re: Irish Proverb 305 - Seanfhocail Ghaeilge 305

michelle — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:24:11 GMT

We had an email query regarding this proverb:

"Shouldn't the quotation be "Is onórai poll nois ná paiste"? Or is "nois" understood from the context and the use of 'ná'?"

I think you are thinking of the word níos rather than nois. Níos is often used with comparative expressions, though not always. For example, you can say:

Tá an leabhar seo níos fearr ná an leabhar sin.

This book is better than that book.

But you could also use

Is fearr an leabhar seo ná an leabhar sin.

The constructions with is are often used in proverbs - Is fearr glas ná amhras, for example. (Better a lock than doubt).

So, in this particular case, you don't need the níos. Hope this answers your question!