I'm wondering about oiread vs. a oiread.

Granted that the pronunciation of oiread and a oiread would be identical, so it is purely an orthographical question, why the a?

Oiread agus makes sense to me.

Whereas a oiread san seems to me to require the possessive grammatically.

It possibly doesn't make any difference.

An Muímhneach recommended a leithéid agus, but I haven't seen that, which is not to say it doesn't exist.

If I put my style on his recommendation, it would be:

My understanding is that the a in both a leithéid and a oiread is the possessive pronoun "its", i.e., "its ilk", "it equal". At least, that is how it has been explained to me by various sources over the years.

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WARNING: Intermediate speaker - await further opinions, corrections and adjustments before acting on my advice.
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

Tugaigí bualadh bos daoibh fhéin lads, is léir go bhfuil buíon saineolaithe den scoth curtha le chéile anseo.



Bhain mé úsáid as "a oiread agus". Nílim oiread eolach chun tuairim a thabhairt ar an bplé "oiread" Vs. "a oiread". Lean mise a bhfuair mé in De Bhaldraithe:

"A oiread is pingin" GA ---> "as much as a penny" EN

Míle buíochas arís.

Brian.