Elements of Gaelic Grammar Part 21

ACTIVE VOICE.

Preterite. Future.

_Affirm._ Do chunnaic, Chi.

_Negat._ Faca, Faic.

_Subjunct._ Chithinn, faicinn, Chi.

_Imperat._ Faiceam. _Infin._ Faicsinn.

Pa.s.sIVE VOICE.

_Affirm._ Do chunnacadh, Chithear.

_Negat._ Facadh, Faicear.

_Subjunct._ Chiteadh, faicteadh, Chithear.

_Imperat._ Faicthear. _Infin._ Faicsinn.

{99} Faigh, _get._

ACTIVE VOICE.

Preterite. Future.

_Affirm._ Fhuair, Gheibh.

_Negat._ D'fhuair, Faigh.

_Subjunct._ Gheibhinn, faighinn, Gheibh.

_Imperat._ Faigheam. _Infin._ f.a.ghail, faotainn.

Pa.s.sIVE VOICE.

_Affirm._ Fhuaradh, Gheibhear.

_Negat._ D' fhuaradh, Faighear.

_Subjunct._ Gheibhteadh, faighteadh, Gheibhear.

_Imperat._ Faightear.

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.

Arsa _said_, _quoth_, indeclinable; used only in the Pret. Aff. through all the persons; arsa Donull, _quoth Donald_.

Tiucainn _come along_, tiucainnibh _come ye along_, used only in the 2d pers. sing. and plur. of the Imperative.

Theab mi _I was near to, I had almost_; used through all the persons of the Pret. Aff. and Neg.; as, theab iad bhith caillte _they had nearly perished_.

Is mi _I am_, used in the Pres. and Pret. Tenses, which are declined as follows:-- {100}

_Affirmative Mood._

Present. Preterite.

_Sing._ _Sing._ 1 Is mi, _I am, it is I._ Bu mhi, _I was, it was I._ 2 Is tu. Bu tu.

3 Is e. B' e.

_Plur._ _Plur._ 1 Is sinn. Bu sinn.

2 Is sibh. Bu sibh.

3 Is iad. B' iad.

_Negative Mood._

_Sing._ _Sing._ { 1 mi, _I am not_, &c. Bu mhi, _I was not_, &c.

{ 2 tu. Bu tu.

ni, { 3 e. B' e.

cha, { nach,{ _Plur._ _Plur._ &c. { 1 sinn. Bu sinn.

{ 2 sibh. Bu sibh.

{ 3 iad. B' iad.

_Subjunctive Mood._

_Sing._ _Sing._ 1 Ma 's mi, _If I be, it be I._ Nam bu mhi, _If I were, it were I._ 2 's tu. Bu tu.

3 's e. B' e.

_Plur._ _Plur._ 1 's sinn. Bu sinn.

2 's sibh. Bu sibh.

3 's iad. B' iad.

The only varieties of form which this Verb admits of, are the two syllables _is_ and _bu_. Each of these syllables {101} commonly 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 p.r.o.noun, or Noun, are always understood to convey a proposition, or a question, as unequivocally as though a Verb had been expressed; as, cha tu _thou art not_, nach e? _is he not? is it not he?_ am mise e? _is it I?_ cha luchd-brathaidh sinn _we are not spies_, Gen. xlii. 31. Am m thusa na Abraham? _Art thou greater than Abraham?_ gur cir urnuigh a dheanamh _that it is proper to pray_, Luke xviii. 1[70].

{102}

OF THE RECIPROCATING STATE OF VERBS.

Any transitive Verb may be so combined with a p.r.o.noun, either Personal or Possessive, that it shall denote the agent to be also the object of the action. This may be called the _reciprocating state_ of the Verb. It is declined as follows:--

Buail thu fein, _strike thyself_.

ACTIVE VOICE.

Simple Tenses.

_Affirmative Mood._

Preterite. Future.

_Sing._ _Sing._ 1 Do bhuail mi mi fein, Buailidh mi mi fein, Bhuail mi mi fein, _I will strike myself._ _I struck myself._ 2 Do bhuail thu thu fein, Buailidh tu thu fein.

3 Do bhuail se e fein; Buailidh se e fein.