Books and other items printed in Gaelic from 1841 to 1870 > Stéidhean a' Ghràmair Ghaëlig

146 ETYMOLOGY. FOCLACHADH.
Obs. — Ann, when it signifies existence, is always joined with the
verb Bi, and pronounced long. It is always used in this sense to ex-
press the appearance of the phenomena of nature ; as, tha 'n t-uisg
ànn, there is rain, it rains, pluit. Tha na fìr-chlis ànn an-nochd,
there are (the) merry dancers, or northern lights, to-night ; sunt aurorae
boreales hac nocte.
JBho, o, signifies — 1. From a place: 2. In composition, some-
times,/rom duty, or a sense of duty or obligation : 3. After the
verb thig, defiance; as,
1. Bho lochan nan nial, from the lake of 'clouds.
O mhullach na beinne, from the top of the mountain.
bhonn mo choise, from the sole of my foot.
2. Tha bhuainn a bhi falbh, we must be going.
Tha bhuat èirigh, you should rise ; get up.
3. Thig bhuat* a bhodaich, come, you churl, t defy you.
De signifìes — 1. Of off, in the sense of taJcing from : 2. From,
separating from ; as,
1. Thoir a' phoit de 'n teine, taìce the pot off the fire.
Thug è 'n dìollaid de 'n each, he took the saddle offthe horse.
Mìr de sin, a piece of that.
Tha gu leòr agam dheth, / have enough op it.
2. Geàrr sliseag de 'n mhulachaig, cut a slice from the cheese.
Do signifies — 1. To, into, towards : 2. For : 3. By : 4. Of
possessive : 5. In composition sometimes, freedom ; as,
1. Thèid mi do 'n Eaglais, / shatt go to the church.
2. Dean bìadh do Thdmas, prepare food for Thomas.
3. Do ghnàth, by custom, customarily.
Do bhrìgh, by virtue, because.
4. Mac do dh-Alasdar, a son of Alexander.
5. Leig dhomh, leig dhà, let me alone, let him dlone.
Obs. — Do is frequently used for de ; but when the opposite mean-
ings of these two words are considered, the impropriety of using the
one for the other will become at once manifest. Do is softened into a
before the infinitive, &c. — See page 90, Note f.
Eadar signifies — 1. Betioeen: 2. Boili together; as,
1. Eadar an talamh 's ant-adhar, between the earth and the sTcy.
Eadar mis' 'us tusa, between me and thee.
2. Eadar bheag 'us mhòr, both small and great.
Fa signifies — 1. On, upon : 2. Sometimes, to ; as,
1. Fa dheireadh, on the end, at last ; finally.
2. Fa 'n choill, to the wood.
* Literally, come/rom thee. This curious idiom is common in the North among
hoys and others when they are threatening or pretending to fight.