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[kittydesade]

How to say the person to 'whom' I was talking.
The usual relative (who, which) clause begins with a + lenition:

Sin an bhean a chónaíonn in aice linn. That is the woman who lives next to us.
Sin an bhean a chónaigh in aice linn. That is the woman who lived next to us.

This is called a direct relative clause. There is also an indirect relative clause, which you find for instance if the relation between the main clause and the relative clause is a prepositional one such as in which, to whom, and with whom. Indirect relative clauses begin with a + eclipses in the present tense and with ar + lenition in the past tense. They also end with a personal form of a preposition, eg ann (in it), léi (with her), air (on him/it).

Compare the direct and indirect examples:
Direct: Sin a duine a chónaíonn ann. This is the person who lives there.
Indirect: Sin an teach a gcónaím ann. That is the house in which I live.
Direct: Sin an bhean a labhair. That is the woman who spoke.
Indirect: Sin an bhean ar labhair mé léi. That is the woman to whom I spoke.
Direct: Sin an teach a chonaic mé. That is the house I saw.
Indirect: Sin an teach ar fhéach mé air. That is the house at which I looked.

Another peculiarity of indirect relative clauses is that the verb must be in the dependent form, if there is one. This can be shown with the verb tá (is). You will recall that tá has the dependent forms bhfuil in the present tense and raibh in the past tense. Compare these:

Tá mé chun bualadh leis. I am going to meet him.
Sin an fear a bhfuil mé chun bualadh leis. That's the man I am going to meet.
Bhí mé chun bualadh leis. I was going to meet him.
Sin an fear a raibh mé chun bualadh leis. That's the man I was going to meet.
Bhí tú ag caint léi. You were talking to her.
Sin an bhean a raibh tú ag caint léi. That's the woman you were talking to.

Notice that a raibh is written instead of ar raibh. Here are some further examples of indirect relative clauses:

an duine a bhfuil coinne agam leis - the person I have an appointment with
an post ar chuir sí isteach air - the job which she applied to
an post ar ghlac sí leis - the job which she accepted
an bhean a raibh lón agam léi - the woman I had lunch with
an clár a raibh mé ag féachaint air - the programme I was watching
na daoine ar bhuail mé leo - the people I met

The indirect relative clause is also used to express the idea of whose, for which there is no simple word in Irish
Sin an bhean a gcónaíonn a mac in aice linn. That is the woman whose son lives next to us. (lit. that her son lives next to us)
Sin an bhean ar chónaigh a mac in aice linn. That is the woman whose son lived next to us.


Fuck relative clauses in the eye with a stick. Ugh.

But I finished my Tetsuo cloak last night! All but for the bottom hems, which don't actually need to be done considering the cloak is supposed to be in somewhat ragged condition anyway. I might redo one seam that was the last to be done last night, mostly because I kind of half-assed that one. I was tired and I just thought of putting it there, since I've been making this up since I finished the body of the cloak. There isn't exactly a pattern for a Tetsuo cloak, and I didn't entirely want to just do a rectangle of fabric, I wanted something a little more put together. But I can unpick that later and tack it down properly and re-sew it properly, so. And then lower edge hems! And. That's it.

Today, god, I need to fucking finish drafting Gods and Monsters, but that seems to be the usual Tuesday refrain. Once I get these costumes done maybe that'll be less of a Tuesday refrain and more of a Monday or even a Sunday refrain? Anyway, tonight's project is sewing the other cape, my Huntress cape, just getting the body done and then edging it with white later. And, heh, we'll see how long it ends up being. I swear I chopped length off the Tetsuo cape and somehow it ended up floor length anyway. Well, slightly above floor length once I'm done hemming it. But still. Goddamn.

So, that's tonight, actually most of the Huntress costume is this week except for little bits of other costumes that I'm finishing this week and holy hell this might even be mostly done by early next month. Bloody hell. Still boggled.

Not much new on other fronts, though. Exercise continues, writing continues, gardening continues. Poking and analyzing things continues. Languages continue, though not much of them yesterday on account of there was afternoon migraine. Hopefully today will be less migrainey and more productivey.

I've also been watching Orphan Black. I have Thoughts on Orphan Black, most of which amounts to "oh, hey, this really is good" and "oh you MOTHERFUCKERS" but that will wait till another time.