An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Scottish Gaelic as a specific subject

THE FUNCTIONS OF WORDS.
49
Nom.
Masc. Am
Singular.
Before f.
Gen.
Dat.
An (fh), >n (fh)
An (fh), ’n (fh)
Fem. An (fh)
An (fh)
Na
Masc."^ Na
Fem. /
Plural.
Nan
Na
Nam (before Labials, IT 111).
194. The letters in brackets are to indicate when the
Noun following is Aspirated. Where there are no
brackets, the Noun which follows the Article is Un¬
aspirated.
195. In the pronunciation of s, si, sn, sr, after an t- or
'n t-, the Consonant s is aspirated although it is not so
written. Air an t-saoghal is spoken air-ant-shaoghal.
196. The prepositions ann, gu, le, and ri alter their
forms before the Article, thus : arms an* gus an, leis an,
ris an. In reality these words enter into Perfect Com¬
position and are pronounced annsan, gusan, leisean, risean.
The s originally belonged to the Article, but having
decayed in other circumstances, was not recognised as
part of the Article in the above combinations. To write
le san, ri sav, would not correctly represent the pro¬
nunciation of s, which is High (Small) in these two
cases.
197. The other Prepositions ending in Vowels enter
into Close Composition with the Article, as, do ’n, do ’n t-,
for do an, do an t-, etc.
* Anns an must not be confounded with ann an. In the
former, an is the Article; in the latter, an is the Preposition
reduplicated (If 122).