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EXERCISE II.
§ 25. The verb To be. The English “am,” “art,” “is,” “are,” are all translated by the Irish word atá (ă-thau′). This word has, it will be noted, the accent on the last syllable, and is almost the same in sound as the English words “a thaw.” In the spoken language it is shortened to tá (thau).
§ 26. Verb and Nominative. In Irish the nominative case is placed immediately AFTER the verb; as, atá tú, thou art.
§ 27. Verb, Nominative Case, and Adjective. In English sentences like “the field is large,” the order of words is—1, nominative case; 2, verb; 3, adjective. In translating such sentences into Irish, the words must be placed in the following order:—1, verb; 2, nominative case; 3, adjective. Examples:—
| 1. | 2. | 3. | |
| atá | mé | mór, | I am big. |
| atá | tú | óg, | thou art young. |
| atá | an gort | mór, | the field is big. |
§ 28. When there is another adjective qualifying the nominative case, it is placed immediately after its noun, as:—
| atá | an gort mór | glas | the big field is green. |
| atá | an doras úr | árd | the new door is high. |
§ 29. Wors.
| asal (os′-ăl), an ass | fál (faul), a hedge |
| doras (dhŭr′-ăs), a door | glan (glon), clean |
| dún (dhoon), verb, close, shut | tobar thŭb′-ăr), a well. |
§ 30. The word tú, “thou,” is used when speaking to one person. In English, the plural form, “you,” is used. § 31. Translate into English: Atá mé mór. Atá tú óg agur mór. Atá mé óg agus árd. Gort mór agus tobar. Gort agus bó. Tobar úr agus bó. Bó agus im Im úr. Atá an fál mór. Atá an fál árd Atá an gort mór agus glan. Atá Una mór agus óg. Atá an doras árd. Atá an fál glas. Dún an doras mór. Atá an tobar úr. Asal óg agus gort glas. Atá án cú mór.
§ 32. Translate into Irish: Close the door. A high field. The field is big and green. The hedge is green and high. A green field and a cow. Close the big well. Una is tall. Thou art young and tall. The hound is young. The well is clean.
EXERCISE III.
§ 33. SOUNDS OF R AND S.
| The Letters in | Are sounded | In English |
| Key-words | like | Words. |
| r | r | run. |
| r | (no sound exactly similar in English: see note). | |
| s | s | so, alas |
| sh | sh | shall, lash. |
Note.—The sound of “r” is never slurred over as in the words “firm, warm, farm,” etc., as correctly pronounced in English. The sign “r” represents the “r” with rolling sound heard in the beginning of English words, as run, rage, row, etc. The sign “r” represents a peculiar Irish sound, midway between the “rr” of “carry” and the “zz” of “fizz.” The learner may pronounce it as as ordinary English "r" until he has learned the exact sound from a speaker of Irish. Note that “s” is never pronounced “z,” or “zh,” as in the English words “was,” “occasion,” etc.
§ 34. THE IRISH LETTERS r AND s:
| r broad | is sounded like | r | in § 33, | above |
| r slender[1] | „ | r | „ | |
| s broad | „ | s | „ | |
| s slender | „ | sh | „ |
§ 35. VOCABULARY.
| ag (og)[2], preposition, at | fór (fōs), yet, still, also |
| bog (bŭg), soft | sé (shae), he |
| bróg (brōg), a shoe | sí (shee), she |
| dún (dhoon), noun, a fort | stól (sthōl), stool. |
| fada (fodh-ă). long | te (te[3]), hot, warm |
| fág (faug), verb, leave (thou) | tír (teer), country, lang |
| tirim (tir′-im), dry |
§ 36. The verb atá often corresponds to the English “there is,” “there are;” as atá bo ag an tobar, there is a cow at the well; atá bó agus asal ag an tobar, there are a cow and an ass at the well.
