tattoo translation request "Sons are the anchors...

An Cionnfhaolach · **Joined:** Fri 09 Mar 2012 6:16 pm **Posts:** 1527

patrickjwalsh wrote:

Quote:

'Siad na mic na hanchairí i saol na máthar

Fan go fóill, a chara.

sons=subject
anchors=predicate
word order= copula predicate subject

If it is a copula of identification (definite) - the sons are the anchors in the mother's life:
'siad na hancaireacha i saoghal na máthar iad na mic

if (more likely) copula of classification: sons (or the sons) are anchors in mother's (mothers') life (lives):
ancaireacha i saoghal na máthar (nó na máithreacha) is ea iad na mic

or as a tá/bíonn+i+noun:
bíd na mic 'n-a n-ancaireachaibh i saoghal na máithreacha
bíd na mic 'n-a n-ancaireachaibh do sna máithreachaibh i gcaitheamh a saoghal
is minic a bhíd na mic 'n-a n-ancaireachaibh dá máithreachaibh i gcaitheamh a saoghal

is mar ancair 'n-a saoghal a bhíonn mac le cúlaibh a mháthar.

Tháid san i bhfad níos feárr, a charaid :good:

ach dob'fhéidir "is ea" dh'athrughadh go "is eadh"!

Crossed with Patrick. I see you've rectified it already

MacBoo · **Posted:** Wed 24 Jul 2013 9:55 am

For those interested in seanfhocail, some more seanfhocail along the lines I mentioned above,

Bean gan aprún bean gan chnuaisiún.
Lia gach boicht an bás.
An fear gan bhean gan chlann an fear gan bheann ar aoinne.
Ola an chroí an t-im.
Tír gan teanga tír gan anam.
Deireadh gach coirme cáineadh.

Mícheál Ó Siadhail discusses the deletion of the copula on p. 244 of his book "Modern Irish"

And of course I have a question. You have ancaireacha i saoghal na máthar is ea iad na mic I would have thought …is ea na mic. Is this construction, with a definite noun preceded by the pronoun a Munster dialectical form?

patrickjwalsh · **Joined:** Wed 24 Jul 2013 2:31 am **Posts:** 329

MacBoo wrote:

And of course I have a question. You have ancaireacha i saoghal na máthar is ea iad na mic I would have thought …is ea na mic. Is this construction, with a definite noun preceded by the pronoun a Munster dialectical form?

No, I'm sorry. You are right. It should have been:

ancaireacha i saoghal na máthar is eadh na mic

I was getting confused with the emphatic (dochtúir is ea an fear) and the non-emphatic (is dochtúir é an fear).

MacBoo · **Posted:** Wed 24 Jul 2013 4:26 pm

Thanks for that.
In Munster is that construction, Dochtúir is ea an fear. not used as the normal for a classification sentence? Or is the standard Is dochtúir é an fear also used?

Insect Overlord · **Posted:** Wed 24 Jul 2013 4:35 pm

MacBoo wrote:

Thanks for that.
In Munster is that construction, Dochtúir is ea an fear. not used as the normal for a classification sentence? Or is the standard Is dochtúir é an fear also used?

The man is a doctor. A doctor is what he is.

Is dochtúir é an fear. Dochtúir is ea é.

patrickjwalsh · **Joined:** Wed 24 Jul 2013 2:31 am **Posts:** 329

MacBoo wrote:

Thanks for that.
In Munster is that construction, Dochtúir is ea an fear. not used as the normal for a classification sentence? Or is the standard Is dochtúir é an fear also used?

You have it right, Mac Boo - the is eadh version was originally emphatic - and may be still so (???) elsewhere in Ireland - but dochtúir is eadh me is the normal, and non-emphatic, way of saying it in Munster.

I don't think is dochtúir me exists in Munster dialect, other than as an importation from the Caighdeán. But the negative and interrogative don't have eadh.

Gumbi · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 8:09 pm **Posts:** 943

patrickjwalsh wrote:

MacBoo wrote:

Thanks for that.
In Munster is that construction, Dochtúir is ea an fear. not used as the normal for a classification sentence? Or is the standard Is dochtúir é an fear also used?

You have it right, Mac Boo - the is eadh version was originally emphatic - and may be still so (???) elsewhere in Ireland - but dochtúir is eadh me is the normal, and non-emphatic, way of saying it in Munster.

I don't think is dochtúir me exists in Munster dialect, other than as an importation from the Caighdeán. But the negative and interrogative don't have eadh.

I think it does, it's just a subtle variation in meaning.

An Lon Dubh · **Joined:** Fri 30 Sep 2011 10:08 pm **Posts:** 1313

Gumbi wrote:

I think it does, it's just a subtle variation in meaning.

In the basic type of sentence, I've only ever heard:
Dochtúir 'seadh mise I am a doctor
in Corca Dhuibhne.

Of course you can have the normal version in a dependent sentence:
Dúirt sé gur dóchtuir í He said that she is a doctor

With the eadh then being used for emphasis:
Dúirt sé gur dóchtúir gurb eadh í He said that she is a doctor

The gurb eadh is pronounced 'bea.

mom22bees · **Joined:** Mon 22 Jul 2013 3:41 pm **Posts:** 2

Wow!! Thanks for all the responses! I'm learning a ton as well (well trying to, at least!)

I apologize for my tardy response, my office temporarily found your site "offensive" and blocked my access. Once I explained the purpose, it was again granted.

:GRMA:

Forum rules

tattoo translation request "Sons are the anchors...

Who is online