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

ETYMOLOGY.
FOOLACHADH. 155
Prìomhach o fhocal sam
bith a 's lugha na e-fèin 's a'
chàinnt ; mar, ceart, just.
Bheirear focal Freumhach
o f hocal àraid èile, a's lugha
na e-fèin ; mar, ?ra-cheart,
zmjust.
Atharraichear focail Phrì-
omhach gu-mòr araon 'n àn
cumadh, agus 'n àn seadh, le
bhi iar an aonadh ri lidean
àraid ris an canar Tùsicean
agus Risicean.
The following examples will afford an idea of the changes and con-
tractions which the words of a language undergo when two or three
terms are merged into one word : — Bealltuinn from Bel,* or Belus, the
ancient deity of the Celts, and teine, fire, May-day, Whitsuntide, the
day of offering sacrifice to Bel. Bliadhna, Bel-ìadh-ùin, Bel encom-
passing time ; the period which circulates or passes between the annual
sacrifices to Bel ; a year. Miorbhuil, meur Bheil, the finger of Bel ;
any thing ascribed to the hand or power of Bel; a miracle. Samhuinn,
sàmh, rest, peace ; mn,time,orteme,fìre; season of rest ; a Druidical
festival held in the beginning of November ; hallowtide ; halloween.
Bainis, bean-fhèis, woman's feast ; entertainment for a wife ; a wed-
ding. Oigear, òg-fear, a young man. Morair, mòr-fhear, a great man ;
a lord. Moraich, muir-fhaich, sea-field ; a sea-marsh. Mac/iair, mach,
or magh-thìr, plain land.
derived from any simpler
word than itself in the lan-
guage ; as, duine, man.
A Derivative word is de-
rived or formed from some
word simpler than itself ;
as, duine//, man^.
Primitive words are materi-
ally changed, both in their
structure and signification, by
being united with certain parti-
cles, called Prefixes and Affixes.
A Prefix is a particle
placed before a word or
root, to vary its sense ; as,
cfemol, d&praise.
An Affix is a particle
added to a root to vary its
PEEFIXES.
Words denoting error,
defect, or the sense of not,
Is ì Tùsic lid a chuirear
roimh fhocal, 110 freumh
a mhìith à sheadh ; mar,
ath-ihogj rebuild.
Is ì Risic lid a chuirear
ri freumh a mhùth à sheadh ;
mar, àmneil.
TUSICEAN.
Nìtear focail a' cìallach-
adh niearach, easbhaidh, no
* Hebrew bl» Bel, a domestic and chief god of the Babylonians, worshipped in
the tower of Babel. " And I will punish Bel in Babylon." — Jer. li. 44. Belus,
" Quintus in India, qui Belus dicitur." — Cic. de Nat. Deorum, iii. 16. Baal,
a lord, the name of the idol of the Phoenicians and Syrians ; their domestic and
chief deity, worshipped by them and by the Hebrews.— Jud. vi. 25.— Vide Gesenhis'
Hebrew and Clialdee Lexicon, in loco.