Difference between revisions of "Possessive Pronouns"

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*''for a definition see [[Possessive Pronoun (definition)]]''
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There are two ways to indicate possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, our, their) in Gaelic. The first way, which is both more formal and indicates a close relationship between the possessor and the possessed item, uses a pronoun that comes before the noun. The second way, which can be used for a less close relationship (and is, in fact far more common) is to combine the use of a noun and an article followed by an inflected form of the preposition [[Aig (preposition)|aig]]
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==Prenominal possessive pronouns==
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Gaelic has pronouns roughly equivalent to English my, your, his, her, etc. However these tend to only be used when the possession is of a particularly close or personal nature. For example, they are used with body parts (my arm), family members (my mother), and possession that is clearly ownership and not temporary.
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{|border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1"
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!Person
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!colspan="2"| Singular
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!colspan="2"|Plural
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|-
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|1
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|my
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|mo<sup>L</sup>
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|our
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|àr<sup>N</sup>
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|-
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|2
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|your
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|do<sup>L</sup>
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|your
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|ùr<sup>N</sup>
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|-
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|3 masc
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|his
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|a<sup>L</sup>
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|rowspan="2"|their
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|rowspan="2"|an/am
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|-
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|3 feminine
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|her
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|a<sup>H</sup>
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|}
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Notes:
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*<sup>L</sup> stands for [[Lenition|lenition trigger]], <sup>N</sup> stands for [[Eclipsis|Eclipsis/nasalization trigger]], <sup>H</sup> indicates the word prefixes an <h> in front of the following word. These letters are not written but are provided here as guides.
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*''am'' is used instead of ''an'' in front of words beginning with any [[Labial (definition)|labial]] consonant (i.e. <nowiki> <b, m, f, p></nowiki>), eg. their table ''am bòrd''
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*before words beginning with vowels  "mo" is reduced to ''mo','' ''do'' is reduced to ''d','' and ''a<sup>L</sup>'' his is deleted.
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===Examples===
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====Before words beginning with consonants====
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*my foot:  ''mo chas''
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*your foot: ''do chas''
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*his foot: ''a chas''
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*her foot: ''a cas''
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*our feet: ''àr casan''
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*your (pl) feet: ''ùr casan''
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*their feet: ''an casan''
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====Before words beginning with vowels====
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*my father: ''m'athair''
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*your father: ''d'athair''
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*his father: ''athair''
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*her father: ''a h-athair''
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*our father: ''àr n-athair''
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*your (pl) father: ''ùr n-athair''
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*their father: ''an athair''
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==Possessive Pronouns using ''Aig''==
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To express a less close relationship between the possessor and the possessum, a combination of an article, a noun, and an accordingly inflected preposition, in this order, is used.
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*my cat:  ''an cat agam''
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*your cat: ''an cat agad''
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*his cat: ''an cat aige''
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*her cat: ''an cat aice''
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*our cat: ''an cat againn''
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*your (pl) cat: ''an cat agaibh''
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*their cat: ''an cat aca''
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This pattern can also be used with full NP possessors:
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*Iain's Cat: ''an cat aig Iain"
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==See Also==
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*[[Genitive]]
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*[[Sentential possession]]
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*[[Aig (preposition)]]
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[[Category:Lexical Item]]
 
[[Category:Lexical Item]]
 
[[Category:Functional Categories]]
 
[[Category:Functional Categories]]

Latest revision as of 15:40, 23 January 2013

There are two ways to indicate possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, our, their) in Gaelic. The first way, which is both more formal and indicates a close relationship between the possessor and the possessed item, uses a pronoun that comes before the noun. The second way, which can be used for a less close relationship (and is, in fact far more common) is to combine the use of a noun and an article followed by an inflected form of the preposition aig

Prenominal possessive pronouns

Gaelic has pronouns roughly equivalent to English my, your, his, her, etc. However these tend to only be used when the possession is of a particularly close or personal nature. For example, they are used with body parts (my arm), family members (my mother), and possession that is clearly ownership and not temporary.

Person Singular Plural
1 my moL our àrN
2 your doL your ùrN
3 masc his aL their an/am
3 feminine her aH

Notes:

  • L stands for lenition trigger, N stands for Eclipsis/nasalization trigger, H indicates the word prefixes an <h> in front of the following word. These letters are not written but are provided here as guides.
  • am is used instead of an in front of words beginning with any labial consonant (i.e. <b, m, f, p>), eg. their table am bòrd
  • before words beginning with vowels "mo" is reduced to mo', do is reduced to d', and aL his is deleted.

Examples

Before words beginning with consonants

  • my foot: mo chas
  • your foot: do chas
  • his foot: a chas
  • her foot: a cas
  • our feet: àr casan
  • your (pl) feet: ùr casan
  • their feet: an casan

Before words beginning with vowels

  • my father: m'athair
  • your father: d'athair
  • his father: athair
  • her father: a h-athair
  • our father: àr n-athair
  • your (pl) father: ùr n-athair
  • their father: an athair


Possessive Pronouns using Aig

To express a less close relationship between the possessor and the possessum, a combination of an article, a noun, and an accordingly inflected preposition, in this order, is used.

  • my cat: an cat agam
  • your cat: an cat agad
  • his cat: an cat aige
  • her cat: an cat aice
  • our cat: an cat againn
  • your (pl) cat: an cat agaibh
  • their cat: an cat aca

This pattern can also be used with full NP possessors:

  • Iain's Cat: an cat aig Iain"


See Also

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