Wombat's Unified Copula Theory (WUCT)

mhwombat · **Joined:** Mon 29 Aug 2011 3:36 am **Posts:** 247

For a complete list of wombat explanations, see: viewforum.php?f=34

Wombat's Unified Copula Theory (WUCT) v4.0

1. Classification sentences
If the predicate is indefinite, the sentence is a classification sentence. The predicate comes first (usually it's the reverse in English).

2. Identification sentences
a. If the predicate is a proper noun or emphatic pronoun, and subject is neither, the predicate comes first (usually it's the reverse in English).
b. Otherwise, the subject comes first, as in English.

3. Proleptic Pronouns
(a) [Ulster version] The copula can never be followed directly by a proper or definite noun, so you need to insert a proleptic pronoun (é, í, iad). (This proleptic pronoun isn't the subject or the predicate, and it isn't translated.)

(b) [Connacht/Munster version]
i. If your sentence has proper nouns or definite nouns in it, you you need to insert a proleptic pronoun (é, í, iad). It precedes the first proper noun or a definite noun, whichever it is you've got, and agrees with it in gender. (This proleptic pronoun isn't the subject or the predicate, and it isn't translated.)
ii. If the subject is é, í, or iad, it goes both before and after the predicate.

Examples
Psst! You can generate your own custom examples at http://nualeargais.ie/foghlaim/copulaForm.php

Classification sentences:

Code: Select all

Subject      Predicate    Example                         Translation                Order
indef. noun  indef. noun  Is marsúipiach wombat.*         A wombat is a marsupial.   reverse of English, pred-subj
* Better to avoid an indefinite subject.
def. noun    indef. noun  Is wombat [é] an t-ainmhí sin.  That animal is a wombat.   reverse of English, pred-subj
prop. noun   indef. noun  Is wombat Amy.                  Amy is a wombat.           reverse of English, pred-subj
reg. pron.   indef. noun  Is wombat í.                    She is a wombat.           reverse of English, pred-subj
emph. pron.  indef. noun  Is wombat sise.                 She is a wombat.           reverse of English, pred-subj

Identification sentences where the predicate is a proper noun or emphatic pronoun, and subject is neither:

Code: Select all

Subject      Predicate    Example                         Translation                Order
indef. noun  prop. noun   Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
indef. noun  emph. pron.  Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
def. noun    emph. pron.  Is sise an wombat.              The wombat is her.         reverse of English, pred-subj
                                                     -or- She is the wombat.
def. noun    prop. noun   Is í Amy an wombat.             The wombat is Amy.         reverse of English, pred-subj
reg. pron.   prop. noun   Is í Amy í.                     She is Amy.                reverse of English, pred-subj

Other identification sentences:

Code: Select all

Subject      Predicate    Example                         Translation                Order
indef. noun  def. noun    Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
indef. noun  reg. pron.   Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
def. noun    def. noun    Is í an bhean sin an wombat.    That woman is the wombat.  same as English, subj-pred
def. noun    reg. pron.   Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
prop. noun   def. noun    Is í Amy an wombat.             Amy is the wombat.         same as English, subj-pred
prop. noun   prop. noun   Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
prop. noun   reg. pron.   Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
prop. noun   emph. pron.  Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
reg. pron.   def. noun    Is í sin an wombat.             She is the wombat.         same as English, subj-pred
* Normally you wouldn't have a pronoun on its own, you'd follow it with sin, seo, etc.
reg. pron.   reg. pron.   Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
reg. pron.   emph. pron.  Not normally allowed in Irish or English                        
emph. pron.  def. noun    Is mise an wombat.              I am the wombat.           same as English, subj-pred
emph. pron.  prop. noun   Is sise Amy.                    She is Amy.                same as English, subj-pred
emph. pron.  reg. pron.   Is mise í.                      I am her.                  same as English, subj-pred
emph. pron.  emph. pron.  Not normally allowed in Irish or English     

Restructuring a sentence to avoid an indefinite subject:
*Is marsúipiach wombat. A wombat is a marsupial.
- Better: Marsúipiach atá sa whombat.
- Other dialects prefer: Is marsúipiach é an wombat or Marsúipiach is ea an wombat.

Split predicate
Is wombat í a bhfuil a lán eolais faoin chopail aici. She's a wombat who knows a lot about the copula.

Forum rules

Wombat's Unified Copula Theory (WUCT)

Who is online