Initial Mutation: Epithets
The three charts in this section of the Grammar describe the initial mutation of an epithet when it follows a noun. An epithet is either an adjective or a noun in the genitive that follows a noun. The initial mutation of an epithet depends on both the case and number (singular or plural) of the noun that precedes it.
Initial Mutation of Epithet After Masculine Singular Noun
| nominative | no change | A-tá fear caol / fear Cruachan / an fear caol / an fear ceóil san tigh. |
| vocative: with inflected masucline noun |
lenition of following adjective or noun |
A fhir chaoil / A fhir cheóil |
| vocative: with uninflected masculine noun (not metaphorical) |
either no change;
or, lenition of following adjective or noun |
A dhuine caol / ceóil;
or, A dhuine chaoil / cheóil |
| vocative: metaphorical usage |
no change | A dhuine caol / ceóil |
| accusative (where marked as accusative*) |
eclipsis of following adjective or noun |
mol fhear gcaol / mol fhear gceóil / mol an bhfear gcaol / mol an bhfear gceóil / leis an bhfear gcaol / leis an bhfear gceoil / mol fhilidh gcaol / mol fhilidh gceóil / mol an bhfilidh gcaol / mol an bhfilidh gceóil |
| accusative (where unmarked*) |
no change (treated as nominative);
or, eclipsis of following adjective or noun |
mol fear caol / ceóil , mol an fear caol;
or, mol fear gcaol / gceóil, mol an bhfear gcaol |
| genitive (certain types of inflected masculine genitive nouns) |
lenition of following adjective or noun |
mac Maghnais chaoil / mac Maghnais fhinn / Teach an fhir chaoil / Teach an fhir cheóil / mac Dé bhí |
| genitive (other types of masculine genitive nouns) |
no change | mac Maghnasa caoil / mac Maghnasa finn / mac an fhileadh caoil |
| dative | lenition of following adjective or noun |
don fhior chaol / don fhior cheóil / don fhilidh chaol / don asbal chaol / don tsluagh mhór |
*Note: the accusative can be marked by accusative inflexion and/or by eclipsis after the article or (in the absence of the article) by lenition of the direct object of a verb: e.g. mol mhnaoi, mol an bhfear, mol fhear.
Initial Mutation of Epithet After Feminine Singular Noun
| nominative | lenition of following adjective or noun |
A-tá an bhean chaol / an bhean cheóil san tigh. A-tá bó chaol / an bhó chaol agam. |
| vocative | lenition of following adjective or noun |
A bhean chaol / A bhean cheóil |
| accusative (where marked as accusative*) |
eclipsis of following adjective or noun |
mol mhnaoi gcaoil / mol mhnaoi gceóil / mol an mboin gcaoil. |
| accusative (where unmarked*) |
no change – treated as nominative | mol súil gheal
(with marked accusative would |
| genitive | no change
(sometimes h is prefixed to a vowel) |
mac mná caoile / mac mná ceóil / mac na mná finne / mac mná Cruachan. Laogh na bó caoile.(h prefixed to vowel: mac mná huaisle / rí fréimhe hUidhir) |
| dative | lenition of following adjective or noun |
do mhnaoi chaoil / do mhnaoi cheóil / don mhnaoi chaoil / don mhnaoi cheóil / do mhnaoi Chruachan; don bhoin chaoil |
*Note: the accusative can be marked by accusative inflexion and/or by eclipsis after the article or (in the absence of the article) by lenition of the direct object of a verb: e.g. mol mhnaoi, mol an bhfear, mol fhear.
Initial Mutation After Plural Nouns (Masculine and Feminine)
| certain nominative plural forms |
lenition of following adjective or noun |
na fir chaola / na hasbail chaola / na sluaigh mhóra / na bile mhóra |
| other nominative plural forms |
no change | na mná caola / na mná ceóil / na daoine caola / na ba caola / na bileadha móra / na sleagha caola |
| vocative plural | no change | a fhiora ceóil / a fhileadha caola / a mhná caola |
| accusative plural | no change | Mol na fiora caola / na mná ceóil / na hasbala móra |
| genitive plural | eclipsis of following adjective or noun |
méad na bhfear gceóil / na bhfileadh gcaol / na n-asbal gceart / na sluagh mbeag / na mbó mbreac / na n-adharc gcaol / na sleagh gcaol |
| dative plural | no change | do na fearaibh caola / do na fileadhaibh móra / do na hasbalaibh |
*Note: the accusative can be marked by accusative inflexion and/or by eclipsis after the article or (in the absence of the article) by lenition of the direct object of a verb: e.g. mol mhnaoi, mol an bhfear, mol fhear.