Notaichean air an Gnìomhair Gaoideach IS
Notes on the Defective (or Assertive) Verb IS
{The following are personal notes, made as I tried to understand the implications of MacLaren's lesson #17. Many of the examples are taken from the TAIC lesson #19.}
The verb A BHEIL denotes a qualified existence; in relation to time, place or some qualifying condition.
The defective verb IS :--
1. expresses a simple assertion, connects A to B
2. denotes simple existence; independent of any other condition
{That's all well and good but ... What does it MEAN?}
The defective verb IS is used for :--
1. IdentificationPresentPast
'S mise Calum. = I am Macolm Bu mhi Calum. = I was Malcolm.
'S ise mo phiuthar. = She is my sister. B' ise mo phiuthar. = She was my sister.
'S esan am fear. = He is the man. B' esan am fear sin. = He was the man.
An e do chù? = Is it your dog? Am b' e do chù? = Was it your dog?
{'S e} Sin mo thaigh. = This is my house. B' e sin mo thaigh. = This was my house.
2. ClassificationPresentPast
Is iasg breac. = A trout is a fish.
Chan iasg iolaire. = An eagle is not a fish.
* Is saor am fear. = The man is a carpenter/joiner. Bu shaor am fear. = The man was a carpenter/ joiner.
* Is banaltram am boireannach seo. = This woman is a nurse. Bu bhanaltram tè seo. = This one (female person) was a nurse.
* Personal attributes and professions are more commonly expressed idiomatically using the preposition ann with the assertive verb. {Nota Bene :-- Such information can also be expressed using "A BHEIL" with the augmented form of the preposition "ANN" but I'm not going into that at this time.}
'S e saor a tha anns an fhear. = The man is a carpenter/ joiner.
'S e banaltram a tha anns a' bhoireannach seo. = This woman is a nurse.
In this idiom, the past tense is expressed using the verb A BHITH in the clause.
'S e saor a bha anns an fhear. = The man was a carpenter/joiner.
'S e banaltram a bha anns a' bhoireannach seo. = This woman was a nurse.
PREPOSITIONAL PRONOUNS of ANN Singular Plural
annam annainn
annad annaibh
ann
innte annta
3. Emphasis
Is brèagha an là. = It's a beautiful day.
Is mòr am balach e. = The boy is big.
Is furasta a' cheist sin. = That question is easy.
When it's an adverbial or adjectival clause being emphasised, the clause is introduced by the particle ANN rather than a pronoun. Notice that the assertive verb IS is used in the present tense in each case; the tense of the statement is indicated by the verb A BHITH in the clause and NOT by the assertive verb.
'S ann fon bhòrd a bha am ball. = It's under the table that the ball was.
'S ann a-nochd a chì mi thu. = It's tonight that I will see you.
'S ann ormsa a tha an cnatan. = I have a cold. {N.B. - This is an idiomatic use of the verb.}
4. Idioms
The defective verb IS is also used in various idiomatic usages which will be covered in later lessons.
EXAMPLES of USE
The following sentences deal with Classification. They are clear examples of A = B, and nothing more.
Is e cù. = It is a dog.
{Is e} Seo cù. = This is a dog.
An e seo cù? 'S e. = Is this a dog? Yes.
An e sin cat? Chan e. Sin each. = Is that a cat? No. That's a horse.
Compare the sentences above with the ones below. Where the ones above deal with basic A = B identification of the subject, these below say something about the subject.
Tha an cù leis a' ghille. = The dog is with the lad.
A bheil cù aig an doras? Tha. = Is (there) a dog at the door? Yes.
An robh cat fon bhòrd? = Was a cat under the table?
Tha an t-each air a' mhonadh. = The horse is on the moor.
Tha saighdear aig an doras. = There is a soldier at the door.
Further examples of using "IS" to identify and/or classify.
Is saighdear e. = He is a soldier.
Is rùnaire e dhan chompanaidh sin. = He is a secretary of that company.
'S esan an rùnaire. = He is the secretary.
Tha e ag ràdh gur Sgiathanach e. = He says that he is from Skye.
Is i mo phiuthar an seinneadair aig a' chèilidh a-nochd. = My sister is the singer a the ceilidh tonight.
Is seòladair air an luing sin mi. = I am a sailor on that ship.
'S esan Calum mo bhràthair. = He is my brother, Malcolm.
Tha iad ag ràdh gur iolaire an t-eun. = They say that the bird is an eagle.
Is dotair mo bhràthair. = My brother is a doctor.
Is seinneadair math i. = She is a good singer.
These sentences EMPHASIZE the attribute.Comparison of statements, A BHEIL vs. IS
Tha a' chaileag bòidheach. = The lass is lovely. 'S bòidheach a' chaileag. = The lass is lovely!
Bha sinn sgìth. = We were tired. Bu sgìth sinn. = We were tired!
Tha brèagha an-diugh, nach eil? = Today is lovely, isn't it?Nach là brèagha an-diugh? = Isn't it a lovely day today?
Tha sinn ag smaointinn gu bheil e eireachdail. = We think that he is handsome. Tha sinn ag smaointinn gur eireachdail e. = We think he is dreamy!
Further examples of the use of the verb IS for emphasis.
Is neo-chionntach den eucoir e. = He is innocent of the crime! (Also 'S ann neo-chionntach den eucoir a tha e.)
Bu fhiadhaich an cù sin. = That dog was ferocious! (Also 'S ann fiachaich a bha an cù sin.)
Bu shona sinn. = They were happy. (Also 'S ann sona a bha sinn.)
Tha sinn ag smaointinn gur ann eireachdail a tha e. = We think he's dreamy!
'S ann an-diugh a bha mi anns a' bhaile. = It's today that I was in town!
An ann anns an abhainn a bha thu a' snàmh? = Was it in the river that you were swimming?
Chan ann. 'S ann anns a' mhuir a bha mi. = No. I was in the sea.
Nach ann tric a bha thu tinn nuair a bha thu òg? 'S ann. = Weren't you often sick when you were young? Yes.
These sentences are examples of classifications using the idiom of the relative clause "A BHEIL" + "ANN" with the defective verb "IS".
'S e rùnaire a th' ann. = He is a secretary.
Tha mi a' creidsinn gur e Uibhisteach a tha ann. = I believe that he is from Uist.
'S e seòladair air an luing sin a th' annam. = I am a sailor on that ship.
Tha iad ag ràdh gur e iolaire a tha anns an eun. = They say that the bird is an eagle.
'S e dotair a tha nam bhràthair. = My brother is a doctor. (nam is the possessive pronoun of ann + mo)
Is e ministear a tha innte. = She is a minister.
'S e seinneadair math a th' innte. = She is a good singer.
{Nota Bene :-- The masculine pronoun is used to introduce these two statements because it refers to the masculine nouns ministear and seinneadair}.
{The following are personal notes, made as I tried to understand the implications of MacLaren's lesson #17. Many of the examples are taken from the TAIC lesson #19.}
The verb A BHEIL denotes a qualified existence; in relation to time, place or some qualifying condition.
The defective verb IS :--
1. expresses a simple assertion, connects A to B
2. denotes simple existence; independent of any other condition
{That's all well and good but ... What does it MEAN?}
The defective verb IS is used for :--
1. IdentificationPresentPast
'S mise Calum. = I am Macolm Bu mhi Calum. = I was Malcolm.
'S ise mo phiuthar. = She is my sister. B' ise mo phiuthar. = She was my sister.
'S esan am fear. = He is the man. B' esan am fear sin. = He was the man.
An e do chù? = Is it your dog? Am b' e do chù? = Was it your dog?
{'S e} Sin mo thaigh. = This is my house. B' e sin mo thaigh. = This was my house.
2. ClassificationPresentPast
Is iasg breac. = A trout is a fish.
Chan iasg iolaire. = An eagle is not a fish.
* Is saor am fear. = The man is a carpenter/joiner. Bu shaor am fear. = The man was a carpenter/ joiner.
* Is banaltram am boireannach seo. = This woman is a nurse. Bu bhanaltram tè seo. = This one (female person) was a nurse.
* Personal attributes and professions are more commonly expressed idiomatically using the preposition ann with the assertive verb. {Nota Bene :-- Such information can also be expressed using "A BHEIL" with the augmented form of the preposition "ANN" but I'm not going into that at this time.}
'S e saor a tha anns an fhear. = The man is a carpenter/ joiner.
'S e banaltram a tha anns a' bhoireannach seo. = This woman is a nurse.
In this idiom, the past tense is expressed using the verb A BHITH in the clause.
'S e saor a bha anns an fhear. = The man was a carpenter/joiner.
'S e banaltram a bha anns a' bhoireannach seo. = This woman was a nurse.
PREPOSITIONAL PRONOUNS of ANN Singular Plural
annam annainn
annad annaibh
ann
innte annta
3. Emphasis
Is brèagha an là. = It's a beautiful day.
Is mòr am balach e. = The boy is big.
Is furasta a' cheist sin. = That question is easy.
When it's an adverbial or adjectival clause being emphasised, the clause is introduced by the particle ANN rather than a pronoun. Notice that the assertive verb IS is used in the present tense in each case; the tense of the statement is indicated by the verb A BHITH in the clause and NOT by the assertive verb.
'S ann fon bhòrd a bha am ball. = It's under the table that the ball was.
'S ann a-nochd a chì mi thu. = It's tonight that I will see you.
'S ann ormsa a tha an cnatan. = I have a cold. {N.B. - This is an idiomatic use of the verb.}
4. Idioms
The defective verb IS is also used in various idiomatic usages which will be covered in later lessons.
EXAMPLES of USE
The following sentences deal with Classification. They are clear examples of A = B, and nothing more.
Is e cù. = It is a dog.
{Is e} Seo cù. = This is a dog.
An e seo cù? 'S e. = Is this a dog? Yes.
An e sin cat? Chan e. Sin each. = Is that a cat? No. That's a horse.
Compare the sentences above with the ones below. Where the ones above deal with basic A = B identification of the subject, these below say something about the subject.
Tha an cù leis a' ghille. = The dog is with the lad.
A bheil cù aig an doras? Tha. = Is (there) a dog at the door? Yes.
An robh cat fon bhòrd? = Was a cat under the table?
Tha an t-each air a' mhonadh. = The horse is on the moor.
Tha saighdear aig an doras. = There is a soldier at the door.
Further examples of using "IS" to identify and/or classify.
Is saighdear e. = He is a soldier.
Is rùnaire e dhan chompanaidh sin. = He is a secretary of that company.
'S esan an rùnaire. = He is the secretary.
Tha e ag ràdh gur Sgiathanach e. = He says that he is from Skye.
Is i mo phiuthar an seinneadair aig a' chèilidh a-nochd. = My sister is the singer a the ceilidh tonight.
Is seòladair air an luing sin mi. = I am a sailor on that ship.
'S esan Calum mo bhràthair. = He is my brother, Malcolm.
Tha iad ag ràdh gur iolaire an t-eun. = They say that the bird is an eagle.
Is dotair mo bhràthair. = My brother is a doctor.
Is seinneadair math i. = She is a good singer.
These sentences EMPHASIZE the attribute.Comparison of statements, A BHEIL vs. IS
Tha a' chaileag bòidheach. = The lass is lovely. 'S bòidheach a' chaileag. = The lass is lovely!
Bha sinn sgìth. = We were tired. Bu sgìth sinn. = We were tired!
Tha brèagha an-diugh, nach eil? = Today is lovely, isn't it?Nach là brèagha an-diugh? = Isn't it a lovely day today?
Tha sinn ag smaointinn gu bheil e eireachdail. = We think that he is handsome. Tha sinn ag smaointinn gur eireachdail e. = We think he is dreamy!
Further examples of the use of the verb IS for emphasis.
Is neo-chionntach den eucoir e. = He is innocent of the crime! (Also 'S ann neo-chionntach den eucoir a tha e.)
Bu fhiadhaich an cù sin. = That dog was ferocious! (Also 'S ann fiachaich a bha an cù sin.)
Bu shona sinn. = They were happy. (Also 'S ann sona a bha sinn.)
Tha sinn ag smaointinn gur ann eireachdail a tha e. = We think he's dreamy!
'S ann an-diugh a bha mi anns a' bhaile. = It's today that I was in town!
An ann anns an abhainn a bha thu a' snàmh? = Was it in the river that you were swimming?
Chan ann. 'S ann anns a' mhuir a bha mi. = No. I was in the sea.
Nach ann tric a bha thu tinn nuair a bha thu òg? 'S ann. = Weren't you often sick when you were young? Yes.
These sentences are examples of classifications using the idiom of the relative clause "A BHEIL" + "ANN" with the defective verb "IS".
'S e rùnaire a th' ann. = He is a secretary.
Tha mi a' creidsinn gur e Uibhisteach a tha ann. = I believe that he is from Uist.
'S e seòladair air an luing sin a th' annam. = I am a sailor on that ship.
Tha iad ag ràdh gur e iolaire a tha anns an eun. = They say that the bird is an eagle.
'S e dotair a tha nam bhràthair. = My brother is a doctor. (nam is the possessive pronoun of ann + mo)
Is e ministear a tha innte. = She is a minister.
'S e seinneadair math a th' innte. = She is a good singer.
{Nota Bene :-- The masculine pronoun is used to introduce these two statements because it refers to the masculine nouns ministear and seinneadair}.