nárbh

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Irish

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Alternative forms

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Particle

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nárbh (before consonants nár) (introduces negative past/conditional copular clauses of various kinds; used before vowels and fh plus vowel)

  1. wasn’t/wouldn’t... be? (used to introduce a negative question)
    Nárbh fhearr leat cupán tae?
    Wouldn’t you prefer a cup of tea?
  2. which/who wasn’t/wouldn’t be (used to introduce both direct and indirect relative clauses)
    an bhean nárbh iascaire íthe woman who wasn’t a fisherwoman
    an bhean nárbh fhearr léi bainnethe woman who wouldn’t prefer milk
    • 1939, Peig Sayers, “Inghean an Cheannaidhe”, in Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études; 270) (overall work in French), Paris: Librairie Honoré Champion, page 194:
      Do bhíodar sé mhí gan fille, agus nuair a chonaic Máire an t-árthach ag teacht chun cuain, bhí sceitimíní ar a croidhe le lúthgháir agus le h-áthas, ní nárbh’ iongnadh.
      They were [away] six months without returning, and when Máire saw the vessel coming to port, her heart had raptures of gladness and joy, which was not surprising.
  3. that... it wasn’t/wouldn’t be; whether/if... it wasn’t/wouldn’t be (used to introduce a negative past/conditional copular subordinate clause, including an indirect question)
    Dúirt sí nárbh fhearr léi cupán tae.
    She said that she wouldn’t prefer a cup of tea
    Ní raibh a fhios agam nárbh fhearr léi cupán tae.
    I didn’t know whether she would prefer a cup of tea.
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