Appendix:Irish second-declension nouns
The Irish second declension is made up primarily of feminine nouns; there are only three masculine nouns. The nominative singular ends in a broad (velarized) or slender (palatalized) consonant. The genitive singular is formed by adding -e to the nominative singular and palatalizing the final consonant if it is not already slender.
The vocative and dative singular are identical to the nominative singular. (However, in the archaic literary language and in some dialects, the second declension has a distinct dative case formed by dropping the -e from the genitive singular but retaining the slender consonant.)
The plural can be formed in any of a variety of ways, which can be grouped into two basic types: the weak plural forms and the strong plural forms.
Weak plurals
[edit]A weak plural in Irish is a plural formation in which the genitive plural is distinct from the nominative plural. The weak nominative plural is formed by adding -a to the broad consonant (for example, póg (“a kiss”) has nominative plural póga and deoir (“tear”) has nominative plural deora). The genitive plural is formed by dropping the -a of the nominative plural, e.g. póg (identical to nominative singular), deor (distinct from nominative singular). The vocative and dative plural are identical to the nominative plural. (However, in the archaic language and in some dialects the dative plural is formed by adding -aibh to the broad consonant, e.g. pógaibh, deoraibh.)
| póg (“kiss”) | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | póg | póga |
| Vocative | a phóg | a phóga |
| Genitive | póige | póg |
| Dative | póg (archaic) póig |
póga (archaic) pógaibh |
| deoir (“tear”) | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | deoir | deora |
| Vocative | a dheoir | a dheora |
| Genitive | deoire | deor |
| Dative | deoir | deora (archaic) deoraibh |
Other examples:
- adharc, gen. sg. adhairce, nom. pl. adharca, gen. pl. adharc – a horn
- bréag, gen. sg. bréige, nom. pl. bréaga, gen. pl. bréag – a lie
- clann, gen. sg. clainne, nom. pl. clanna, gen. pl. clann – offspring, clan
- cloch, gen. sg. cloiche, nom. pl. clocha, gen. pl. cloch – a stone
- cnámh, gen. sg. cnáimhe, nom. pl. cnámha, gen. pl. cnámh – a bone
- críoch, gen. sg. críche, nom. pl. críocha, gen. pl. críoch – an end, limit
- croch, gen. sg. croiche, nom. pl. crocha, gen. pl. croch – a gallows
- cros, gen. sg. croise, pl. crosa, gen. pl. cros – a cross
- cruach, gen. sg. cruaiche, nom. pl. cruacha, gen. pl. cruach – a stack, pile
- cuach, gen. sg. cuaiche, nom. pl. cuacha, gen. pl. cuach – a cuckoo
- gaoth, gen. sg. gaoithe, nom. pl. gaotha, gen. pl. gaoth – wind
- géag, gen. sg. géige, nom. pl. géaga, gen. pl. géag – a branch
- luch, gen. sg. luiche, nom. pl. lucha, gen. pl. luch – a mouse
- méar, gen. sg. méire, nom. pl. méara, gen. pl. méar – a finger
- muc, gen. sg. muice, nom. pl. muca, gen. pl. muc – a pig
- scuab, gen. sg. scuaibe, nom. pl. scuaba, gen. pl. scuab – a brush
- slat, gen. sg. slaite, nom. pl. slata, gen. pl. slat – a rod, yard
- srón, gen. sg. sróine, nom. pl. sróna, gen. pl. srón – a nose
- subh, gen. sg. suibhe, nom. pl. subha, gen. pl. subh – jam
- tuath, gen. sg. tuaithe, nom. pl. tuatha, gen. pl. tuath – a country
All nouns ending in the suffixes -lann and -óg/-eog:
- -lann, gen. sg. -lainne, nom. pl. -lanna, gen. pl. -lann
- -óg, gen. sg. -óige, nom. pl. -óga, gen. pl. -óg
- -eog, gen. sg. -eoige, nom. pl. -eoga, gen. pl. -eog
Some nouns undergo a vowel change before the slender consonant of the genitive singular:
- cearc, gen. sg. circe, nom. pl. cearca, gen. pl. cearc – a hen
- ciall, gen. sg. céille, nom. pl. cialla, gen. pl. ciall – sense
- dealbh, gen. sg. deilbhe, nom. pl. dealbha, gen. pl. dealbh – a statue
- sceach, gen. sg. sceiche, nom. pl. sceacha, gen. pl. sceach – a bush
At least one undergoes a vowel change before the broad consonant of the plural:
The genitive singular of nouns ending in unstressed -(e)ach is formed with -(a)í, which in the older spelling was -(a)ighe. The archaic dative singular of these forms ends in -(a)igh.
| gealach (“moon”) | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | gealach | gealacha |
| Vocative | a ghealach | a ghealacha |
| Genitive | gealaí (obsolete spelling) gealaighe |
gealach |
| Dative | gealach (archaic) gealaigh |
gealacha (archaic) gealachaibh |
| girseach (“girl”) | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | girseach | girseacha |
| Vocative | a ghirseach | a ghirseacha |
| Genitive | girsí (obsolete spelling) girsighe |
girseach |
| Dative | girseach (archaic) girsigh |
girseacha (archaic) girseachaibh |
Other examples:
- báinseach, gen. sg. báinsí, nom. pl. báinseacha, gen. pl. báinseach – a lawn
- báisteach, gen. sg. báistí, no plural – rain
- cailleach, gen. sg. caillí, nom. pl. cailleacha, gen. pl. cailleach – a hag
- cláirseach, gen. sg. cláirsí, nom. pl. cláirseacha, gen. pl. cláirseach – a harp
A few weak plurals exceptionally in -e rather than -a:
- dúil, gen. sg. dúile, nom. pl. dúile, gen. pl. dúl – desire
- glúin, gen. sg. glúine, nom. pl. glúine, gen. pl. glún – a knee
- súil, gen. sg. súile, nom. pl. súile, gen. pl. súl – an eye
Strong plurals
[edit]A strong plural in Irish is a plural formation in which the all cases of the plural are identical (except for the archaic and dialectal dative plural in -(a)ibh). Many words of the second declension form a strong plural with one of the endings -(e)anna, -í, -(e)acha, -ta, -te, -tha.
| áit (“place”) | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | áit | áiteanna |
| Vocative | a áit | a áiteanna |
| Genitive | áite | áiteanna |
| Dative | áit | áiteanna (obsolete) áiteannaibh |
Plurals in -(e)anna:
- aghaidh, gen. sg. aghaidhe, pl. aghaidheanna – a face
- aois, gen. sg. aoise, pl. aoiseanna – an age
- beirt, gen. sg. beirte, pl. beirteanna – a pair
- breis, gen. sg. breise, pl. breiseanna – an extra amount
- céim, gen. sg. céime, pl. céimeanna – a step, degree
- cuairt, gen. sg. cuairte, pl. cuairteanna – a visit
- cúis, gen. sg. cúise, pl. cúiseanna – a cause
- duais, gen. sg. duaise, pl. duaiseanna – a prize
- fuaim, gen. sg. fuaime, pl. fuaimeanna – a sound
- léim, gen. sg. léime, pl. léimeanna – a jump
- páirc, gen. sg. páirce, pl. páirceanna – a park
- scoil, gen. sg. scoile, pl. scoileanna – a school
- sráid, gen. sg. sráide, pl. sráideanna – a street
- teip, gen. sg. teipe, pl. teipeanna – a failure
- uaigh, gen. sg. uaighe, pl. uaigheanna – a grave
Plurals in -í
- abairt, gen. sg. abairte, pl. abairtí – a sentence
- aimsir, gen. sg. aimsire, pl. aimsirí – a time
- aisling, gen. sg. aislinge, pl. aislingí – a vision
- brionglóid, gen. sg. brionglóide, pl. brionglóidí – a dream
- contúirt, gen. sg. contúirte, pl. contúirtí – a danger
- eaglais, gen. sg. eaglaise, pl. eaglaisí – a church
- feithid, gen. sg. feithide, pl. feithidí – an insect
- foraois, gen. sg. foraoise, pl. foraoisí – a forest
- inchinn, gen. sg. inchinne, pl. inchinní – a brain
- intinn, gen. sg. intinne, pl. intinní – a mind, intention
- lámhainn, gen. sg. lámhainne, pl. lámhainní – a glove
- liathróid, gen. sg. liathróide, pl. liathróidí – a ball
- oifig, gen. sg. oifige, pl. oifigí – an office
- réabhlóid, gen. sg. réabhlóide, pl. réabhlóidí – a revolution
- reilig, gen. sg. reilige, pl. reiligí – a graveyard
- scilling, gen. sg. scillinge, pl. scillingí – a shilling
- seachtain, gen. sg. seachtaine, pl. seachtainí – a week
- tuairisc, gen. sg. tuairisce, pl. tuairiscí – an account
Plurals in -(e)acha
- carraig, gen. sg. carraige, pl. carraigeacha – a rock
- cistin, gen. sg. cistine, pl. cistineacha – a kitchen
- coirm, gen. sg. coirme, pl. coirmeacha – a feast
- colainn, gen. sg. colainne, pl. colainneacha – a body
- craobh, gen. sg. craoibhe, pl. craobhacha – a branch
- culaith, gen. sg. culaithe, pl. cultacha – a suit
- feirm, gen. sg. feirme, pl. feirmeacha – a farm
- féith, gen. sg. féithe, pl. féitheacha – a vein
- foirm, gen. sg. foirme, pl. foirmeacha – a form
- fréamh, gen. sg. fréimhe, pl. fréamhacha – a branch
- iníon, gen. sg. iníne, pl. iníonacha – a daughter
- maidin, gen. sg. maidine, pl. maidineacha – a morning
- muintir, gen. sg. muintire, pl. muintireacha – a family
- stoirm, gen. sg. stoirme, pl. stoirmeacha – a storm
- ubh, gen. sg. uibhe, pl. uibheacha – an egg
Plurals in -ta, -te, -tha:
- buíon, gen. sg. buíne, pl. buíonta – a band
- coill, gen. sg. coille, pl. coillte – a wood
- gáir, gen. sg. gáire, pl. gártha – a shout
- slinn, gen. sg. slinne, pl. slinnte – a slate
- spéir, gen. sg. spéire, pl. spéartha – a sky
- stair, gen. sg. staire, pl. startha – a history
- tír, gen. sg. tíre, pl. tíortha – a country
- tonn, gen. sg. toinne, pl. tonnta – a wave
Some nouns undergo a vowel change before the slender consonant of the genitive singular:
- grian, gen. sg. gréine, pl. grianta – sun
- pian, gen. sg. péine, pl. pianta – a pain
- scian, gen. sg. scine, pl. sceana – a knife
- deoch, gen. sg. dí, pl. deochanna – a drink
A few nouns undergo syncope of an internal syllable in the genitive singular and/or the plural:
- fiacail, gen. sg. fiacaile, pl. fiacla
- obair, gen. sg. oibre, pl. oibreacha
- paidir, gen. sg. paidre, pl. paidreacha
Duals
[edit]Some nouns referring to things that usually occur in pairs have a separate dual form that is used when the word is modified by dhá (“two”). It is identical in form to the (archaic) dative singular (i.e. it is formed by dropping the -e from the genitive singular). Moreover, in these words the dative singular is not archaic, but is commonly found.
All of these nouns have a weak plural.
| Singular | Dual | Plural | Gloss | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Genitive | Dative | Nominative | Genitive | ||
| bos | boise | bois | dhá bhois | bosa | bos | palm of the hand |
| bróg | bróige | bróig | dhá bhróig | bróga | bróg | shoe |
| cluas | cluaise | cluais | dhá chluais | cluasa | cluas | ear |
| cos | coise | cois | dhá chois | cosa | cos | a foot, leg |
| lámh | láimhe | láimh | dhá láimh | lámha | lámh | a hand |
In some dialects, the dative singular of these nouns is also used as the nominative singular.
Masculines
[edit]There are three masculine nouns in the second declension. All three have strong plurals.
- im, gen. sg. ime, pl. imeanna – butter
- sliabh, gen. sg. sléibhe, pl. sléibhte – mountain
- teach, gen. sg. tí, pl. tithe – house