The verbs Tabhair, Abair, Faic, Faigh, have a double Preterite Subjunctive. The latter form of it, which is derived regularly from the Root, is used after the same particles which are prefixed to the Negative Mood,viz.ni, cha, nach, mur, gu, an, am.
Of Defective Verbs.
The following defective verbs are in common use.
Arsasaid,quoth, indeclinable; used only in the Pret. Aff. through all the persons; arsa Donull,quoth Donald.
Tiucainncome along, tiucainnibhcome ye along, used only in the 2d pers. sing. and plur. of the Imperative.
Theab miI was near to, I had almost; used through all the persons of the Pret. Aff. and Neg.; as, theab iad bhith cailltethey had nearly perished.
Is miI am, used in the Pres. and Pret. Tenses, which are declined as follows:—
Affirmative Mood.
Negative Mood.
Subjunctive Mood.
The only varieties of form which this Verb admits of, are the two syllablesisandbu. Each of these syllablescommonly loses the vowel when it comes in apposition with another vowel.
It is remarkable, that in the Pres. Neg. the Verb disappears altogether, and the preceding Particle, ni, cha, nach, gur, &c., and the subsequent Pronoun, or Noun, are always understood to convey a proposition, or a question, as unequivocally as though a Verb had been expressed; as, cha tuthou art not, nach e?is he not? is it not he?am mise e?is it I?cha luchd-brathaidh sinnwe are not spies, Gen. xlii. 31. Am mò thusa na Abraham?Art thou greater than Abraham?gur còir urnuigh a dheanamhthat it is proper to pray, Luke xviii. 1[70].
Of the Reciprocating State of Verbs.
Any transitive Verb may be so combined with a Pronoun, either Personal or Possessive, that it shall denote the agent to be also the object of the action. This may be called thereciprocating stateof the Verb. It is declined as follows:—
Buail thu fein,strike thyself.
ACTIVE VOICE.
Simple Tenses.
Affirmative Mood.
Negative Mood.
Infinitive Mood.
Compound Tenses.
Affirmative Mood.
Negative Mood.
Subjunctive Mood.
From the foregoing example it appears that the Verb, in its reciprocating state, retains its original form throughout its several Moods, Tenses, and Persons. In thesimple Tenses, the Personal Pronoun immediately following the Verb is the Nominative to the Verb. The same pronoun repeated is to be understood as in the objective state. The word fein, corresponding to the Englishself, accompanies the last Pronoun.
In thecompound Tenses, the auxiliary Verb, as usual, is placed first; then follows the Personal Pronoun as its Nominative, then the Prep.agabridged to'gin the compound Tenses of the first order, iar in those of the second order; after which follows the Possessive Pronoun, corresponding in Person to that which is the Nominative to the Verb; and lastly the Infinitive, which is the noun to the Possessive Pronoun. Mo and do are here changed, by Metathesis and the substitution of one broad vowel for another, into am and ad. Ta mi 'g am bhualadh fein, rendered literally, is,I am at my own striking, i.e., I am at the striking of myself, equivalent to,I am striking myself. The reciprocal fein is sometimes omitted in the compound Tenses, but is generally retained in the 3d Persons, to prevent their being mistaken for the same persons when used without reciprocation: ta e 'g a bhualadh,he is striking him, ta e 'g a bhualadh fein,he is striking himself.
Of the Impersonal Use of Verbs.
Intransitive Verbs, though they do not regularly admit of a Passive Voice, yet are usedimpersonallyin the 3d Pers. Sing. of the Passive Tenses. This impersonal use of the Passive of intransitive Verbs is founded on the same principle with the Latin Impersonalsconcurritur,pugnatum est,&c., which are equivalent toconcursus fit,pugna facta est. So in Gælic, gluaisfear leam,I will move, Psal. cxvi. 9; gluaisfear leo,they will move, Psal. cxix. 3; ghuileadh leinn,we did weep, flebatur a nobis, Psal. cxxxvii. 1, Edit. Edinb. 1787; cha bhithear saor o pheacadh,there wanteth not sin, Prov. x. 19.
To the class of Impersonals ought to be referred a certain part of the Verb which has not yet been mentioned. It resembles in form the Fut. Negat. Passive; buailear, faicear, faighear, &c. In signification, it is Active, Present, and Affirmative. In the course of a narrative, when the speaker wishes to enliven his style by representing the occurrences narrated as present, and passing actually in view, instead of the Preterite Tenses, he adopts the Part of the Verb now described, employing it in an impersonal acceptation, without a Nominative to it expressed. One or two examples will serve to exhibit the use and effect of this anomalous Tense:—Shuidh an òg bhean air sgeir, is a sùil air an lear. Chunnaic i long a' teachd air barraibh nan tonn. Dh' aithnich i aogas a leannain, is chlisg a cridhe 'n a com. Gun mhoille gun tamh,buaileardh' fhios na traighe; agusfaighearan laoch, 's a dhaoine m' a thimchioll. In English thus: The young woman sat on a rock, and her eye on the sea. She spied a ship coming on the tops of the waves. She perceived the likeness of her lover, and her heart bounded in her breast. Without delay or stop, shehastensto the shore; andfindsthe hero, with his men around him. Again: Mar sin chuir sinn an oidhche tharuinn. 'S a' mhadainn dh' imich sinn air ar turus. O bha sinn 'n ar coigrich anns an tir,gabharsuas gu mullach an t-sleibh,direaran tulach gu grad, agusseallarmu 'n cuairt air gach taobh.Faicearthall fa 'r comhair sruth cas ag ruith le gleann cumhann, &c. Thus we passed the night. In the morning we pursued our journey. As we were strangers in the land, westrikeup to the top of the moor,ascendthe hill with speed, andlookaround us on every side. Weseeover against us a rapid stream, rushing down a narrow valley, &c.
The scrupulous chastenesss of style maintained in the Gaelic version of the Sacred Scriptures, has totally excluded this form of expression. It is, however, universally known and acknowledged, as an established idiom of the Gaelic, very common in the mouths of those who speak it, and in animated narration almost indispensable[71].
Of Auxiliary Verbs.
It has been already shown how bibe, is used as an Auxiliary in the declension of all verbs. There are two other verbs which are occasionally employed in a similar capacity; the one with an Active the other with a Passive effect. These are dean todoormake, and rach togo.
The simple tenses of dean combined with the Infinitive of any verb, correspond to the English auxiliarydo,did. It sometimes adds to the emphasis, but not to the sense. The following are examples of this Auxiliary combined with the Infinitive of anIntransitiveverb:—Rinn e seasamhhe made standing, i.e.,he did stand;dean suidhemake sitting, i.e.,sit down; dheanainn gul agus caoidhI would make weepingand lamentation, i.e.,I would weep and lament.The same arrangement takes place when the Auxiliary is combined with the Infinitive of aTransitiveverb, accompanied by a possessive pronoun; as, rinn e mo bhualadhhe made my striking, i.e.,he made [or caused] the striking of me, or,he did strike me; cha dean mi do mholadh,I will not make your praising, i.e.,I will not praise you; dean do gharadh,make your warming, dean do gharadh fein,make your own warming, i.e.,warm yourself.
The Simple Tenses of rach, combined with the Infinitive of a transitive verb, correspond to the Passive Voice of the verb; as, chaidh mo bhualadhmy striking went, i.e.,came to pass, orhappened, equivalent toI was struck; rachadh do mharbhadhyour killing would happen, i.e.,you would be killed.
In phrases where either of the auxiliaries dean or rach is combined with a transitive verb, as above, the possessive pronoun may be exchanged for the corresponding personal pronoun in the emphatic form, followed by the prepositiondobefore the Infinitive. The preposition in this case is attenuated intoa, which, before a verb of the second conjugation is dropped altogether. Thus, rinn e mo bhualadhhe struck me, rinn e mis' a bhualadhhe struckME, chaidh mo bhualadhI was struck, chaidh mis' a bhualadhI myself was struck. In like manner, a noun, or a demonstrative pronoun, may occupy the place of this personal pronoun; as, chaidh an ceannard a mharbhadh[72], agus na daoine chur san ruaig,the leader was killed, and the men put to flight; theid am buachaill a bhualadh, agus an treud a sgapadh,the shepherd will be smitten, and the sheep scattered; is math a chaidh sin innseadh dhuit,that was well told you.
OF ADVERBS.
An Adverb, considered as a separate part of speech, is a single indeclinable word, significant of time, place, or any other circumstance or modification of an action or attribute. The number of simple Adverbs in Gaelic is but small. Adverbial phrases, made up of two or more words, are sufficiently numerous. Any adjective may be converted into an adverbial expression, by prefixing to it the preposition guto; as, fìrinneachtrue, gu fìrinneach[corresponding] to [what is] true,κατα το αληθες, i.e.,truly. Adverbs of this form need not be enumerated. It may be useful, however, to give a list of other adverbs and adverbial phrases, most commonly in use; subjoining, where it can be done, a literal translation of their component parts, and also the English expression which corresponds most nearly to the sense of the Gaelic phrase.
Adverbs of Time.A cheana; already, truly.A chianamh; a little while ago.A chlisge; quickly, in a trice.A choidhche, Choidh; for ever.A nis, Nise; now.A rìs, Rithist; again.Ainmic, Ainmeach; seldom.Air ball;on [the] spot, immediately.Air dheireadh; hindmost.Air thoiseach; foremost.Air tùs; in the beginning, at first.Air uairibh;at times, sometimes.Am bliadhna; this year.Am feadh; whilst.Am feasd; for ever.Am màireach; to-morrow.An ceart uair;the very hour, presently.An comhnuidh;in continuation, continually.An dé; yesterday.An deigh laimh;behind hand, afterwards.An diugh;the [present] day, to-day[73].An ear-thrath, An iar-thraith;the after time, the day after to-morrow.An nochd;the [present] night, to-night.An raoir, An reidhr; yesternight.An sin;in that [time], then.An trath;the time, when.An tràth so, An tràs';this time, at present.An uair;the time, when.An uiridh; last year.Aon uair;one time, once.Cia fhada; how long.Cia minic, Cia tric; how often.C'uine;what time, when.Do la, A la; by day[74].Dh' oidhche; by night[74].Do ghnàth;[according] to custom, always.Fa dheoidh;at the end, at last.Fathast, Fòs; yet, still.Gu bràth[75], Gu la bhràth;to the general conflagration, for ever.Gu dìlinn[75];to the expiration of time, ortill the deluge, for ever.Gu minic; often.Gu siorruidh;to ever-flowing, for ever.Gu suthainn; for ever.Gu tric; often.Idir; at all.Mar tha;as it is, already.Mu dheireadh; at last.O cheann tamuill; a while ago.O chian;from far, of old, long ago.Rè seal, Rè tamuill; for a time.Riamh; ever, said of past time only.Roimh làimh; before hand.Uair eigin; some time.Adverbs of Place.A bhos, Bhos; on this side, here below.A leth taobh; to one side, aside.A mach, A muigh; without, out.A mhàn[76]; downwards, down.An aird;to the height, upwards, up.A nall, Nall; to this side.A nuas;from above, down hither.A null, Null, nunn; to the other side.A thaobh; aside.Air aghaidh, Air adhart;on [the] face, forward.Air ais; backwards.Air dheireadh; hindmost.Air thoiseach; foremost.Am fad, An céin; afar.An gar; close to.An laimh; in hand, in custody.An sin;in that [place], there.An so;in this [place], here.An sud;in yon [place], yonder.An taice; close adjoining, in contact.Asteach, Astigh;[77]within, in.C' àite;what place, where.Cia an taobh;what side, whither.C' ionadh;what place, whither.Fad as; afar off.Fad air astar; far away.Far; where,—relatively.Fogus, Am fogus; near.H-uig' agus uaith; to and fro.Iolar, Ioras; below there, below yonder.Le leathad;by a descent, downwards.Leis;along with it, down a stream, declivity, &c.Mu 'n cuairt;by the circuit, around.Ri bruthach;to an ascent, upwards.Ris; in an exposed state, bare, uncovered.Seachad; past, aside.Sios, a sios; downwards.Suas, a suas; upwards.Shios; below there, below yonder.Shuas; above there, above yonder.Tarsuing; across.Thairis; over.Thall; on the other side.Uthard; above there, above yonder.Deas[78]; south.Gu deas; southward.A deas; from the south.Iar[79], Siar; west.Gus an aird an iar; westward.O'n iar; from the west.Tuath; north.Gu tuath; northward.A tuath; from the north.Ear, Oir, Soir; east.Gus an aird an ear; eastward.O'n ear; from the east.Adverbs of Manner.Air achd; in a manner.Air a' chuthach, Air boile; distracted, mad.Air chall; lost.Air chòir; aright.Air chor; in a manner.Air chor eigin; in some manner, somehow.Air chuairt; sojourning.Air chuimhne; in remembrance.Air éigin; with difficulty, scarcely.Air fogradh; in exile, in a fugitive state.Air ghleus; in trim.Air iomadan; adrift.Air iomroll; astray.Air iunndrain; amissing.Air lagh; trimmed for action, as a bow bent, a firelock cocked, &c.Air leth; apart, separately.Air seacharan; astray.Air sgeul; found, not lost.Amhàin; only.Amhuil, Amhludh; like as.Am bidheantas; customarily, habitually.Am feabhas; convalescent, improving.An coinnimh a chinn; headlong.An coinnimh a chùil; backwards.An deidh, An geall; desirous, enamoured.An nasgaidh; for nothing, gratis.An tòir; in pursuit.Araon; together.As an aghaidh;out of the face, to the face, outright.As a chéile; loosened, disjointed.Car air char; rolling, tumbling over and over.Cia mar;as how, how.C' arson;on account of what, why, wherefore.C' ionnas;what manner, how.Cha, cho; not.Comhla[80], mar chomhla, Cuideachd; together, in company.C'uime, for what, why.Do dheoin, a dheoin; spontaneously, intentionally.Dh' aindeoin; against one's will.Do dhìth, a dhìth; a-wanting.Do rìreadh; really, actually, indeed.Fa leth; severally, individually.Gle; very.Gu beachd;to observation, evidently, clearly.Gu buileach;to effect, thoroughly, wholly.Gu dearbh;to conviction, truly, certainly.Gu deimhin;to assurance, assuredly, verily.Gu leir; altogether.Gu leor;to sufficiency, enough.Gun amharus;without doubt, doubtless.Gun chàird;without rest, incessantly, without hesitation.Leth mar leth; half and half.Le chéile;with each other, together.Maraon;as one, together, in concert.Mar an ceudna; in like manner, likewise.Mar sin;as that, in that manner.Mar so;as this, thus.Mar sud;as yon, in yon manner.Mu seach; in return, alternately.Na, Nar; let not,—used optatively, or imperatively.Nach; that not, who not, not?Ni; not.Ni h-eadh[81]; it is not so.Os àird; openly.Os barr;on top, besides.Os iosal; secretly, covertly.Ro; very.Roimh a cheile; prematurely, too hastily.Seadh[81]; it is so.Thar a chéile, Troimh a chéile; in disorder, in confusion, stirred about.Theagamh; perhaps.Uidh air 'n uidh;stage by stage, gradually.
Adverbs of Time.
Adverbs of Time.
A cheana; already, truly.A chianamh; a little while ago.A chlisge; quickly, in a trice.A choidhche, Choidh; for ever.A nis, Nise; now.A rìs, Rithist; again.Ainmic, Ainmeach; seldom.Air ball;on [the] spot, immediately.Air dheireadh; hindmost.Air thoiseach; foremost.Air tùs; in the beginning, at first.Air uairibh;at times, sometimes.Am bliadhna; this year.Am feadh; whilst.Am feasd; for ever.Am màireach; to-morrow.An ceart uair;the very hour, presently.An comhnuidh;in continuation, continually.An dé; yesterday.An deigh laimh;behind hand, afterwards.An diugh;the [present] day, to-day[73].An ear-thrath, An iar-thraith;the after time, the day after to-morrow.An nochd;the [present] night, to-night.An raoir, An reidhr; yesternight.An sin;in that [time], then.An trath;the time, when.An tràth so, An tràs';this time, at present.An uair;the time, when.An uiridh; last year.Aon uair;one time, once.Cia fhada; how long.Cia minic, Cia tric; how often.C'uine;what time, when.Do la, A la; by day[74].Dh' oidhche; by night[74].Do ghnàth;[according] to custom, always.Fa dheoidh;at the end, at last.Fathast, Fòs; yet, still.Gu bràth[75], Gu la bhràth;to the general conflagration, for ever.Gu dìlinn[75];to the expiration of time, ortill the deluge, for ever.Gu minic; often.Gu siorruidh;to ever-flowing, for ever.Gu suthainn; for ever.Gu tric; often.Idir; at all.Mar tha;as it is, already.Mu dheireadh; at last.O cheann tamuill; a while ago.O chian;from far, of old, long ago.Rè seal, Rè tamuill; for a time.Riamh; ever, said of past time only.Roimh làimh; before hand.Uair eigin; some time.
A cheana; already, truly.
A chianamh; a little while ago.
A chlisge; quickly, in a trice.
A choidhche, Choidh; for ever.
A nis, Nise; now.
A rìs, Rithist; again.
Ainmic, Ainmeach; seldom.
Air ball;on [the] spot, immediately.
Air dheireadh; hindmost.
Air thoiseach; foremost.
Air tùs; in the beginning, at first.
Air uairibh;at times, sometimes.
Am bliadhna; this year.
Am feadh; whilst.
Am feasd; for ever.
Am màireach; to-morrow.
An ceart uair;the very hour, presently.
An comhnuidh;in continuation, continually.
An dé; yesterday.
An deigh laimh;behind hand, afterwards.
An diugh;the [present] day, to-day[73].
An ear-thrath, An iar-thraith;the after time, the day after to-morrow.
An nochd;the [present] night, to-night.
An raoir, An reidhr; yesternight.
An sin;in that [time], then.
An trath;the time, when.
An tràth so, An tràs';this time, at present.
An uair;the time, when.
An uiridh; last year.
Aon uair;one time, once.
Cia fhada; how long.
Cia minic, Cia tric; how often.
C'uine;what time, when.
Do la, A la; by day[74].
Dh' oidhche; by night[74].
Do ghnàth;[according] to custom, always.
Fa dheoidh;at the end, at last.
Fathast, Fòs; yet, still.
Gu bràth[75], Gu la bhràth;to the general conflagration, for ever.
Gu dìlinn[75];to the expiration of time, ortill the deluge, for ever.
Gu minic; often.
Gu siorruidh;to ever-flowing, for ever.
Gu suthainn; for ever.
Gu tric; often.
Idir; at all.
Mar tha;as it is, already.
Mu dheireadh; at last.
O cheann tamuill; a while ago.
O chian;from far, of old, long ago.
Rè seal, Rè tamuill; for a time.
Riamh; ever, said of past time only.
Roimh làimh; before hand.
Uair eigin; some time.
Adverbs of Place.
Adverbs of Place.
A bhos, Bhos; on this side, here below.A leth taobh; to one side, aside.A mach, A muigh; without, out.A mhàn[76]; downwards, down.An aird;to the height, upwards, up.A nall, Nall; to this side.A nuas;from above, down hither.A null, Null, nunn; to the other side.A thaobh; aside.Air aghaidh, Air adhart;on [the] face, forward.Air ais; backwards.Air dheireadh; hindmost.Air thoiseach; foremost.Am fad, An céin; afar.An gar; close to.An laimh; in hand, in custody.An sin;in that [place], there.An so;in this [place], here.An sud;in yon [place], yonder.An taice; close adjoining, in contact.Asteach, Astigh;[77]within, in.C' àite;what place, where.Cia an taobh;what side, whither.C' ionadh;what place, whither.Fad as; afar off.Fad air astar; far away.Far; where,—relatively.Fogus, Am fogus; near.H-uig' agus uaith; to and fro.Iolar, Ioras; below there, below yonder.Le leathad;by a descent, downwards.Leis;along with it, down a stream, declivity, &c.Mu 'n cuairt;by the circuit, around.Ri bruthach;to an ascent, upwards.Ris; in an exposed state, bare, uncovered.Seachad; past, aside.Sios, a sios; downwards.Suas, a suas; upwards.Shios; below there, below yonder.Shuas; above there, above yonder.Tarsuing; across.Thairis; over.Thall; on the other side.Uthard; above there, above yonder.
A bhos, Bhos; on this side, here below.
A leth taobh; to one side, aside.
A mach, A muigh; without, out.
A mhàn[76]; downwards, down.
An aird;to the height, upwards, up.
A nall, Nall; to this side.
A nuas;from above, down hither.
A null, Null, nunn; to the other side.
A thaobh; aside.
Air aghaidh, Air adhart;on [the] face, forward.
Air ais; backwards.
Air dheireadh; hindmost.
Air thoiseach; foremost.
Am fad, An céin; afar.
An gar; close to.
An laimh; in hand, in custody.
An sin;in that [place], there.
An so;in this [place], here.
An sud;in yon [place], yonder.
An taice; close adjoining, in contact.
Asteach, Astigh;[77]within, in.
C' àite;what place, where.
Cia an taobh;what side, whither.
C' ionadh;what place, whither.
Fad as; afar off.
Fad air astar; far away.
Far; where,—relatively.
Fogus, Am fogus; near.
H-uig' agus uaith; to and fro.
Iolar, Ioras; below there, below yonder.
Le leathad;by a descent, downwards.
Leis;along with it, down a stream, declivity, &c.
Mu 'n cuairt;by the circuit, around.
Ri bruthach;to an ascent, upwards.
Ris; in an exposed state, bare, uncovered.
Seachad; past, aside.
Sios, a sios; downwards.
Suas, a suas; upwards.
Shios; below there, below yonder.
Shuas; above there, above yonder.
Tarsuing; across.
Thairis; over.
Thall; on the other side.
Uthard; above there, above yonder.
Deas[78]; south.Gu deas; southward.A deas; from the south.
Deas[78]; south.
Gu deas; southward.
A deas; from the south.
Iar[79], Siar; west.Gus an aird an iar; westward.O'n iar; from the west.
Iar[79], Siar; west.
Gus an aird an iar; westward.
O'n iar; from the west.
Tuath; north.Gu tuath; northward.A tuath; from the north.
Tuath; north.
Gu tuath; northward.
A tuath; from the north.
Ear, Oir, Soir; east.Gus an aird an ear; eastward.O'n ear; from the east.
Ear, Oir, Soir; east.
Gus an aird an ear; eastward.
O'n ear; from the east.
Adverbs of Manner.
Adverbs of Manner.
Air achd; in a manner.Air a' chuthach, Air boile; distracted, mad.Air chall; lost.Air chòir; aright.Air chor; in a manner.Air chor eigin; in some manner, somehow.Air chuairt; sojourning.Air chuimhne; in remembrance.Air éigin; with difficulty, scarcely.Air fogradh; in exile, in a fugitive state.Air ghleus; in trim.Air iomadan; adrift.Air iomroll; astray.Air iunndrain; amissing.Air lagh; trimmed for action, as a bow bent, a firelock cocked, &c.Air leth; apart, separately.Air seacharan; astray.Air sgeul; found, not lost.Amhàin; only.Amhuil, Amhludh; like as.Am bidheantas; customarily, habitually.Am feabhas; convalescent, improving.An coinnimh a chinn; headlong.An coinnimh a chùil; backwards.An deidh, An geall; desirous, enamoured.An nasgaidh; for nothing, gratis.An tòir; in pursuit.Araon; together.As an aghaidh;out of the face, to the face, outright.As a chéile; loosened, disjointed.Car air char; rolling, tumbling over and over.Cia mar;as how, how.C' arson;on account of what, why, wherefore.C' ionnas;what manner, how.Cha, cho; not.Comhla[80], mar chomhla, Cuideachd; together, in company.C'uime, for what, why.Do dheoin, a dheoin; spontaneously, intentionally.Dh' aindeoin; against one's will.Do dhìth, a dhìth; a-wanting.Do rìreadh; really, actually, indeed.Fa leth; severally, individually.Gle; very.Gu beachd;to observation, evidently, clearly.Gu buileach;to effect, thoroughly, wholly.Gu dearbh;to conviction, truly, certainly.Gu deimhin;to assurance, assuredly, verily.Gu leir; altogether.Gu leor;to sufficiency, enough.Gun amharus;without doubt, doubtless.Gun chàird;without rest, incessantly, without hesitation.Leth mar leth; half and half.Le chéile;with each other, together.Maraon;as one, together, in concert.Mar an ceudna; in like manner, likewise.Mar sin;as that, in that manner.Mar so;as this, thus.Mar sud;as yon, in yon manner.Mu seach; in return, alternately.Na, Nar; let not,—used optatively, or imperatively.Nach; that not, who not, not?Ni; not.Ni h-eadh[81]; it is not so.Os àird; openly.Os barr;on top, besides.Os iosal; secretly, covertly.Ro; very.Roimh a cheile; prematurely, too hastily.Seadh[81]; it is so.Thar a chéile, Troimh a chéile; in disorder, in confusion, stirred about.Theagamh; perhaps.Uidh air 'n uidh;stage by stage, gradually.
Air achd; in a manner.
Air a' chuthach, Air boile; distracted, mad.
Air chall; lost.
Air chòir; aright.
Air chor; in a manner.
Air chor eigin; in some manner, somehow.
Air chuairt; sojourning.
Air chuimhne; in remembrance.
Air éigin; with difficulty, scarcely.
Air fogradh; in exile, in a fugitive state.
Air ghleus; in trim.
Air iomadan; adrift.
Air iomroll; astray.
Air iunndrain; amissing.
Air lagh; trimmed for action, as a bow bent, a firelock cocked, &c.
Air leth; apart, separately.
Air seacharan; astray.
Air sgeul; found, not lost.
Amhàin; only.
Amhuil, Amhludh; like as.
Am bidheantas; customarily, habitually.
Am feabhas; convalescent, improving.
An coinnimh a chinn; headlong.
An coinnimh a chùil; backwards.
An deidh, An geall; desirous, enamoured.
An nasgaidh; for nothing, gratis.
An tòir; in pursuit.
Araon; together.
As an aghaidh;out of the face, to the face, outright.
As a chéile; loosened, disjointed.
Car air char; rolling, tumbling over and over.
Cia mar;as how, how.
C' arson;on account of what, why, wherefore.
C' ionnas;what manner, how.
Cha, cho; not.
Comhla[80], mar chomhla, Cuideachd; together, in company.
C'uime, for what, why.
Do dheoin, a dheoin; spontaneously, intentionally.
Dh' aindeoin; against one's will.
Do dhìth, a dhìth; a-wanting.
Do rìreadh; really, actually, indeed.
Fa leth; severally, individually.
Gle; very.
Gu beachd;to observation, evidently, clearly.
Gu buileach;to effect, thoroughly, wholly.
Gu dearbh;to conviction, truly, certainly.
Gu deimhin;to assurance, assuredly, verily.
Gu leir; altogether.
Gu leor;to sufficiency, enough.
Gun amharus;without doubt, doubtless.
Gun chàird;without rest, incessantly, without hesitation.
Leth mar leth; half and half.
Le chéile;with each other, together.
Maraon;as one, together, in concert.
Mar an ceudna; in like manner, likewise.
Mar sin;as that, in that manner.
Mar so;as this, thus.
Mar sud;as yon, in yon manner.
Mu seach; in return, alternately.
Na, Nar; let not,—used optatively, or imperatively.
Nach; that not, who not, not?
Ni; not.
Ni h-eadh[81]; it is not so.
Os àird; openly.
Os barr;on top, besides.
Os iosal; secretly, covertly.
Ro; very.
Roimh a cheile; prematurely, too hastily.
Seadh[81]; it is so.
Thar a chéile, Troimh a chéile; in disorder, in confusion, stirred about.
Theagamh; perhaps.
Uidh air 'n uidh;stage by stage, gradually.
OF PREPOSITIONS.
The Prepositions, strictly so called, are single words, most of them monosyllables, employed to mark relation. Relation is also expressed by combinations of words which often correspond to simple prepositions in other languages. These combinations are, not improperly, ranked among the prepositions. The following lists contain first the Prepositions properly so called, which are all simple; secondly, improper Prepositions, which, with one or two exceptions, seem all to be made up of a simple Preposition and a Noun.
Proper Prepositions.
The Preposition ann is often written double, ann an eolas,in knowledge; ann an gliocas,in wisdom. The finalnornnis changed intombefore a labial; as, am measg,among; ann am meadhon,in midst. Before the Article or the Relative, this Preposition is written anns; as, anns an toiseach,in the beginning, an cor anns am bheil e,the condition in which he is; and in this situation the lettersannare often dropped, and thesalone retained, 's an toiseach,in the beginning.
De, so far as I know, is found in no Scottish publications. The reasons which have induced me to assign it a place among the prepositions will be mentioned in treating of the combinations of the Proper Prepositions with the Personal Pronouns.
The Prepositiondo, like the verbal particle, and the Possessive Pronoun of the same sound, loses theobefore a vowel, and the consonant is aspirated; thus, dh' Albainn,toScotland. It is also preceded sometimes by the vowelawhen it follows a final consonant; as, dol a dh' Eirin,going to Ireland. Thisaseems to be nothing else than the vowel ofdotransposed; just as the letters of the pronouns mo, do, are in certain situations transposed, and become am, ad. In this situation, perhaps it would be advisible to join thea, in writing, to thedhthus, dol adh Eirin. This would rid us of one superfluousaappearing as a separate inexplicable word. The same remarks apply to the prep.de;e.g., armailt mhòr de dhaoinibh agusa dh'eachaibh,a great army of men and of horses, lan do [de] reubainn agus a dh' aingidheachd,full of ravining and wickedness, Luke xi. 39. Do, as has been already observed, often loses thedaltogether, and is writtena; as, dol a Dhuneidin,going to Edinburgh. When the preposition is thus robbed of its articulation, and only a feeble obscure vowel sound is left, another corruption very naturally follows, and this vowel, as well as the consonant, is discarded, not only in speaking, but even in writing; as, chaidh e Dhuneidin,he went to Edinburgh; chaidh e thìr eile,he went to another land; where the nouns appear in their aspirated form, without any word to govern them.
Fa has been improperly confounded with fuidh or fo. That fa signifiesupon, is manifest from such phrases as fa 'n bhord,upon the board, said of a dead body stretched upon a board; leigeader fa làr,dropped on the ground, Carswell: fa 'n adhbhar ud,on that account, equivalent to air an adhbhar ud, see Psal. cvi. 42, and xlv. 2, metr. version.
The reason for admitting iarafter, has been already given in treating of the Compound Tenses of Verbs in Chap. V.
The manner of combining these prepositions with nouns will be shown in treating of Syntax. The manner of combining them with the personal pronouns must be explained in this place, because in that connection they appear in a form somewhat different from their radical form. A Proper Preposition is joined to a Personal Pronoun by incorporating both into one word, commonly with some change on the Preposition, or on the Pronoun, or on both.
The following are the Prepositions which admit of this kind of combination, incorporated with the several Personal Pronouns:
In most of these compound terms, the fragments of the Pronouns which enter into their composition, especially those of the first and second Persons, are very conspicuous[82]. These fragments take after them occasionally the emphatic syllablessa,san,ne, in the same manner as the Personal Pronouns themselves do; as, agamsaat ME, aigesanat HIM, uainnefrom US.
The two prepositionsdeanddohave long been confounded together, both being writtendo. It can hardly be supposed that the composite words dhiom, dhiot, &c. would have been distinguished from dhomh, dhuit, &c., by orthography, pronunciation, and signification, if the Prepositions, as well as the Pronouns, which enter into the composition of these words, had been originally the same. In dhiom, &c., the initial Consonant is always followed by a small vowel. In dhomh, &c., with one exception, it is followed by a broad vowel. Hence it is presumable that the Preposition which is the root of dhiom, &c., must have had a small vowel afterd, whereas the root of dhomh, &c., has a broad vowel afterd.Deis a preposition preserved in Latin (a language which has many marks of affinity with the Gaelic), in the same sense which must have belonged to the root of dhiom, &c., in Gaelic. The preposition in question itself occurs in Irish, in the name given to a Colony which is supposed to have settled in Ireland,A.M.2540, called Tuath de Danann. (See Lh. "Arch. Brit." tit. x.voc.Tuath; also Miss Brooke's "Reliques of Irish Poetry," p. 102.) These facts afford more than a presumption that the true root of the Composite dhiom, &c., isde, and that it signifiesof. It has therefore appeared proper to separate it fromdo, and to assign to each its appropriate meaning[83].
Dhiom, dhiot, &c., and dhomh, dhuit, &c., are written with aplain dafter a Lingual; diom, domh, &c.
Eadar is not incorporated with the pronouns of the singular number, but written separately; eadar mis agus thusa,between me and thee.
In combiningguandmuwith the pronouns, the letters of the Prepositions suffer a transposition, and are writtenug,um. The former of these was long written withchprefixed, thus chugam, &c. The translators of the Scriptures, observing thatchneither corresponded to the pronunciation, nor made part of the radical Preposition, exchanged it forth, and wrote thugam. Theth, being no more than a simple aspiration, corresponds indeed to the common mode of pronouncing the word. Yet it may well be questioned whether thet, even though aspirated, ought to have a place, ifgbe the only radical consonant belonging to the Preposition. The component parts of the word might be exhibited with less disguise, and the common pronunciation (whether correct or not), also represented, by retaining thehalone, and connecting it with the Preposition by a hyphen, as when written before a Noun, thus h-ugam, h-ugaibh, &c.