An Caighdéan Oifigiúil: Chapter 3: Definite and Indefinite Nouns, Abbreviations and the Nominative Form in place of the Genitive (pp. 37-56)

This is Chapter 3 of the unofficial translation of An Caighdeán Oifigiúil based off of the 2017 version. You can find all other chapters here.

3.1 Definite and Indefinite Nouns

3.1.1 Nouns are definite or indefinite. A definite noun is one that refers to a person or a definite thing. It is in one of the ways illustrated in 3.1.2 below that a reference is made to a person or a definite thing. A noun in any other situation is an indefinite noun.

3.1.2 The following are definite nouns:

(a) Proper nouns (names of people or specific places), e.g. Fionnán, Gráinne, Leamhcán:

*Translators’ note: The Caighdeán is actually wrong in the first example. When proper nouns refer to names rather than identifying specific persons directly, they are treated as indefinite nouns, see for examples:

• Sílim gur Jacob ab ainm dhó (Cóil Learaí Ó Finneadha, Filíocht agus Feannadh)
• Tá mé ag ceapadh gur Máire a bhí ar a bhean sin (Conchúr Ó Giollagáin, Stairsheanchas Mhicil Chonraí Ón Máimín go Ráth Chairn)
• B’fhéidir, a dúirt mé, gur Micí nó Dic atá ort – nó Willí fiú. (Micheál Ó Conghaile, Sna Fir)
• ag rá gur Céibh an Chait atá ar an gcé chloiche atá sa gcrompán seo (Liam Mac Con Iomaire, Camchuairt Chonamara Theas)
• Ba Laisren a tugadh air in Éirinn. (Pádraig Ó Baoighill, Ceann Tìre / Earraghàidheal: Ár gComharsanaigh Gaelacha)
• ‘tá a cheart sceilpeála déanta aige chun an leasainm a thuilleamh, ach is Tomás a baisteadh air…’ (Maidhc Dainín Ó Sé, Dochtúir na bPiast)
• Is iomdha ughdar ag a shuidhiughadh gur Scotia fá hainm d’Éirinn agus gurab d’Éireannchaibh do gairthí cine Scuit (Seathrún Céitinn, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn)

Note that the copular structure used in these examples is one of classification, rather than identification.

TL;DR: Caoimhe is not definite in this example, it is indefinite. But we have translated exactly what is in the Caighdeán.

(b) Nouns preceded by the article, e.g. an tAcht, an obair, an fhadhb:

(c) Nouns preceded by a possessive adjective, e.g. mo mhac, a hathair, a ngluaisteán:

(d) Nouns preceded by gach, gach aon or gach uile:

(e) Nouns followed by a number or letter, e.g. Cuid III, riail a sé, Bus 16, mír (b):

(f) Nouns followed by a definite noun, e.g. oifig Áine, óráid an Aire, teach mo mhic, tús gach bliana, sonraí mhír (b):

(g) Nouns in the vocative case, e.g. a bhean, a dhuine uasail:

3.1.3 The article is common in some proper nouns (especially in the case of place names), and the article must be used in those cases, e.g. an Ísiltír, an tSionainn, an Longfort, an Streoilín, an Earagail, An tOileánach (when referring to the book), na Cruacha Dubha.

Note that, in cases where the article is used in a proper noun, the article is not inserted if the noun is acting in the capacity of an adjective, e.g. an Nollaig but cárta Nollag; an Ardteist but scrúdú Ardteiste; an Cháisc but ubh Chásca.

3.1.4 The article is used before the genitive of Éire, Albain, Gaillimh, e.g. oileán na hÉireann, foireann na hAlban, cathair na Gaillimhe (see 1.1.5(i)A).

The article is dropped before Éireann in some official forms, however, e.g. Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, and in some archaic and literary forms, e.g. plúr ban Éireann, bánchnoic Éireann.

3.1.5 The article can be used with trade names when they are functioning as an adjective, e.g. an buidéal Coca Cola; sa mhála Supervalu; laistigh den doiciméad Word; ar an ríomhaire Apple.

3.1.6 The article is not placed before a noun if it is qualified by a definite noun in the genitive, e.g. tiománaí an tacsaí, ceadúnas thiománaí an tacsaí; dáta éaga cheadúnas thiománaí an tacsaí (when a specific taxi is in question).

The article is placed before the first noun if it is qualified by an indefinite noun, e.g. an tiománaí tacsaí, an tiománaí leoraí (a specific type of driver); an freastalaí beáir, an freastalaí bialainne (a specific type of server); an t-oifigeach feidhmiúcháin, an t-oifigeach riaracháin (a specific type of office) (see 3.1.9).

3.1.7 There are certain nominal phrases containing a noun that would be definite according to 3.1.2 but are indefinite because the entire phrase is used as a single unit of meaning as an indefinite noun. Sometimes, in these cases, the article is used when the whole phrase is acting as a definite noun, e.g. an Leabhar Eoin; an Choróin Mhuire; ba mhór an grá Dia é; an fear sin na n-uibheacha.

Note that the article is kept, too, when a letter or number follows a noun that is qualified by a demonstrative pronoun, e.g. an t-alt sin 5; an mhír sin (f).

3.1.8 With regards to titles that are accompanied by years – titles of festivals or annual reports, for example – the article should only be used if the date and the rest of the title are separate units of meaning. The meanings of An tOireachtas, 2010 and Oireachtas 2010 are not the same, nor are An Tuarascáil Bhliantúil, 2009 and Tuarascáil Bhliantúil 2009.

3.1.9 The genitive case is used in all of the following cases (see the other cases in 1.5.1):

(a) When a definite noun is qualified by another definite noun:

(b) When an indefinite noun is qualified by another indefinite noun:

(c) When a definite noun is qualified by an indefinite noun:

3.1.10 As soon as an indefinite noun is qualified by a definite noun, it is no longer an indefinite noun but a definite one. Accordingly, if an indefinite meaning is in question, it is necessary to use a prepositional subordinate clause or a preposition to illustrate the link between the nouns.

(a) The word de is used when referring to a part or portion, e.g. Ballstát den Aontas Eorpach; gloine den bheoir gheal:

(b) The phrase de chuid is used when referring to one thing among a group of numerous things of the same type, e.g. iománaí de chuid na Gaillimhe; feidhmeanna áirithe de chuid an choiste:

(c) Another preposition (le, etc.) is used in other cases to convey indefiniteness, e.g. deartháir le Bríd; úrscéal le Máire:

3.1.11 In the case of 3.1.10(b) above, however, it is often suitable to replace the first noun with one of the substitute nouns ceann, cuid or duine, e.g. ceann de ríomhairí na hoifige; duine d’iománaithe na Gaillimhe. It is also possible to use the noun twice, e.g. dán de dhánta Uí Bhruadair.

Note: The same structure is used for definite nouns, e.g. an ghloine dheireanach den fhíon dearg; an chuid is fearr den leabhar.

3.2 Abbreviations and Acronyms

3.2.1 General

(a) Acronyms and abbreviations are never inflected nor undergo initial mutations. (SAM – Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá; OÉ – Ollscoil na hÉireann.)

(b) The form of the preposition i used before abbreviations or acronyms is in (rather than i). (RTÉ – Raidió Teilifís Éireann; CSE – Ciste Sóisialta na hEorpa.)

(c) The prepositions de and do are not shortened to d’ before an abbreviation or acronym that starts with a vowel. (OLAF – an Oifig Eorpach Frith-Chalaoise; ÍMAT – Íoc mar a Thuillir.)

Note that the writer can always choose to write out the words forming the acronym or abbreviation in full.

3.2.2 Singular things

There are two systems available for use to deal with abbreviations and acronyms that are titles of organisations, publications, leagues, unions, schemes, systems or other things of which there exists only one – the system without the article and the system with the article. Except for statutory texts in which the system without the article is always used, it is up to the writer to choose the system that will be used. It is recommended not to mix the two systems.

A) Singular things- the system without the article

(a) In the system without the article, abbreviations and acronyms are dealt with as definite nouns, and the article is not put before them (but see 3.2.3(b)). (CTT – an Clár Tacaíochta Teaghlaigh; NA – na Náisiúin Aontaithe; OÉ – Ollscoil na hÉireann.)

(b) Abbreviations and acronyms are referred to as masculine singular nouns, regardless of the number or gender of the words of which the phrase is formed. (FSS – Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte.)

B) Singular things- the system with the article

In the system with the article, the article is used before abbreviations or acronyms as is befitting. The use of the article is subject to the structure of the words forming the abbreviation or acronym as follows:

(a) the article is not placed before abbreviations or acronyms if they are formed of definite nouns not taking the article, e.g. Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá, Raidió Teilifís Éireann, or if the article is present among the words forming the abbreviation or acronym, e.g. Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte, Ollscoil na hÉireann:

(b) The article is placed before abbreviations or acronyms if they are based on nouns that take the article to make them definite. The singular or plural form of the article is used depending on the words forming the abbreviation or acronym:

(c) Abbreviations or acronyms are referred to as masculine singular nouns, regardless of the number or gender of the words they are based on. (an IEA – an Ionstraim Eorpach Aonair.)

3.2.3 Numerous things

(a) If an abbreviation or acronym refers to numerous things (things of which more than one exist), the article can be placed in front for the purpose of differentiation from other things of the same type. (CIN – Corparáid Ilnáisiúnta; PO – Príomhoifigeach.)

(b) The article can be used with nouns that are qualified by an abbreviation or acronym functioning as an adjective for the purpose of identifying a specific thing out of many. (uimhir PSP – uimhir Phearsanta Seirbhíse Poiblí; CBL – Cáin Bhreisluacha; DART – Dublin Area Rapid Transit.)

(c) A plural form of an abbreviation or acronym referring to numerous things is created by adding -anna if it ends in a consonant and -nna if it ends in a vowel. An abbreviation or acronym in the plural is referred to as a masculine plural noun.

3.3 The Nominative Form in place of the Genitive

3.3.1 Definite Nouns

(a) If a definite noun in the genitive follows another noun, it’s usual to leave the other noun uninflected and to lenite its first consonant when it is governed by a word or a form followed by a genitive (see also 10.2.6). A noun followed by a number or a letter is also left uninflected and its first letter lenited:

(i) a proper name (name of a person or a specific place):

(ii) a noun that is preceded by the article:

(iii) a noun preceded by a possessive adjective:

(iv) a noun preceded by gach, gach aon or gach uile:

(v) a noun followed by a letter or number:

(vi) a definite noun:

However, if it is a verbal noun that is followed by a definite noun, it is changed to its genitive form if another noun precedes it, e.g. cosaint, madra cosanta na monarchan; fuascailt, bean fuascailte na ceiste; cealgadh, beach cealgtha an pháiste; bualadh, innill buailte an arbhair; bailiú, seachtain bailithe na rátaí.

(b) In the case of a verbal noun being an integrated part of a specific unit of meaning, e.g. cur chun cinn; cur chuige; teacht i bhfeidhm; that is subject to a word or form that induces the genitive:

(i) if the article precedes the verbal noun, it is the masculine singular article that precedes it in every case and the verbal noun is not inflected, e.g. luas an dul chun cinn; ag moladh an teacht i bhfeidhm; le linn an tabhairt amach; i bhfianaise an tabhairt suas; faoi réir an leagan amach. The article affects the first letter of the verbal noun, however, as it would affect a masculine singular noun in the genitive, e.g. fad an chur síos; castacht an chur chuige; ag cáineadh an éirí in airde; ag comóradh an éirí amach; de dheasca an tsracfhéachaint ar gcúl; d’ainneoin an chéim ar gcúl (see 3.3.3(c)):

(ii) if there is a possessive adjective before the verbal noun, its initial consonant is lenited or eclipsed, as appropriate, but is left uninflected, e.g. i bhfianaise mo chur chuige; luas ár ndul chun cinn; ag moladh a gcur chuige (pl.):

3.3.2 Definite or Indefinite Nouns

(a) When a noun or nominal phrase is connected by a (from do) to a verbal noun, that noun is left in the nominative after a word or form that induces the genitive.

(b) No genitive changes are made to the words ceann and cuid when a partitive genitive or partitive dative is subject to them.

However, they are inflected when they are simple nouns.

(c) When a single common noun is used without the article as the name of a body, company, or board, no inflection nor initial mutation is made to the noun, e.g. buaicphointe Múscailt, ceannáras Muintearas, ceardlanna Síolta, gníomhairí Bóthar.

3.3.3 Indefinite Nouns – Verbal Nouns

A verbal noun is a word that functions both as a verb and a noun. It is possible to use words such as eitilt, foghlaim, snámh, etc. as nouns, e.g. deireadh na heitilte; foghlaim a fháil; snámh féileacáin, and as a verbal noun, e.g. ag eitilt sa spéir; ag foghlaim teanga; ag snámh in aghaidh easa. Here it is explained when the nominative form of the verbal noun should be used in place of the genitive.

(a) No genitive change is made to the verbal noun when the cataphoric pronominal a precedes it.

(b) If a verbal noun in the structure ‘chun + verbal noun’ is being used to convey an upcoming action, no genitive change is made to it.

However, if chun is being used to mean ‘for’, the genitive is used.

(c) For a verbal noun being an integrated part of a specific unit of meaning, e.g. cur chun cinn; cur chuige; that is subject to another noun or form that induces the genitive, if it is indefinite the verbal noun is left uninflected and without its first consonant lenited, e.g. fad cur síos; i gcás cur i gcéill; ag ullmhú cur i láthair; i bhfianaise teacht i bhfeidhm (see 3.3.1(b)):

3.3.4 Indefinite Nouns – Indefinite Nouns used as Verbal Nouns

(a) If an indefinite noun also being used as a verbal noun has a standard genitive according to one of the declensions (see 5.6.1), no genitive change is made to it when it is used as a verbal noun.

However, the genitive change is made to the noun when it is used as an indefinite noun.

(b) If an indefinite noun also being used as a verbal noun does not have a standard genitive according to one of the declensions (see 5.6.1(a)), and if it is the direct object of a verbal noun preceded by ag or do (or a from do), no genitive change is made to it.

However, when the noun is definite, the genitive change is made.

(c) If an indefinite noun also being used as a verbal noun does not have a standard genitive according to one of the declensions (see 5.6.1(a)), and if it is subject to a compound preposition or follows chun, no genitive change is made to it.

However, when the noun is definite, the genitive change is made.

3.3.5 Indefinite Nouns – Verbal Noun Clauses that are not Independent Sentences

No genitive change is made to an indefinite noun in a clause in which it is subject to a verbal noun preceded by ag or do (or a from do), if that verbal noun phrase cannot function independently without being followed by a simple preposition or prepositional clause. The boldened words below cannot function independently.

However, despite this, if the indefinite noun is an integrated part of the verbal noun clause and that clause can function independently, the genitive change is made to that indefinite noun. The boldened words below can function independently and thus are changed into the genitive.

3.3.6 Indefinite Nouns – Special Terms

(a) If a specific multi-word phrase with a specific meaning, e.g. bolg le gréin; buail isteach; buaileam sciath; cos ar bolg; cúl le rath; uisce faoi thalamh; etc. is subject to a word or form that induces the genitive, the first word is not inflected, nor is it lenited.

(b) For a unit of two indefinite nouns, the first of which is tús, lár or deireadh (in the singular), this first noun is left in the nominative when it is subject to a word or form that induces the genitive.

3.3.7 Definite Quantity in a List

If an indefinite noun is subject to a noun conveying a definite quantity is present in an instruction or in the form of a list, no genitive change is made to the noun, nor any adjective qualifying it.

The partitive dative is used in prose.

3.3.8 Indefinite Nouns – Qualifiers

(a) No genitive change is made to an indefinite noun that is subject to a verbal noun preceded by ag or do (or a from do), a compound preposition or an indefinite quantity if that indefinite noun is qualified by one of the qualifiers listed in tables 3B, 3C and 3D below.

(b) It is necessary for the indefinite noun itself to be qualified by the qualifier to cancel the genitive. If the qualifier is acting as anything other than an adjective (as an adverb, for example), the genitive changes are made to the indefinite noun (see 3.3.12(b)).

3.3.9 Qualified Indefinite Nouns subject to a Verbal Noun preceded by ag or do (or a from do)

When an indefinite noun subject to a verbal noun preceded by ag or do (or a from do) is qualified by one of the qualifiers listed below, no genitive change is made to the indefinite noun (nor to the adjective accompanying it).

3.3.10 Qualified Indefinite Nouns subject to a Compound Preposition

When an indefinite noun subject to a compound preposition (or cois, dála, fearacht, timpeall, trasna) is qualified by the qualifiers listed below, no genitive change is made to the indefinite noun (nor to the adjective accompanying it).

Note that a compound preposition is a prepositional phrase that has a distinct meaning, e.g. i gcás with the meaning ‘if’. It has the form ‘simple preposition + noun’. Table 3C does not apply if the indefinite noun is subject to a preposition and a noun that are not a compound preposition, e.g. i gcás with the meaning ‘in a legal proceeding’ or ‘in a bag’.

3.3.11 Qualified Indefinite Nouns subject to Indefinite Quantities

When an indefinite noun subject to a word or phrase conveying an indefinite amount, e.g. barraíocht, breis, easpa, go leor, iomarca, níos mó, roinnt, is qualified by the qualifiers listed below, no genitive change is made to the indefinite noun (nor the adjective accompanying it).

Note that an indefinite quantity is viewed as a definite quantity when it is preceded by a possessive adjective, and thus a noun following it is put in the genitive (and the adjective that accompanies it), e.g. a chuid gruaige fada; a dóthain bia the; a ndóthain saineolais theicniúil; ár gcuid oibre baile.

3.3.12 The Genitive Form

(a) Apart from the cases detailed in tables 3B, 3C and 3D, genitive changes are made to an indefinite noun in the structure “noun + indefinite noun + qualifier”.

(b) Genitive changes are made to indefinite nouns subject to a compound preposition that are followed by a prepositional phrase, prepositional subordinate clause or prepositional pronoun, if the indefinite noun is not qualified by that prepositional phrase, prepositional subordinate clause or prepositional pronoun (for example, if it is the verb rather than the noun that is qualified) or by any of the qualifiers listed in table 3C.

3.3.13 Summary of the Nominative Form in place of the Genitive

For ease of reference, the cases in which the nominative form is used in place of the genitive are summarised here.