Fullscreen Uimhir / Number 103b Míniúcháin / Explanations Méadaigh
A Áine(Dear Anne)A Dhiarmaid(Dear Dermot)

AN TUISEAL GAIRMEACH

This grammatical feature is called "An Tuiseal Gairmeach" or the Vocative Case. It should always be used when addressing someone directly by name. Nouns, ainmfhocail, in Irish change a little in form or spelling depending on the meaning. These differing forms are called Tuisil or in English, Cases.This is an example of one of these changes. It is helpful to think of the A of A Áine as Dear Áine rather than Oh, Áine. A does not actually mean "dear" but is a particle indicating the Tuiseal Gairmeach or the Vocative Case (used when you are addressing or calling someone.)

Note how the initial consonant of Diarmaid is aspirated "dh" after A in the Tuiseal Gairmeach. This is an indicator of the Tuiseal Gairmeach the Vocative Case.


SÉIMHIÚ - - ASPIRATION - - LENITION

Aspiration is also called lenition in English and in Irish séimhiú. Of the twenty six letters of the English alphabet used now in Irish only these consonants take séimhiú: b, c, d, f, g, m, p, s, t. Where séimhiú is required place a h after the consonant. The sound changes but I am not dealing with the pronunciation of Irish here at the moment.

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Beware: A has many other meanings and is used in other ways which we will meet soon.

I will deal with the Tuisil later but for the moment I give some examples of the Tuiseal Gairmeach

Ainm
Name 		Tuiseal Gairmeach
Vocative Case 		Brí i mBéarla
Meaning in English
Pádraig A Phádraig (Dear) Patrick
Seán A Sheáin (Dear) John
Máire A Mháire (Dear) Mary
Breandán A Bhreandáin (Dear) Brendan
Siobhán A Shiobhán (Dear) Joan
Niamh A Niamh (Dear) Niamh
Duine uasal A dhuine uasail Sir! (addressing a man respectfully)
Bean uasal A bhean uasal Madam! (addressing a woman respectfully)

Note 1: The initial consonant of the name is aspirated after A if possible in the Tuiseal Gairmeach.

Note 2: The last consonant of the name is slenderised if masculine i.e. Breandán; not so if feminine! i.e. Siobhán. (Slenderise?? This is called "caolú" in Irish. Generally it means to put an "i" before the final consonant as shown above. Some words change quite considerably under the influence of "caolú" but I will leave that until later.)

Note 3: In letters Dear Sir or Madam is A chara.
Duine uasal means literally "a noble person" and bean uasal a lady.
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