Elements of Gaelic Grammar Part 23

The Simple Tenses of rach, combined with the Infinitive of a transitive verb, correspond to the Pa.s.sive Voice of the verb; as, chaidh mo bhualadh _my striking went_, i.e., _came to pa.s.s_, or _happened_, equivalent to _I was struck_; rachadh do mharbhadh _your killing would happen_, i.e., _you would be killed._

In phrases where either of the auxiliaries dean or rach is combined with a transitive verb, as above, the possessive p.r.o.noun may be exchanged for the corresponding personal p.r.o.noun in the emphatic form, followed by the preposition _do_ before the Infinitive. The preposition in this case is attenuated into _a_, which, before a verb of the second conjugation is dropped altogether. Thus, rinn e mo bhualadh _he struck me_, rinn e mis' a bhualadh _he struck_ ME, chaidh mo bhualadh _I was struck_, chaidh mis' a bhualadh _I myself was struck_. In like manner, a noun, or a demonstrative p.r.o.noun, may occupy the place of this personal p.r.o.noun; as, chaidh an ceannard a mharbhadh[72], agus na daoine chur san ruaig, _the leader was killed, and the men put to flight_; theid am buachaill a bhualadh, agus an treud a sgapadh, _the shepherd will be smitten, and the sheep scattered_; is math a chaidh sin innseadh dhuit, _that was well told you_.

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CHAPTER VI.

OF ADVERBS.

An Adverb, considered as a separate part of speech, is a single indeclinable word, significant of time, place, or any other circ.u.mstance or modification of an action or attribute. The number of simple Adverbs in Gaelic is but small. Adverbial phrases, made up of two or more words, are sufficiently numerous. Any adjective may be converted into an adverbial expression, by prefixing to it the preposition gu _to_; as, frinneach _true_, gu frinneach _[corresponding] to [what is] true_, [Greek: kata to alethes], i.e., _truly_. Adverbs of this form need not be enumerated. It may be useful, however, to give a list of other adverbs and adverbial phrases, most commonly in use; subjoining, where it can be done, a literal translation of their component parts, and also the English expression which corresponds most nearly to the sense of the Gaelic phrase.

_Adverbs of Time._

A cheana; already, truly.

A chianamh; a little while ago.

A chlisge; quickly, in a trice.

A choidhche, } Choidh; } for ever.

A nis, } Nise; } now.

A rs, } Rithist; } again.

Ainmic, } Ainmeach; } seldom.

Air ball; _on [the] spot_, immediately.

Air dheireadh; hindmost.

Air thoiseach; foremost.

Air tus; in the beginning, at first.

Air uairibh; _at times_, sometimes.

{110} Am bliadhna; this year.

Am feadh; whilst.

Am feasd; for ever.

Am maireach; to-morrow.

An ceart uair; _the very hour_, presently.

An comhnuidh; _in continuation_, continually.

An de; yesterday.

An deigh laimh; _behind hand_, afterwards.

An diugh; _the [present] day_, to-day[73].

An ear-thrath, } An iar-thraith; } _the after time_, the day after to-morrow.

An nochd; _the [present] night_, to-night.

An raoir, } An reidhr; } yesternight.

An sin; _in that [time]_, then.

An trath; _the time_, when.

An trath so, } An tras'; } _this time_, at present.

An uair; _the time_, when.

An uiridh; last year.

Aon uair; _one time_, once.

Cia fhada; how long.

Cia minic, } Cia tric; } how often.

C'uine; _what time_, when.

Do la, } A la; } by day[74].

Dh' oidhche; by night[74].

Do ghnath; _[according] to custom_, always.

Fa dheoidh; _at the end_, at last.

Fathast, } Fs; } yet, still.

{111} Gu brath[75], } Gu la bhrath; } _to the general conflagration_, for ever.

Gu dlinn[75]; _to the expiration of time_, or _till the deluge_, for ever.

Gu minic; often.

Gu siorruidh; _to ever-flowing_, for ever.

Gu suthainn; for ever.

Gu tric; often.

Idir; at all.

Mar tha; _as it is_, already.

Mu dheireadh; at last.

O cheann tamuill; a while ago.

O chian; _from far_, of old, long ago.

Re seal, } Re tamuill; } for a time.

Riamh; ever, said of past time only.

Roimh laimh; before hand.

Uair eigin; some time.

_Adverbs of Place._

A bhos, } Bhos; } on this side, here below.

A leth taobh; to one side, aside.

A mach, } A muigh; } without, out.

A mhan[76]; downwards, down.

An aird; _to the height_, upwards, up.

A nall, } Nall; } to this side.

A nuas; _from above_, down hither.

A null, } Null, nunn; } to the other side.

{112} A thaobh; aside.

Air aghaidh, } Air adhart; } _on [the] face_, forward.

Air ais; backwards.

Air dheireadh; hindmost.

Air thoiseach; foremost.

Am fad, } An cein; } afar.

An gar; close to.

An laimh; in hand, in custody.

An sin; _in that [place]_, there.

An so; _in this [place]_, here.

An sud; _in yon [place]_, yonder.

An taice; close adjoining, in contact.

Asteach, } Astigh; }[77] within, in.

C' aite; _what place_, where.

Cia an taobh; _what side_, whither.

C' ionadh; _what place_, whither.

Fad as; afar off.

Fad air astar; far away.

Far; where,--relatively.