.
A
Volunteer in the Irish Republican Army is óglach
(OHG-lahk*), an t-Óglach, an Óglaigh
(OHG-lee), na hÓglaigh; Volunteer, the
Volunteer, of the Volunteer, the Volunteers.
Sean-Óglach
is a former or veteran Volunteer.
Dictionaries
By
now, you have enough Irish grammar to need many
more words than these lessons can give you. You
are also meeting new Irish words and forms of
speech that you have not seen in these lessons.
Dictionaries, grammars, and manuals will be helpful
to you now. Here are some of the materials available:
Foclóirí
(foh-KLOH-ir-ee)
Foclóir
Gaeilge-Béarla (Irish-English dictionary),
ed. Niall Ó Dónaill.
This
is the largest and most modern one. It superseded
that of an t-Athair Ó Duinnín (Dineen's
dictionary).
English-Irish
Dictionary, ed. Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
This
is the leading one, offering many examples of
good style and alternative expressions. The book
requires patience and care by the beginner, because
of its comprehensiveness.
There
are smaller dictionaries, too. The Learner's Irish-English
and English-Irish Dictionaries are examples. The
two have been bound together into a single small
volume printed by Talbot Press.
Simple
grammars include the familiar Progress in Irish.
For those who have finished this, the Réchúrsa
Gramadaí, by Brian Mac Giolla Phádraig,
is a next step. It is almost entirely in Irish,
and it has countless examples of usage, extensive
word lists, and paradigms or form changes for
verbs and nouns.
Anois
is Arís is a language manual and practice
book for the RTÉ language programs on television
in Ireland. The authors, Donall Ó Baoill
and Éamon Ó Tuathail, have oriented
the program and book toward situations, and you
will be able to understand and benefit from the
book,
These
books are readily available at Irish stores and
can be ordered through many other stores having
contacts with Irish publishers.
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