Elements of Gaelic Grammar Part 29

_In comparison with_: is trom a' chlach seach a' chlineag, _the stone is heavy compared with the down_.

Tar, thar.

_Over_, _across_: chaidh e thar an amhainn, thar a' mhonadh, _he went over the river, over the mountain_; tha sin thar m' eolas, thar mo bheachd, &c., _that is beyond my knowledge, beyond my comprehension_, &c.

Tre, troimh, throimh.

_Through_: tre uisge is tre theine, _through water and through fire_.

OF INSEPARABLE PREPOSITIONS.

The following initial syllables, used only in composition, are prefixed to nouns, adjectives, or verbs, to modify or alter their signification:-- {133}

An[92], Di, Ao, ea, eu, eas, Mi, Neo:--Privative syllables signifying _not_, or serving to change the signification of the words to which they are prefixed into its contrary; as, socair _ease_, anshocair _distress_, _uneasiness_; ciontach _guilty_, dichiontach _innocent_; treabh _to cultivate_, dithreabh _an uncultivated place_, _a desert_; dionach _tight_, _close_, aodionach _leaky_; cir _justice_, eucoir _injustice_; slan _whole_, _in health_, easlan _sick_; caraid _a friend_, eascaraid _an enemy_; buidheachas _grat.i.tude_, mibhuidheachas _ingrat.i.tude_; claon _awry_, neochlaon _unbia.s.sed_, _impartial_; duine _a man_, neodhuine _a worthless unnatural creature_.

An, ain, intensitive, denoting an immoderate degree, or faulty excess; as, tighearnas _dominion_, aintighearnas _tyranny_; tromaich _to make heavy_, antromaich _to make very heavy_, _to aggravate_; teas _heat_, ainteas _excessive heat_; miann _desire_, ainmhiann _inordinate desire_, _l.u.s.t_.

Ais, ath, _again_, _back_; as, eirigh _rising_, aiseirigh _resurrection_; beachd _view_, ath-bheachd _retrospect_; fas _growth_, ath-fhas _after-growth_.

Bith, _continually_; as, bithdheanamh _doing continually_, _busy_; am bithdheantas _incessantly_.

Co, com, comh, con, _together_, _equally_, _mutually_; as, gleacadh _fighting_, co-ghleacadh _fighting together_; lion _to fill_, colion _to fulfil_, _accomplish_; ith _to eat_, comith _eating together_; radh _saying_, comhradh _conversation, speech_; trom _weight_, cothrom _equal weight_, _equity_; aois _age_, comhaois _a contemporary_.

Im, _about_, _round_, _entire_; as, lan _full_, iomlan _quite complete_; gaoth _wind_, iomghaoth _a whirlwind_; slainte _health_, iom-shlainte _perfect health_.

{134}

In, or ion, _worthy_: as, ion-mholta _worthy to be praised_: ion-roghnuidh _worthy to be chosen_, Psal. xxv. 12, metr. vers.

So, _easily_, _gently_: as, faicsin _seeing_, so-fhaicsin _easily seen_; sion _weather_, soinion [so-shion] _calm weather_; sgeul _a tale_, soisgeul _a good tale_, _gospel_.

Do, _with difficulty_, _evil_; as, tuigsin _understanding_, do-thuigsin _difficult to be understood_; doinion _stormy weather_; beart _deed, exploit_. do-bheart _evil deed_.

CHAPTER VIII.

OF CONJUNCTIONS.

Under this cla.s.s of words, it is proper to enumerate not only those single Particles which are usually denominated Conjunctions; but also the most common phrases which are used as Conjunctions to connect either words or sentences.

Ach; but.

Agus, is; and.

A chionn gu; because that.

A chum as gu; in order that.

A chum as nach; that not.

Air chor as gu; so that.

Air eagal gu, } D' eagal gu; } _for fear that_, lest.

Air son gu, } Du bhrigh gu; } by reason that Bheil fhios, 'l fhios? _is there knowledge?_ is it known? an expression of curiosity, or desire to know.

Co; as.

Ged, giodh; although[93].

{135} Ged tha, ge ta; _though it be_, notwithstanding.

Gidheadh; yet, nevertheless.

Gu, gur; that.

Gun fhios; _without knowledge_, it being uncertain whether or not, in case not.

Ionnas gu; insomuch that, so that.

{136} Ma; if.

Mar; as, like as.

Mar sud agus; so also.

Ma seadh, } Ma ta; } _if so_, _if it be so_, _then_.

Mur; if not.

Mur bhiodh gu; were it not that.

Mus an, mu 'n; before that, lest.

Na; than.

Nach; that not.

Na'n, na'm; if.

No; or.

O; since, because.

Oir; for.

Os barr; moreover.

Sol, suil; before that.

Tuille eile; further.

Uime sin; therefore.

CHAPTER IX.

OF INTERJECTIONS.

The syllables or sounds, employed as expressions of various emotions or sensations, are numerous in Gaelic, but for the most part provincial, and arbitrary. Only one or two single vocables, and a few phrases, require to be noticed under this division.

Och! Ochan! alas!

Ochan nan och! _alas_ and _well-a-day!_ Fire faire! what a pother!

Mo thruaighe! _my misery!_ } Mo chreachadh! _my despoiling!_ } woe's me!

Mo naire! _my shame_, for shame! fy!

H-ugad, _at you_, take care of yourself, _gardez-vous_.

Feuch! behold! lo!

{137}

PART III.

OF SYNTAX.