ní ... ach

Corrective Focus

Level 5

Ní mise ach Nóra a rinne é corrects who did the action. The negation and contrast have a specific focus scope.

How It Works

Ní mise ach Nóra a rinne é corrects who did the action. The negation and contrast have a specific focus scope.

The negative cleft rejects one focused alternative and identifies another with ach. In Ní mise ach Nóra a rinne é, the correction concerns the person who did the action. It does not deny that the action happened.

Examples (3)

  1. Ní mise ach Nóra a rinne é.

    It was Nóra, not me, who did it.

  2. Ní Seán ach Máire a tháinig.

    It was Máire, not Seán, who came.

  3. Ní inniu ach amárach a thiocfaidh sí.

    She will come tomorrow, not today.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ní ... achLevel 5Corrective Focus

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Correct the focused alternative while keeping the relative action asserted.

Words in This Pattern

níach