Hello all,
I wonder if anybody can answer this query:

"May their souls be at the right hand of God":
ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha
Nó
ar dheis Dé go raibh an-anam

which of the above is correct?

I would have said that the first was correct but a friend of mine claims that she remembers a rule in grammar which states that the singular of the noun must be used in a case such as the above. Something to do with possession.
Can anyone recall the rule she is talking about or confirm which sentence is correct?
Thanks in advance,Jay.

The first.

http://www.google.ie/search?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2 006-39,GGLJ:en-GB&q=ar+dheis+d%c3%a9+go+raibh+a+n%2danamacha

Is there a reason why the singular of the noun is used?

It isn't.

ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha

tuairim eile, áfach:

http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~oduibhin/cruinneas/beinn.htm

quote:

Séamus 'ac Grianna: Nuair a Bhí Mé Óg, lch 162, líne 1
Bhí siad ar ndóighe 'na bhfearaibh maithe cneasta, agus beinn ar a n-anam aca.

Tabhair faoi dear go dtéid cneastacht le beinn a bheith agat ar d'anam.
Ar phoinnte gramadaighe: beinn acu ar a n-anam (chan "ar a n-anamnacha").

I mo thuairim:
Tá anam gach fhir faoi léith i gceist anseo.
Is trua nach ndeachaigh Ciarán níos doimhne lena léargas.


Hmm.
Ach is cosúil go bhfuil an dá nós ann.

http://www.google.ie/search?q=%22ar+dheis+D%C3%A9+go+raibh+a+n-anam%22&hl=en&rls =GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-39,GGLJ:en-GB&start=10&sa=N

Tá amhras orm faoi mór chuid na samplaí úd, caithfidh mé a rá. Ach má tá "a n-anam" acu i dtaifeád an tSeanaid, caithfidh sé go bhfuil bunús éigin leis.