Just a quick question. Is the following correct? (As an aside, I was going to use a colon there, but then came the question mark! What should one do in English in this situation?)


Tá tuairim is trí mhilliún is fiche albam (23 million albums) díolta ag Lady Gaga ar fud an domhain go dtí seo, chomh maith le ceithre mhilliún is seasca singil (64 million singles).


The above seemed right to me, then I began to doubt myself about the position of the noun. Just checking - Thanks.

I can tell you that the comma is the correct punctuation there...I'll let others rule on the Irish!

Redwolf

Yep, comma - but I was wondering about the question mark. I had originally intended to use a colon where the question mark is, but then it's a question so...

Oh, I see...you meant in the English sentence! (I did wonder where the question mark was supposed to be in the Irish sentence

As it is, the question mark alone is fine, as you've set the sentence you're asking about apart from the English paragraph. I have, on occasion, seen a colon following a question mark, but it always looks odd to me. You definitely wouldn't want just a colon without a question mark, since, as you noted, it IS a question.

Redwolf

Now I'm thinking I got it wrong altogether and that the structure trí mhilliún is fiche albam just isn't used for large numbers like this. (and could be interpreted as 3,000,020.)

Should it be fiche a trí mhilliún albam?

As far as I can see, it should be fiche (is) a trí milliún albam.

I was going to question that lenition, but I wasn't confident enough to post it, fiche a trí milliún albam is exactly what I would say, if that's worth anything to you. (Actually, I didn't realise the "a" is there in writing; I guess it runs into it in speech)

That is how I would say it too. (23 million)

The "is" is there gramatically, but it isn't usually pronounced.

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
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according to M. Mechura's article about numbers, it is right except that milliún should be lenited (because of trí) : fiche a trí mhilliún albam.

http://www.cainteoir.com/cainteoir_file ... reacha.pdf

(page 16, bottom)

To me, "fiche a trí mhilliún" sounds a bit odd since you say "trí theach is fiche" and not *fiche a trí theach", but it's clearer than "trí mhilliún albam is fiche"...

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

To me too.

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___________________________________________________________

It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
___________________________________________________________