Difference between revisions of "Auxiliary Constructions"

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(Inverted Copular Constructions)
(Inverted Copular Constructions)
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==Inverted Copular Constructions==
 
==Inverted Copular Constructions==
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 +
As indicated by the name of the construction, the word order is copular-predicate-subject. Copular-subject-predicate order is ungrammatical.
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 +
 
:{|
 
:{|
 
|Is
 
|Is
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|colspan="2"| 'That man is big.'
 
|colspan="2"| 'That man is big.'
 
|}
 
|}
 
As indicated by the name of the construction, the predicate must precede the subject:
 
  
 
:{|
 
:{|
|Is
+
|*Is
 
|an
 
|an
 
|duine
 
|duine
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|
 
|
 
|big
 
|big
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|}
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:{|
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|Is
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|tidsear
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|Calum.
 
|-
 
|-
|colspan="2"| 'That man is big.'
+
|cop.pres
 +
|teacher
 +
|Calum
 +
|-
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|colspan="2"| 'Calum is a teacher.'
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
:{|
 +
|*Is
 +
|Calum
 +
|tidsear.
 +
|-
 +
|cop.pres
 +
|Calum
 +
|teacher
 
|}
 
|}
  

Revision as of 07:08, 6 October 2013

Substantive Auxiliary Constructions

Bha Calum ag òl uisge beatha.
be.pst Calum asp drinking whiskey
'Calum was drinking whiskey.'
Tha Calum 'na thidsear.
be.pres Calum in.3sg.m teacher
'Calum is a teacher.'
Tha Calum faiceallach.
be.pres Calum careful
'Calum is (being) careful.'
Tha Calum anns a'bhùth.
be.pres Calum in the shop
'Calum is in the shop.'

Inverted Copular Constructions

As indicated by the name of the construction, the word order is copular-predicate-subject. Copular-subject-predicate order is ungrammatical.


Is mòr an duine sin.
cop.pres big that man
'That man is big.'
*Is an duine sin mòr.
cop.pres that man big
Is tidsear Calum.
cop.pres teacher Calum
'Calum is a teacher.'
*Is Calum tidsear.
cop.pres Calum teacher

See Also