Blair Collection > Gaelic dictionary, in two parts

vi A GRAMMAR OF
Derivatives in ach, iche, as, air, ear, are for the most part masculine; as, marcach, a rider; maraichc, a seaman;
piobair, a piper ; midllear, a miller ; càirdeas, friendship.
Names of trees are commonly masculine.
Feniinines.
Nouns signifying females are feminine ; as, màthair, a mother.
Agrgregate names of trees are feminine ; as, darach, oak-wood.
Names of countries, especially those ending in achd, or which have a short vowel in the last syllable ; as, Gaidhealt-
aclid, the Highlands; Eirin, Ireland. The names of districts have their gender commonly regulated by their termination.
Names of musical instruments ; as, piob, a pipe ; cruit, a harp.
Names of diseases ; as, buinneach, a diarrhoea.
Polysyllables (except agents in air and iche) whose least vowel is e, or i, are commonly feminine ; as, neasgaid, a
boil ; doirlinn, an isthmus.
Diminutives in ag ; as, sradag, a spark.
Derivatives in achd ; as, maiseachd, comeliness ; rioghachd, a kingdom.
Comparatives used substantively, are feminine ; as, maoile, baldness ; gile, whiteness.
Nouns in ?<a, and ui, a diphthong, the subjunctive of which is a slender or small vowel, are commonly feminine; as.
cuach, a cup; compailt, company.
OF NUMBER.
A noun has two numbers, singular and plural.
The cases are four, viz. Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Vocative.
A noun is either simple or aspirated, e. g. mbr, mhor, where mor is the simple form, and mhbr the aspirated.
Nouns in a definite sense are declined with the article.
The flection of a Gaelic noun is carried on not so much by a change of the termination, as of the last vowel, or of the
diphthong of the nominative, and by aspirating the initial consonant.
The Gael have only two declensions. Nouns whose last vowel is a, o, or «, are of the first ; nouns whose last vowel
is e, or I, are of the second.
FIRST DECLENSION.
Example of a Noun Masculine, indefinite.
Fear, a man ; mas.
Sing. PI.
Norn. Fear, a man. Nam. Fir, or feara, men.
Gen. Fir, of a man. Gen. Fear, or feara, of men.
Dat. Fear, to a man. Dat. Fearaibh,* to men.
Voc. Fhir, man. Voc. Fheara, men.
The same Noun declined with the Article.
Sing. PL
Norn. Am fear, the man. Nom. Na fir, the men.
Gen. An fhir, of the man. Gen. Nam fear, of the men.
Dat. An 'n fhear, to the man. Dat. Na fearaibh, to the men.
Example of a Noun Feminine, indefinite, heginning with a Palatal Consonant.
Cuach, a cup ; fern.
Sing. PL
Nom. Cuach, a cup. Nom. Cuachan, cups.
Gen. Cuaiche, of a cup. Gen. Cuach, of cups.
Dat. Cuaich, to a cup. Dat. Cuachaibh, to cups.
Voc. Chuach, cup. Voc. Chuacha, cups.
The same Noun declined ivilh the Article.
Sing. PL
Nom. A' chuach, the cup. Nom. Na cuachan, the cups.
Gen. Na cuaiche, o/ </ie cup. Gen. ^wa c\ia.ch, of the cups.
Dat. An,'n chuaich, to the cup. Dat. Na cuachaibh, to the cups.
Example of a Noun Masculine, indefinite, beginning xoith a Dental.
Doras, a door ; mas.
Sing. PL
Nom. Dorus, a door. Nom. Dorsan, doors.
Gen. Doruis, of a door. Gen. Dorsit, of doors.
Dat. Dorus, to a door. Dat. Dorsaibh, to doors.
Voc. Dhoruis, door. Voc. Dhorsa, doors.
* The nominative and dative plural of surnames are alike.