of the following noun and prefix n to vowels; seaċt mba, seven cows; deiċ n‑uḃla, ten apples.
508. Trí, ceiṫre, cúig and sé have usually no effect on consonants (except ceud, 100, and míle, 1000); but trí, ceiṫre, sé, and dara prefix h to vowels: as, trí ba, three cows; trí h‑asail, three asses; sé h‑uḃla, six apples; ’san dara h‑áit, in the second place; trí ċeud, 300; ceiṫre ṁíle, 4000.
Trí, ceiṫre, cúig and sé (as well as seaċt, oċt, &c.), cause eclipsis in the genitive plural: a ḃean na dtrí mbó. O woman of three cows! Luaċ ceiṫre bpúnt four pound’s worth.
The Number of the Noun after the Numerals.
509. The noun after aon is always in the singular, even in such numbers as 11, 21 , 31, 41, &c. The other numerals (except dá) may take the singular number when unity of idea is expressed: e.g., aon uḃall déag, eleven apples; ḋearmad sé ar na trí ḃuille ’ḃualaḋ. He forgot to strike the three blows.
510. When a noun has two forms in the plural, a short form and a long one, the short form is preferred after the numerals: as
- naoi n‑uaire, nine times; not naoi n‑uaireannta.
511. In Modern Irish the numerals fiċe, 20; dá ḟiċid, 40, &c., ceud, 100; míle, 1,000, are regarded as simple numeral adjectives which take the noun after them in the singular number.
