"Ba é Meiriceá fóidín an ádha agus, fearacht a leithéide i gcónaí a fheiceas an dá shaol, ní bhfaigheadh sí óna claonta scaradh seal achair féin leis an áit ar rith an t-ádh chomh maith sin léi."

I understand the individual words, but I'm not certain of their collective meaning.

It was America that was [fóidín an ádha] and, always like the likes of her that'll have her cake and eat it, she wouldn't get out of her inclinations to fill her distance with the place where the luck ran so well with her.

I haven't a clue about "fóidín an ádha". If I were to guess, then I'd say:

fóidín = fód beag
an ádha = an áidh (an alternative maybe?)

fóidín an ádha = sod of the luck (possibly some sort of idiom for "the source of all luck" or "the luckiest thing".

If so, then:

It was America that was the source of all her luck and, always like the likes of her that'll have her cake and eat it, she wouldn't get out of her inclinations to fill her distance with the place where the luck ran so well with her.


a fheiceas ( I think that's "a fheicfidh", not sure ). I'd guess that "a fheicfidh an dá shaol" is an idiom for "who'll have her cake and eat it". Just guessing though!

seal is a "shift" as in working hours, I don't understand it in this context.

"Ba é Meiriceá fóidín an ádha agus, fearacht a leithéide i gcónaí a fheiceas an dá shaol, ní bhfaigheadh sí óna claonta scaradh seal achair féin leis an áit ar rith an t-ádh chomh maith sin léi."

America was the "sod of fortune", and as is always the case with her like, who have seen both sides/types of life, she could not escape her inclination never to leave, even for the briefest period, the place where fortune had been so kind to her.



(Message edited by aonghus on September 08, 2004)

"Seal" has a very broad meaning - (a) turn, while, spell, span, period. Seal achair - a while. It was the "fheiceas an dá shaol" that really threw me.

What tense is "a fheiceas"?

Not sure. I'd say habitual present or past. It conveys a sense of going on for a longish time.

I thought it was future, though I'm not sure why it's missing an "f". Typo, maybe. "Fheiceanns" is the relative habitual present in Cois Fhairrge, according to Ó Siadhail.

The reason I thought future tense is:

Beidh Seán ansin amárach
Seán a bheas ansin amárach.

fóidín an ádha = sod of the luck (possibly some sort of idiom for "the source of all luck" or "the luckiest thing".

I've heard "sod" used to refer to the land or the country. If that be the intention here, then the reference is to America being "the land that brought luck or good fortune."

Oops. Just noticed that's what Aonghus said.

But if you look at "a fheiceas" in context, it is clear that it is the wife's experience which is being spoken of. And experience, of its nature, is past.

Sílim go bhfuil an ceart ag Aonghus mar is gnáth. Check out pp. 144, 145 of the Christian Brothers Grammar:

4. All regular verbs and some of the irregular verbs have a distinct direct relative form ending in -s in the present and future tenses (affirmative sentences only).
Most of the irregular verbs have this special form in the future tense. Although outside the Caighdeán Oifigiúil, this direct relative form in -s is used widely in literature, prayers, and in conversation:

• An fear a bhaineas an féar (the man who cuts the grass).
  
• An fear a bhainfeas an féar (the man who will cut the grass).
  

I believe the future tense would be 'a fheicfeas.'

I just realized something:

Answer the following questions:
Freagair na ceisteanna seo a leanas:

"a leanas"!

Freagair na ceisteanna seo a leanann?

Also, wouldn't that add confusion to:

Leanas an cailín.
I followed the girl?

Plus the past tense saorbhriathar of some of the irregulars:

Chuathas
Chonacthas
Fuarthas...

Context matters.

Freagair na ceisteanna seo a leanas
Answer these questions which follow

Leanas an cailín
(Verb+Subject) (Object)

Taken in context, there is no ambiguity.

A Aonghuis, an mbíonn débhríocht agat choíche le:

Fuaireas

agus

Fuarthas

?

Maidir le "Leanas an cailín" agus "na ceisteanna seo a leanas", aontaím nach bhfuil débhríocht ann. B'fhéidir go ndéarfaí:

An cailín ar leanas

in ionad

An cailín a leanas

ach an mór?

Cloisim an "th" nuair a deirim Fuarthas, mar sin ní fheicim fadhb.

Maidir leis an cailín seo a bhfuil tú sa tóir uirthi, níl fhios agam.

(Message edited by aonghus on September 21, 2004)