Page:Graimear na Gaedhilge.djvu/228

Rh When the portion of a thing which belongs to one or more persons is to be expressed by the possessive adjectives, the name of the thing is preceded by, with the possessive adjective before it. The name of the thing is in the genitive case—genitive singular if quantity be implied, but genitive plural if number—as, my bread, (lit. my share of bread); his wine, ; their horses,.

This rule is not always followed; for instance, we sometimes find, my wine; but is more idiomatic.

The word is never used in this way before the name of a single object.
 * , my book;, their horse.
 * , his book; but, his books.
 * , her cow;, her cows.

The word is not used in such phrases as, my feet; , my eyes; , his bones, &c.

When the emphatic suffix is used, some make it follow ; others make it follow the noun: as, or.