AnCríostóir wrote:
Tá brón orm; perhaps I didn't phrase my question correctly.
In the story (based on overall context) the sentence, "Níl madra in ann tafann a dhéanamh" means, there wasn't a dog barking/No dog there making bark.
I was wondering why "Níl madra ag tafann" wasn't used instead. Is it a case of "artistic privilege" (like Poe's "thereatis") just to make the story work or...what?
The story is on leighleat.com entitled "Táimse in ann léamh!" (again, why not "táimse ag léamh")
Because
Táimse in ann léamh! does mean "I am able to read!" and not "I am reading".
The
whole story is about abilities (and inabilities).
Your sentence does not occur.
There is (p. 4/8):
"
Níl madraí in ann damhsa a dhéanamh, [...]"
which means: "Dogs can't dance".
(p. 7/8)
"
Tá an préachán in ann grágáil a dhéanamh
... tá an seangán in ann tú a phriocadh
... tá an madra in ann tafann a dhéanamh"
which does mean:
"The crow can squawk
... the ant can sting you
... the dog can bark
Tá X in ann ... = X can, X is able to ...
tafann a dhéanamh = to bark.
In Irish, "déanamh" (to make) is often used as an auxillary verb, so instead of simple "Tá an madra in ann tafann" you can say "Tá an madra in ann tafann a dhéanamh"
This is the normal way with a lot of actions.
BTW: you could use "déanamh" as well with priocadh but it is more difficult to put "tú" (you) in this sentence (and priocadh is a too normal verb to use an auxillary verb):
Tá an seangán in ann priocadh a dhéanamh ort. = The ant can sting you.Where you got this "there wasn't a dog barking" translation? It is wrong.
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