Apposition

This page covers several important but distinct topics related to Irish nouns: apposition (placing nouns side-by-side), definiteness (what makes a noun specific), and the grammar of abbreviations and acronyms.

Apposition

Apposition is when two nouns or noun phrases are placed next to each other, with one identifying or describing the other. In Irish, the grammatical case of the second noun often depends on the structure of the phrase.

First Name and Surname

When a first name is followed by a surname, both names are declined to match the case of the phrase.

• Nominative: Peadar Ó hAnluain - Peadar Ó hAnluain
• Genitive: teach Pheadair Uí Anluain - the house of Peadar Ó hAnluain
• Vocative: A Pheadair Uí Anluain! - Hello, Peadar Ó hAnluain!

Title and Surname

Similarly, when a title is followed by a surname, both the title and the surname are declined.

• Nominative: an tAthair Ó hAnluain - Father Ó hAnluain
• Genitive: teach an Athar Uí Anluain - Father Ó hAnluain’s house
• Vocative: A Athair Uí Anluain! - Hello, Father Ó hAnluain!

Title and First Name

When a title is followed by a first name (and optionally a surname), only the title is declined. The name remains in the nominative case.

• Nominative: an Bráthair Seán Ó Cléirigh - Brother Seán O’Cleary
• Genitive: teach an Bhráthar Seán Ó Cléirigh - Brother Seán O’Cleary’s house
• Vocative: A Athair Peadar! - Hello, Father Peter!

First Name and Noun

When a first name is followed by a noun that describes it (like a profession), only the first name is declined. The descriptive noun stays in the nominative.

• leabhar Sheáin gabha - the book of Seán the smith
• teach Phóil, mac an dochtúra - the house of Paul, the doctor’s son

Appositive Genitive

The “appositive genitive” is a common structure where a second noun in the genitive case is used to classify the first noun.

With Two Titles

When two titles are used together, the second is in the genitive, but only the first is declined. The article, if used, precedes the first title.

• an Tiarna Easpaig - the Lord Bishop (literally, “the lord of a bishop”)

With Place Names

This structure is very common with place names.

• cathair Chorcaí - the city of Cork
• Contae na Gaillimhe - County Galway
• Poblacht na hÉireann - the Republic of Ireland

With Common Nouns

It is also used to create specific compound ideas.

• baintreach fir - widower (literally, “widow of a man”)
• múinteoir mná - female teacher (literally, “teacher of a woman”)
• rógaire linbh - a mischievous child (literally, “rogue of a child”)

Other Forms of Apposition

With a Copula Relative Clause

A relative clause using the copula is can be used for apposition.

• an t-amadán is mac duit - your son, the fool (literally, “the fool who is a son to you”)

With the Preposition de

The preposition de (“of” or “from”) can create an appositive phrase.

• amadán de mhac - a fool of a son
• gliogar de chathaoir - a rickety chair
• Bhí scian agam, de scian bheag ghéar. - I had a knife, a small sharp knife.

With the Preposition mar

The preposition mar (“as”) can be used in apposition, often referring back to something just mentioned.

• Is mór an scrios é, mar thobac. - It is a great ruin, that tobacco.
• Bhí sé glic, mar shionnach. - He was cunning, that fox.

Definiteness of Nouns

A noun in Irish is considered “definite” (referring to a specific, known item) in several situations, not just when it uses the article an or na. Understanding definiteness is important for correct sentence structure, especially with the copula and the genitive case.

A noun is definite when:

• It has an article: an fear (the man)
• It has a possessive pronoun: mo leabhar (my book), bhur bhfear (your man)
• It follows gach (every): gach fear (every man)
• It is numbered: fear a haon (man No. 1), ceist a dó (question No. 2)
• It is a proper noun: Seán, Éire (Ireland)
• It designates a unique concept: neamh (heaven), ifreann (hell), Dia (God)
• It is modified by a definite genitive: teach an dochtúra (the doctor’s house), tús gach bliana (the beginning of every year)
• It is in the vocative case: a fhir! (man!)

Consequences of Definiteness

Definiteness affects sentence structure in several key ways.

In Copula Sentences

In copula sentences, a definite noun requires a pronoun (é, í, or iad) to be added.

• Identification: When the predicate is definite, a pronoun is added after the verb.
  • Is é an bus seo an ceann is fearr. - This bus is the best one.
  • Is é ár mbus an ceann is fearr. - Our bus is the best one.
• Classification: When the subject is definite, a pronoun is added after the predicate.
  • Is dochtúir é Seán. - Seán is a doctor.
  • Is dochtúir é an fear seo. - This man is a doctor.

With Genitive Attributes

A noun modified by a definite genitive attribute is itself definite and cannot take an article.

• teach an dochtúra - the doctor’s house
• athair gach fir - the father of every man
• bás m’athar - my father’s death

Avoiding Double Definiteness

Irish avoids having two markers of definiteness on the same noun phrase (e.g., a possessive pronoun and an article). When this situation arises, you must use a different construction.

• To say “my eldest son”, you cannot combine mo and an. Instead, you use a prepositional phrase: an mac is sine agam.
• To say “my share of the money”, you cannot use a definite genitive (an airgid) with a possessive (mo). Instead, you use de: mo chuid den airgead.

Expressing Indefiniteness

To make a noun phrase indefinite, you must avoid all the markers of definiteness listed above. This is especially important when a genitive or possessive would normally make the phrase definite.

For example, dán Goethe means “Goethe’s poem” (a specific, definite poem). To say “a poem by Goethe” (an indefinite one), you must use a prepositional phrase.

• dán le Goethe - a poem by Goethe
• dán de chuid Goethe - a poem by Goethe (one of Goethe’s poems)
• teach don dochtúir - a doctor’s house (compare with teach an dochtúra, the doctor’s house)
• *cara dom - a friend of mine
• *cos léi - a leg of hers
• *cara dá chuid - a friend of his (one of his friends)

Definiteness of Clauses

Verbal noun phrases and subordinate clauses are treated as definite when they function as the subject or object of a sentence. They are referred to with the pronoun é.

• Is deas an rud é bualadh le do chairde. - Meeting your friends is a nice thing.

This does not apply to modal constructions with the copula, which do not take a secondary pronoun.

• Is maith liom bualadh le mo chairde. - I like meeting my friends.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviations and acronyms are common in modern Irish and follow specific grammatical rules.

• SAM for Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá (USA)
• RTÉ for Raidió Teilifís Éireann (Irish Radio-Television)
• BÁC for Baile Átha Cliath (Dublin)

Initial Mutations

In the standard language, abbreviations and acronyms do not undergo initial mutations.

• They are not lenited or eclipsed.
• They do not receive t-, h-, or n- prefixes.
• The preposition i becomes in before them: in RTÉ (on RTÉ).
• The prepositions de and do are not shortened to d': de OÉ (from the University of Ireland).

Use of the Article

• Acronyms for unique entities (like countries or organisations) are inherently definite and do not need an article: SAM, OÉ (Ollscoil na hÉireann).
• If the full name begins with an article, the acronym can be used with or without it: (an) AE for an tAontas Eorpach (the EU); (na) NA for na Naisiúin Aontaithe (the UN).
• For common nouns, the article is used to make the acronym definite: DD (a CD), an DD (the CD).

Number and Gender

Abbreviations are generally treated as masculine and singular, even if the full form is feminine or plural. They are referred to with the pronoun é.

• Is é SAM an tír is cumhachtaí. - The USA is the most powerful country.

Acronyms for common nouns can be made plural by adding the ending -anna (or -nna after a vowel).

• DDanna - CDs
• na DDanna - the CDs