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Emphasis on a verb
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:50 pm
by Thrissel
I know how to emphasize a (pro)noun (
is esan a thuirt sin / 's e Dòmhnall a chuidich iad) or an adverb (
's ann fadalach a ruig sinn am baile) but it occurred to me than I can't emphasize a verb, as in English "they did succeed". Is there anything like that in Gaelic or does one simply use some circumvention (
shoirbhich iad a dh'aindeoin a h-uile rud)

Re: Emphasis on a verb
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:53 pm
by akerbeltz
you use dèan plus the verbal noun for that sort of thing, in your example:
's e soirbheachadh a rinn iad
Other examples:
's e ithe a rinn iad (the ATE it)
's e mo bhualadh a rinn i (she HIT me)
Re: Emphasis on a verb
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:08 pm
by Thrissel
On second thoughts: could I also use this structure in a sentence like "he was getting quite hungry but in the end he did find some food" - bha e a' fàs gu math acrach ach aig a cheann thall 's e biadh air choireigin a lorg a rinn e, or would it be better to simply emphasize by intonation (as I would in Czech) - bha e a' fàs gu math acrach ach aig a' chenn thall LORG e biadh air choireigin ?
Re: Emphasis on a verb
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 6:39 pm
by akerbeltz
You could use rinn there but it's a bit convoluted. I think I'd do that one with ann:
ach aig a' cheann thall lorg e biadh air choireigin ann
Or stick a gu dearbh in there. I wouldn't use my voice.