Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 11:53:06 +0100
From: Colin Mark <[email protected]>
Subject: Tip of the week 46
Tip of the Week 46
Bha Siùsaidh à California a Tuath a' faighneachd mu
dheidhinn 'ri', 'ri a' is mar sin air adhart.
Susan of Northern California was asking about ri', 'ri a' etc.
It was clear from her message that she meant 'ri' used as the equivalent of
the passive infinitive in English i.e. when we want to say ' to be done',
'to be seen' to be heard' etc., which is only one of the many uses of the
preposition 'ri'.
Traditionally, and still very commonly, this is done with ri + possesive
adjective + verbal noun with lenition or non-lenition according to the rules
governing possessive adjectives.
Tha seann làraichean dhùn Ròmanach rim faicinn aig
Druim a' Chaisteil.
Old sites of Roman forts are to be seen at Drumquhassle (Gairm)
or
There are old sites of Roman forts to be seen at Drumquhassle
Lit. Are old sites of Roman forts to their seeing etc.
Chan eil a' bhàrdachd ri h-eadar-theangachadh.
The poetry is not to be translated. (Old Gaelic exam papers)
Lit. to its (fem.) translating
Tha barrachd 's barrachd Gàidhlig ri faotainn am measg
dhuilleagan "Bhirlinn".
More and more Gaelic is to be found among "Birlinn's" pages (Scotsman)
Moreover, Gaelic is a little more logical in this usage, and maintains this
construction in such expressions as:
Tha na h-eòin tarraingeach rin amharc
The birds are attractive to watch. (i.e. to their watching)
Thuirt i nach biodh i sona gu bràth mura faigheadh i feadhainn
dhiubh rin ithe.
She said that she would never be happy unless she got some of them to eat.
(i.e. to their eating)
Tha bùth air an làraich cuideachd far am faigh
luchd-turais cuimhneachain agus treallaich eile rin cheannach.
There is a shop on the site, too, where tourists will find souvenirs and
other odds-and-ends to buy (i.e. to their buying)
- from the story 'Iain Gròt' on the Sabhal M&ograave;r Ostaig website.
As I said, this is the traditional usage, but the alternative will
frequently be found. That is to use the lenited (where possible) form of the
verbal noun, irrespective of whether the object is masculine, feminine or
plural.
Bidh bursaraidhean ri fhaotainn do chuid de na h-oileanaich
Bursaries are available to some of the students (Scotsman)
Dhiubh sin chan eil goireasan cothromach ri fhaotainn ach ann an
Steòrnabhagh.
Out of these, reasonable facilities are to be found / available only in
Stornoway. (Scotsman)
Bhithinn-sa an dòchas [...] gum bi a' bh�rdachd iongantach seo
ri fhaotainn 'na h-uile dath ann am port-adhair neo stàl-leabhraichean
sam bith.
I would hope [...] that this amazing poetry will be available in all its
hues in any airport or bookstall. (Scotsman)
Chan eil càil ri fhaicinn dhe na seann chaistealan an-diugh ach
staidhre gu Sràid a' Chaisteil agus [...]
There is nothing to be seen of the old castles today but a stairway to
Castle Street and [...] - from the story 'Caisteal Inbhir Nis' on the Sabhal
Mòr Ostaig website.
Cailean
Am Marcair Dubh
Is i a' Ghàidhlig Cànan mo Dhùthcha.
URL: http://www.gaeldesign.com/colinmark
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