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[kittydesade]

The endings of verbs in the present tense can be seen clearly in the forms of the verb téann (goes) given below. Apart from the first person singular and first person plural forms the ending is -ann, to which a pronoun is added.
e.g. téim = té + im
téann tú = té + ann tú
téann sé = té + ann sé
téann sí = té + ann sí
téimid = té + imid
téann sibh = té + ann sibh
téann siad = té + ann siad

When these endings are added to a verb which ends with a consonant some spelling adjustments are required. If the consonant is preceded by a/o/u, an a is placed before im and imid. If on the other hand the consonant is preceded by i, an e is placed in front of ann. This follows from the spelling rule of 'broad with broad and slender with slender' and can be seen in the present tense forms of fágann (leaves) and cuireann (puts). The vowels added have been capitalized bolded here.

fágaim, cuirim
fágann tú, cuireann tú
fágann sé, cuireann sé
fágann sí, cuireann sí
fágaimid, cuirimid
fágann sibh, cuireann sibh
fágann siad, cuireann siad

The contrast found in English between I write (as a general state) and I am writing (this very minute) is also found in Irish, e.g.

scríobhaim, I write, Tá mé ag scríobh, I am writing.
téim, I go, Tá mé ag dul, I am going.
fágaim, I leave, Tá mé ag fágáil, I am leaving.



Irish verbs fall into two different classes according to whether they have an í before the ending. This í becomes aí after a broad consonant, as may be seen by comparing the forms of imíonn (goes away) and ceannaíonn (buys) given below. Notice also
í + im becomes ím
í + imid becomes ímid
í + ann becomes íonn

fanann (stays) imíonn (goes away) ceannaíonn (buys)
fanaim, imím, ceannaím
fannan tú, imíonn tú, ceannaíonn tú
fanann sé, imíonn sé, ceannaíonn sé
fanann sí, imíonn sí, ceannaíonn sí
fanaimid, imímid, ceannaímid
fanann sibh, imíonn sibh, ceannaíon sibh
fanann siad, imíonn siad, ceannaíon siad

All verbs follow one of these two patterns:
Type 1: déanann (makes/does)
cuireann (puts)
tugann (gives) tagair
ligeann (lets) lig
faigheann (gets)
fanann (stays)
fágann (leaves)
tagann (comes) tar
téann (goes) teigh
itheann (eats) ith
léann (reads) léigh
creideann (believes)
tuigeann (understands) tuig

Type 2: éiríonn (gets up)
oibríonn (works)
imíonn (goes away)
bailíonn (collects, gathers) baíligh
críochnaíonn (finishes)
tosaíonn (starts) tosaigh


So, apparently I should be looking for the works of Cathal Ó Sándair if I want to practice my Irish on books. Because they're pulp, and they're short, which means they're short works that follow easily distinguished guidelines based along ideas I'm already mostly familiar with. Excepting, of course, more regional cultural differences. But pulp western and pulp detective? That I'm familiar with. A lot.

If only I was in Ireland. Argh. If I ever go to Ireland I am going to scour freaking used bookstores. Or I could just make doe-eyes at my friend(s?) in Ireland?

Still surviving. Slowly regaining my energy, I think, now that things are proceeding and there is some hope that they will proceed to a finish instead of going back to the beginning. I can't muster up too much hope, though. I did some organizing of my writing and my thoughts yesterday, so there's that. And I managed to find a way to get Russian to goddamn stick! Which is a minor miracle. My vocab in Russian is slippery like a slippy thing. Oddly, Irish is FINE. Maybe it's an alphabet thing. That would seem to fit the pattern, even if it's annoying as fuck.