okay...i'm sitting down with buntús post-ceacht-8 for the first time and I have a question.

it says things like "níl tú tinn?" or "tá sé fuar?"

is it ever proper to ask a question using tá/níl instead of an bhfuil/nach bhfuil? I can't figure out if it's ok (like tá mé tuirseach vs tá tuirse orm) or if it is simply being taught while "bhfuil" vocabulary hasn't been taught yet.

I have been under the impression that questions *must* use the interrogative form of the verb. is that incorrect?

Antaine,

Check again...Those are definitely statements, not questions. Your Irish is far better than mine so I think your instincts are right.

I'm in the ER, away from my books, but if I remember correctly from my buntús those were used as statements.

Are you sure they're being used as questions?

Le meas,

James

Antaine:
It is not technically correct usage but the same thing is done sometimes in English where you make a statement but you are really asking the person if something is true. For example, you may have overheard a conversation between two people and then you speak to the person right after that with a statement question like "You're sick". It is really a question but in the form of a statement. People do the same in Irish.

Seán

I know it's done idiomatically in english, and i'm sure in irish too...it just seemed odd to do that in a book for beginners purporting to use the standard

Antaim leat, Antaine.

If it's a question, it must use the interogative particle...ie; An bhfuil or Nach bhfuil. It's not really up for debate, as far as I know.

In as much as Buntús has a great reputation, I can't imagine them using any colloquiallism or idiomatic expressions that aren't grammatically correct.

Le meas,

James

me neither, and yet

buntús p11

Níl Seán leat inniu?
Níl, tá sé tinn.
Níl sé an-tinn?

p12
Níl tú fliuch?

p13
Tá tú go maith arís?

and so on and so forth

Wow! To me, that's just a glaring example of a common beginner's mistake. I can't imagine that Buntús missed that in the editing!

Maybe a native speaker, or someone of Lucas's caliber can shed some light on this.

if it is truly not permissible to do, then perhaps it was simply a measure to facilitate the example conversations prior to the requisite vocabulary...still a questionable move...

Buntús is a conversation book, isn't it? People cut corners in conversation.

Níl Seán leat inniu? Seán is not with you today? (Implied: I expected him)
Níl, tá sé tinn.
Níl sé an-tinn? He is not very ill (implied I assume) Long version: Níl sé an-tinn, an bhfuil?

The statements are being made, implying the expected answer. And the question would be carried by tone of voice.

Just like English.