Difference between revisions of "Articles"
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:{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
− | |+<b>Singular Masculine</b> | + | |+<b>Singular Masculine Common Case</b> |
!Before | !Before | ||
!form | !form | ||
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:{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
− | |+<b>Singular Feminine</b> | + | |+<b>Singular Feminine Common Case</b> |
!Before | !Before | ||
!form | !form | ||
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:{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
− | |+<b>Plurals of both genders</b> | + | |+<b>Plurals of both genders in the common case</b> |
!Before | !Before | ||
!form | !form | ||
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:{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
− | |+<b>Singular | + | |+<b>Singular Masculine Genitive</b> |
!Before | !Before | ||
!form | !form | ||
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:{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
− | |+<b> | + | |+<b>Feminine Singular Genitive</b> |
!Before | !Before | ||
!form | !form | ||
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:<small>(table based on Fisher (2004)</small> | :<small>(table based on Fisher (2004)</small> | ||
+ | |||
+ | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
+ | |+<b>Plural Genitive of both Genders</b> | ||
+ | !Before | ||
+ | !form | ||
+ | !Example | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |[[Labial (definition)|labial consonants]] | ||
+ | |nam | ||
+ | |nam XXX | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |All other sounds | ||
+ | |nan | ||
+ | |nan XXX | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | :<small>(table based on Fisher (2004)</small> | ||
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:{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
− | |+<b>Singular of both genders</b> | + | |+<b>Singular of both genders in the Dative</b> |
!Before | !Before | ||
!form | !form | ||
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The plurals are identical to the common case: | The plurals are identical to the common case: | ||
:{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | :{| border=1 cellpadding="5", rules="all" style="text-align:center" | ||
− | |+<b>Plurals of both genders</b> | + | |+<b>Plurals of both genders in the dative</b> |
!Before | !Before | ||
!form | !form |
Revision as of 13:29, 24 June 2009
Article is a common name for what linguists typically call determiners. In English the and a/an are articles. In Gaelic the indefinite article is silent (e.g. leabhar 'a book') -- the exception being the indefinite genitive, where there is no overt article, but the noun is lenited (Lamb 2003: 29). The definite article surfaces variously as an, am, a', nam, nan or na depending upon the case, gender, and number of the noun it modifies and depending upon which consonant the following word begins with.
Throughout the following symbols indicate initial mutations and are not traditionally written out L means "triggers lenition", Articles ending in -n or -m often trigger voicing of the following consonant through Eclipsis, although this is not indicated in writing.
The system is complex, so we give four different descriptions. Choose the one that suits you best.
Contents
Description 1: By Case
This description is based on that found in Fisher (2004).
Common Case (Nominative/Accusative)
The common case form of the article is used with a noun in subject and object positions.
Singular Masculine Common Case Before form Example vowels an t- an t-òran labials am am bòrd all other sounds an an càr
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
Singular Feminine Common Case Before form Example labial and velar stops (b, p, g, c) and m a'L a' phòg f anL an fhaoileag s followed by vowels, l, n, r an t- (i.e. anT) an t-seachdain all other sounds an an sgian
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
Plurals of both genders in the common case Before form Example consonants na na gillean Vowels an h- (i.e. anH) an h-ubhlan
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
Genitive Case
The genitive is used to indicate an object that is a possessor.
The masculine singular genitive pattern is identical to the feminine common case pattern, and dative case forms.
Singular Masculine Genitive Before form Example labial and velar stops (b, p, g, c) and m a'L a' bhòrd f anL an XXX s followed by vowels, l, n, r an t- (i.e. anT) an XXX all other sounds an an XXX
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
The feminine genitive is identical to common case plural
Feminine Singular Genitive Before form Example consonants na na XXX Vowels an h- (i.e. anH) an h-XXX
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
Plural Genitive of both Genders Before form Example labial consonants nam nam XXX All other sounds nan nan XXX
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
Dative Case
The dative case is found after many prepositions. The dative singular of both genders is identical to the feminine singular common case (and the masculine singular genitive).
Singular of both genders in the Dative Before form Example labial and velar stops (b, p, g, c) and m a'L a' bhòrd f anL an fhios s followed by vowels, l, n, r an t- (i.e. anT) an t-sùil all other sounds an an taigh
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
The plurals are identical to the common case:
Plurals of both genders in the dative Before form Example consonants na na gillean Vowels an h- (i.e. anH) an h-ubhlan
- (table based on Fisher (2004)
Description 2: By gender and number
Masculine Singular Article
before | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
f | b, m, p | c, g | sV, sl, sn, sr | d, t, l, n, r, sg, sm, sp, st | before vowels | |
Nom/Acc (common case) | am | an | an t- | |||
Dat | anL | a'L | an t- | an | ||
Gen |
Feminine Singular Article
before | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
f | b, m, p | c, g | sV, sl, sn, sr | d, t, l, n, r, sg, sm, sp, st | before vowels | |
Nom/Acc (common case) | anL | a'L | an t- | an | ||
Dat | ||||||
Gen | na | na h- |
Plural Article
before | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
f, b, m, p | all other consonants | before vowels | ||||
Nom/Acc (common case) | na | na h- | ||||
Dat | ||||||
Gen | nam | nan |
Description 3: By form of the article
Form | location |
---|---|
a'L | Feminine Nom/Acc Singular before "b, c, g, m, p" |
Feminine Dative Singular before "b, c, g, m, p" | |
Masculine Dative Singular before "b, c, g, m, p" | |
Masculine Genitive Singular before "b, c, g, m, p" | |
am | Masculine Nom/Acc Singular before "f, b, m, p" |
an | Feminine Nom/Acc Singular before vowels and d, n, t, l, r, sg, sp, st, sm |
Feminine Dative Singular before vowels and d, n, t, l, r, sg, sp, st, sm | |
Masculine Dative Singular before vowels and d, n, t, l, r, sg, sp, st, sm | |
Masculine Genitive Singular before vowels and d, n, t, l, r, sg, sp, st, sm | |
Masculine Nom/Acc Singular before anything except vowels and "b, f, m, p" | |
anL | Feminine Nom/Acc Singular before f |
Feminine Dative Singular before f | |
Masculine Dative Singular before f | |
Masculine Genitive Singular before f | |
an t- | Feminine Nom/Acc Singular before sV, sl, sn, sr |
Feminine Dative Singular before sV, sl, sn, sr | |
Masculine Dative Singular before sV, sl, sn, sr | |
Masculine Genitive Singular before sV, sl, sn, sr | |
Masculine Nom/Acc Singular before vowels | |
na | Nom/Acc plural before consonants |
Dative plural before consonants | |
Feminine Genitive singular before consonants | |
na h- | Nom/Acc plural before vowels |
Dative plural before vowels | |
Feminine Genitive singular before vowels | |
nam | Plural Genitive before b, f, m, p |
nan | Plural Genitive before other sounds |
Description 4: An Abstract Analysis
The following description is based on the insightful description found at [[1]]. The symbols in the next chart are abstract! You need to translate them using the guides that follow.
singular | plural | ||
---|---|---|---|
Masculine | Feminine | ||
Nom/acc (common) | W | X | Y |
Dative | X | ||
Genitive | X | Y | Z |
Each of these abstract forms is realized the following ways, predictable from the phonology:
Pattern W
Form | Context |
---|---|
an t- | before vowel |
am | before b, f, m, p |
an | elsewhere |
Pattern X
Form | Context |
---|---|
a'L | before b, c, g, m, p |
anL | before "f" |
an t- | before sV, sl, sn, sr |
an | elsewhere |
Pattern Y
Form | Context |
---|---|
na | before consonants |
na h- | before vowels |
Z
Form | Context |
---|---|
nam | before b, f, m, p |
nan | elsewhere |
External Links
References
Lamb, William (2003) Scottish Gaelic. Lincom-Europa.