Does "Bean láidir a bhí inti" mean the same as "Bhí sí bean láidir?" And if so, what sort of construct is "a bhí inti?"

"Bean láidir a bhí inti" means "Bhí sí ina bean láidir" and almost "Is bean láidir í"

"A bhí inti" (lit. "which was in her") is a relative clause used for emphasis:
Bean láidir a bhí inti = A strong woman she was.

Lars

quote:

"Bhí sí bean láidir"

Bheadh sin mícheart!

Ba bean láidir í = Bean láidir a bhí inti

Agus ansin an bhéim, mar a dúirt Lars.

Aonghus, rinn tú typo > Ba bhean láidir í (ins an chuid is mó do na canúintí : séimhiú on "bean" after "ba")
nó Bean láidir is ea í (Munster).

Bean láidir a bhí inti is rather an Ulster sentence.

(Message edited by Lughaidh on January 24, 2009)

Is fíor dhuit.

GRMA.

Bean láidir a bhí inti is rather an Ulster sentence.
Ní thuigim céard atá i gceist agat go baileach, nó tá an múnla seo thar a bheith coitianta i gConamara chomh maith. Tá sé chomh coitianta sin is nach n-airítear béim áirithe ag baint leis - bíodh is go bhfuil, ar ndóigh, ó thaobh gramadaí de.

Bhail is féidir go bhfuil sin coiteanta i gConamara fosta !
Ba dóigh liom gur rud ineacht a thánaic ón tuaisceart a bhí ann, mar go n-úsáidtear i dtólamh é in Ultaibh agus in Albain, agus nach n-úsáidtear mórán "ba..." in abairtí mar sin in Ultaibh.
Is féidir gur cor cainte Ultach atá ann agus a chuaigh ó dheas beag is beag, sin an fáth, is dócha, go bhfuil sé níos coiteanta in Ultaibh ná i gConamara (i gConamara úsáidtear "ba..." fosta nuair nach ndéantar mórán in Ultaibh) agus níos coiteanta i gConamara ná i Mumhain.
Ach níl ann ach hipitéis :-)

quote:

"Bhí sí bean láidir"

Bheadh sin mícheart!
Ba bean láidir í (de réir Aonghuis)= Bean láidir a bhí inti

nó Ba bhean láidir.(de réir Lughaidh)

Can we use Bí in this sentence since the woman's strength is not permanent as is implied by the past tense?

She was a strong woman.

You can use the sentences we told you.
Whether the state is permanent or not doesn't change anything in the use or "is" or "bí", despite what is taught by some teachers. This doesn't work, you're always find examples that are right and that break their rule.

Because the real rule is:

- you can't use "bí" (in a sentence constructed like "tá sí...") if you have to link nouns or pronouns together.


You have to use :
- "is [pronoun/noun] [pronoun/noun]"
or
- "(is) [pronoun/noun] atá i [pronoun/noun]".

quote:

Can we use Bí in this sentence since the woman's strength is not permanent as is implied by the past tense?

It is no matter of past tense.
There can be past tense and the woman could had been permanantly strong - until she died.

But actually I doubt that strength is a permanent feature of women or men.

Lars

quote:

You can use the sentences we told you.

Bhuel, gabh mo leithscéal go hiomlán go dtí tá dibhal agam! Ní raibh mé ag áitiú; ní raibh mé ach ag cur ceist orainn.

Táim i ndiaidh ó an diabhal a fillte. After all these years it has dawned on me that the rule for using the copula is the same as the rule for the copulative (linking) verb in English.

Attention all teachers of Irish: make life easier; tell that to your students.

Fáilte thar nais. Is fearr an Fear Dubh a sheachaint!