In Modren Irish by Ó Siadhail, on page 254, he makes the point "...there is a sequence of tenses (see de Bhaldraithe 1956/7b: 242-3): if the main or matrix clause is in the past tense, this will be transferred to the finite complement, but the present is replaced by the past and the future by the conditional. A conditional in the matrix sentance is followed by a conditional in the finite complement.

Here is a representation of it:

PAST		dúirt sí	gur rabh	sí ann		PAST
PRESENT		deireann sí	gur rabh	sí ann		PAST
FUTURE		déarfaidh sí	go mbeach	sí ann		COND
COND		déarfach sí	go mbeach	sí ann		COND

(The form of the copula is for consistancy, rather than anything else)

Now I understand that use of different tenses and moods on one side or the other, but what he does not say is why he stipulated this constraint, and then goes no where with it, just going on to verbal noun types next. There is no indication what 'semantic ranges' it may cover. I can see lots of cases where the constraints above are not held, so what does he mean?

I have jet to go thru more of the section from here, but it is confusing when just left hanging

There isn't any copula in these sentences, is there ???

(Message edited by Lughaidh on April 29, 2007)

I can't make out what you're trying to say through all the jargon. Are you talking about indirect speech? i.e.:

I'll do that

becomes:

He said he'd do that

Or in Gaolainn:

Déanfaidh mé é sin

becomes:

Dúirt sé go ndéanfadh sé é sin

In Gaolainn it would be:

déanfad é sin ! :-D