Clíodhna Campbell
IN AMANNA cuirimid an litir ‘i’ roimh an litir dheireanach i bhfocail leis an uimhir iolra a dhéanamh. At times we put the letter ‘i’ before the last letter in a word to make it plural. Mar shampla:
—Amadán changes to amadáin
—Guthán changes to gutháin
—Eitleán changes to eitleáin
—Crann changes to crainn
—Biorán changes to bioráin
—Gasúr changes to gasúir
—Focal changes to focail
—Naprún changes to naprúin
Amadán—am-ad-ann—fool (person)
Amadáin—am-ad-ine—fools
Guthán—goo-han—phone
Gutháin—goo-hine—phones
Eitleán—etch-lann—aeroplane
Eitleáin—etch-line—aeroplanes
Crann—krann—tree
Crainn—krinn—trees
Biorán—birr-ann—tack/pin
Bioráin—birr-ine—tacks/pins
Gasúr—gas-ir—boy
Gasúir—gas-oor—boys
Focal—foc-al—word
Focail—foc-aisle—words
Naprún—nap-roon—apron
Naprúin—nap-roon—aprons
Focail eile a leanann an riail seo ná:
—Sruthán—stream
—Pictiúr—picture
—Leon—lion
—Luascán—swing
—Gabhar—goat
—Camán—hurl
—Broc—badger
—Cnoc—hill
—Forc—fork
—Milseán—sweet
—Nuachtán—newspaper
—Bloc—block (of wood)
Tá roinnt focail ann nach leanann riail ar bith san uimhir iolra. There are some words that don’t follow any rules in the plural:
—Fear changes to fir
—Bean changes to mná
—Teach changes to tithe
—Sliabh changes to sléibhte
—Lá changes to laethanta
—Bó changes to ba
—Mí changes to míonna
—Leaba changes to leapacha
Tá na fir uilig ar thaobh amháin den seomra.
Tah nah fir ill-igg air heave ow-ine din showm-ra.
All of the men are on one side of the room.
Tá na mná uilig ar an taobh eile.
Tah nah mra ill-igg air ann teeve elle-eh.
All of the women are on the other side.
Tá na tithe i gCóbh ildaite.
Tah nah tea-ha i gove ill-die-tche.
The houses in Cobh are multicoloured.
Dhreap mé na sléibhte i gCondae an Dún tharr an tsamhraidh.
Gh-rap may nah slev-te ih gun-day ann doon har ann tow-roo.
I climbed the mountains in County Down over the summer.
Bhí na laethanta níos faide i rith an tsamhraidh.
Vee nah lay-hanta niece fwidge-eh ih reeh ann tow-roo.
The days were longer in the summer.
Tá na ba istigh don oíche.
Tah nah bah is-chee dawn ee-ha.
The cows are in for the night.
Beidh na míonna fadálach anois.
Bay nah mee-on-ah fada-loch ann-ish.
The months will be slower now.
Ba ceart go raibh na leanaí sna leapacha anois.
Bah key-art goh row nah lan-ee snah lap-ach-a ann-ish.
The babies should be in their beds by now.
Déan iarrachta na focail neamhrialta a fhoghlaim agus lean an cholúin do níos mó rialacha san uimhir iolra. Try to learn the irregular words and follow the column for more rules on the plural.
Clíodhna Campbell is a teacher, language enthusiast and mother. If you would like to get in touch with her with any linguistic queries, e-mail: cliodhnamorgan@live.co.uk or follow her on Twitter: @cccliodhna
