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The Daltaí Boards » Archive: 1999-2004 » 2003 (July-September) » 2003 (July-September) » Banc na hÉireann etc. « Previous Next »

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Joe
Posted on Friday, September 05, 2003 - 05:02 am:   Edit Post Print Post

Hi, it's me again...

Could somebody please explain the 'na' in titles such as Banc na hÉireann and Mná na hÉireann. Am I right in thinking that it simply means 'of'?

Joe (the nuisance)

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Seosamh Mac Muirí
Posted on Friday, September 05, 2003 - 06:06 am:   Edit Post Print Post

Dia duit a Joe. (Níl a fhios agam an fearr leat 'a Sheosaimh'.)

It's basically, the definite article, 'the', in the context of 'of', as in 'the x of Ireland'.
'The Bank of Ireland', 'The women of Ireland'.
Irish is very given to nominal units with the article in the center. 'Éire' being feminine, has the 'na' form of the definite article in genitive.

A search on this site for 'aonad ainmfhocail' brings up quite a bit that has been written on the subject, e.g. Banc na hÉireann, as against, An Banc Éireann.

Go n-éirí obair na Gaeilge leat.

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Joe
Posted on Friday, September 05, 2003 - 08:26 am:   Edit Post Print Post

Dia is Muire duit, a Sheosaimh

Is cuma liom Joe nó Seosamh :)

Go raibh míle maith agat as do leid faoi 'aonad ainmfhocail'.... it's the Banc Éireann bit that's confusing me, as that's what I would have thought it should be.

Feicfidh mé ag an eolas níos déanaí...

Go raibh maith agat arís...

Joe (the 'almost got the hang of it' one)

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