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

180 ETYMOLOGY.
FOCLACHADH.
VIII. The Adjective is generally placed after its noun. An Adjective in the
Predicate of a verb, is placed after the subject or nominative when it is employed
with the verb Bi or Dean, and before the subject with the verb Is. In eithef of
these positions the Adjective is always indeclinable. A series of Adjectives often
accompany the same Noun with a beautiful effect, especially in poetry. SeveraJ
Adjectives of one syllable precedeand aspirate their Nouns, or other words to which
they are prefixed, but in this position the Adjective has no infiection except aspira-
tion. Adjectives are often used as Adverbs with and withont gu before them. —
See Syntax, Rule VII.
'Labhair a' ghruagach dhdnn ris an òigear ghrìnn. Tha fraoch
groganach a' fas air gualainn a' chnuic mhòir. Gabh an aire
de làmhainnibh geala na mna còire sin. Iarraidh cluas nan
daoine glice eòlas. Fuilingidh an t-anam dìomhanach ocras.
Molaibh an Tighearn le ciombalaibh fònnmhor agus àrd-
fhuaimneach.
Bi'idh anluaidh ghlas 'na deamiaibh 'us siubhal rèith aig conaibh seanga,
'S an damh dònn a' sileadh fala, 's àbhachd aig na fearaibh glèusda.
Tha 'n là so fuar. Is fuar an là so. Tha do ghruaidh
dearg. Is bìnn ceileir nan eun. Tha a* mhin daor. Is cruaidh
na clachan sin. Dean an t-uisge teth. 'Rinneadh an lobhar
glan. Is mòr Diana nan Ephèsianach. 'S fèurach, craobhach,
luideach, gaolach, an tìr fhaolaidh, sheannsail. Do shùil shuil-
bhear, shocrach, mhòdhar, mhireagach, chòmhnard, 's ì meal-
lach. Fàilt ort fèin a mhòr-thir 1 bhòidheach anns an òg-mhios
Bhealltuinn. Tha 'n darag sìnte, seargte fo ghàrbh ghaoith.
Is è urram dhaoine òga an neart agus is è maise sheann daoine 2
an ceann lìath. Ainnir nam màll 'rosga gorma. Air dubh
dhruim na mara fo nial. Dh'-ìmich an sàr cheannard, le cruaidh
f harum, mar mhòr thorc a' chuain a' tarruing nam fuar thònn 'n à
dhèigh.
Dh'-èirich maduinn le sòlas còrr (great),
Chunnacas monadh thar lìath cheann nan tònn ;
An gòrm chuan fo aoibhneas mòr,
Na stuaidh fo chobhar ag aomadh thàll,
Mu charraig mhaoil 'bha fada uainn.— -Ossian.
Mìos lusanach, mealach, fèurach, failleanach, blàth,
'S è gu-gucagach, duilleach, luachrach, dìtheanach, lurach,
Beachach, seilleanach, dearcach ; ciùrach dhealtach, thròm thà,
'S è mar chùirneanàn daoimein bhratach bòillsgeil air làr.
1 A noun and an adjective prefixed to it, are often combined by a hyphen, and
represent one complex idea ; in which case, the accent is generally placed on the
antecedent term when the succeeding term is a monosyllable ; as, mòr'-thir, a
large territory, a continent. Og'- mhios, young month, the month ofjune. Deadh'-
ghean,/awn<r. Droch'-bheart, an evil deed, vice. Inmanywords, the adjective
and noun coalesce and form one compact word ; as, òigear, a young man, from
òg-fhear or fear òg. Morair, a great man, a lord ; from mòr-fhear. Garbhlach,
a stony or rugged place ; from garbh-chlach, a rough or large stone.
In several Compounds of this description each term retains its own primitive
accent, especially when the second term is a dissyllable or governed in the geni-
tive ; as, liath-fheasgar, grey evening, twilight. Leac-ùrlair, a ftoor-flag.—Sw
Syntax, Rule XVI. No. 5.
2 A noun beginning with d, s, or t, is plain after seann. And c, g, are for the
most part plain after droch j as, droch cridhe ; droch gille.