Part 1 (2/2)

In distributing the various parts of language into their several classes, and iuided by the nature of that language, and to guard against adopting, with inconsiderate servility, the distributions and technical terms of another This caution is the raue, we are apt to follow ira accustomed to fix our attention, and which we are ever ready to erect into a es To force the several parts of speech into ue, and to frame them so as to suit a nora the peculiarities, and confounding the true distinctions, which belong to the language under discussion

Although, in treating of Gaelic graotten, yet it is needless to reject indiscriraes Where the saraue, will suit the Gaelic also, it is but a convenient kind of courtesy to adopt these, and apply to them the sa the result of raeneral views The field of investigation ide, and almost wholly untrodden My task was not to fill up or improve the plan of any former writer, but to form a plan for myself In the several departments of my subject that distribution was adopted which, after various trials, appeared the raes that suited tolerably well the divisions which it was found requisite to make, I chose to adopt these, rather than load the treatise with novel or uncommon terms If their import was not sufficiently obvious already, it was explained, either by particular description, or by reference to the use of these terrammars In some instances it was found necessary to employ less common terms, but in the choice of these I endeavoured to avoid the affectation of technical nicety I a persuaded that I am so fortunate as to have hit on the best possible plan I am certain that it es a first essay must necessarily be found liable Still there is room to hope that the work may not prove wholly useless or unacceptable Imperfect as it is, I may be allowed to think I do a service of its kind tothe fruits of my labour to such as may choose to make use of thera directly in its support, because they were apprehensive that they could not do everything

I confess that e of the varieties of dialect used in different parts of the Highlands, enuine Gaelic idioht to be noticed in a work of this kind The saeneral ter the exceptions which may be found in use in some particular districts I respectfully invite, and will thankfully receive, the correction of any person whose more accurate and extensive information enables him to supply my omissions, or to rectify my mistakes

In a few particulars I have differed froentlemen whose superior abilities are so conspicuous in the masterly translation of the sacred Scriptures hich the Highlands of Scotland are now blessed[2] Here I have been careful to {xiv} state the grounds on whichthis, I would always be understood to advancethem to the consideration oframmatical readers, it is probable that soements on the subjects different from mine Of these I have to request that they do not forment of the work from a partial inspection of it, nor condemn it merely because it e me with a patient perusal of the whole, and a candid comparison of the several parts of the system with each other To a judicious critic, some faults and many defects may appear, and several improvements will occur On this supposition, I have one requesta co to our country, and dear to every patriotic Highlander

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ADVERTIse a Second Edition of the following treatise, the author has endeavoured to avail himself of every assistance in his power, from books, observation, and the communications of some literary friends, to who the opinions of different critics, it was not to be expected that all should be found to agree together It sometimes happened that one approved what another would have rejected If the author has not adopted every hint that was offered himent, the responsibility entlely favoured hi their na to withhold fro that he has had the best assistance which his country could afford hi his work He thankfully acknowledges his obligations to the Rev Dr Robertson, of Callander; Dr Graham, of Aberfoyle; Dr Stuart, of Luss; Dr Macleod, of Kilmarnock; and Mr Irvine, of Little Dunkeld

From these sources of emendation, omissions have been {xvi} supplied, idiomatic phrases have been collected and inserted, so particular parts, and new exahout, according as the advantages which the author enjoyed enabled hie, and served to correct, or to confirht be acceptable to Gaelic scholars to have a few lessons subjoined as exercises in translating and analysing For this purpose he has selected soinal prose composition, extracted from unpublished manuscripts, and from the oldest Gaelic books that are known to be extant These speci of the powers and elegances of the language in its native purity, unn words and idioms, as well as to show the o

The present edition owes its existence to the generous patronage of Sir John Macgregor Murray of Lanrick, Bart, to whoations for the unsolicited and liberal encourageiven hientle permitted here to record the names of those patriotic sons of Caledonia who, in concert with the honourable baronet, and at his suggestion, though residing in the remote provinces of India, yet mindful of their country's fa Celtic literature,the poe, in a principal degree, to their munificent aid, that the anxious expectation of the public has been at last so richly gratified by Sir John Sinclair's elegant and elaborate edition of the poems of that tender and lofty bard

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ELEMENTS OF GAELIC GRAMMAR

PART I

OF pronUNCIATION AND ORTHOGRAPHY

The Gaelic alphabet consists of eighteen letters: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u Of these, five are vowels, a, e, i, o, u; the rest consonants

In explaining the powers of the letters, and of their several combinations, such obstacles lie in the way that complete success is not to be expected

In order to explain, in writing, the sounds of a particular language, the only obvious method is to represent them by the letters commonly e language But there are sounds in the Gaelic to which there are none perfectly siue Besides, the same combination of letters does not invariably represent the sae that it did in a former, or that it may do in the next And this may be equally true of the letters of the Gaelic alphabet, whose powers are to be taught; and of the letters of any other language, by whose sounds the powers of the former are to be explained A diversity of pronunciation is very distinguishable also in different districts of the Highlands of Scotland, even in uttering the sah the powers of the letters, then, ree of accuracy, yet much will still remain to be learned by the inforh the chief use of the vowels be to represent the _vocal sounds_ of speech, and that of the consonants to represent its _articulations_, yet, as in es, so in Gaelic, the consonants sometimes serve to modify the sound of the vohich they are combined; while, on the other hand, the vowels often qualify the sound of the consonants by which they are preceded or followed

It ht how a vowel should be employed, not to represent a vocal sound, but to modify an articulation Yet exalish words, George, sergeant, the _e_ has no other effect than to give _g_ its soft sound; and in guest, guide, the _u_ only serves to give _g_ its hard sound So in the Italian words giorno, giusto, andconsonant The same use of the voill be seen to take place frequently in Gaelic orthography

Besides the common division of the letters into Vowels and Consonants, it is found convenient to adopt some further subdivisions

The Vowels are divided into _broad_ and _small_: a, o, u, are called _broad_ vowels; e, i, _small_ vowels