Part 35 (2/2)

Compound words are declined in the sa compound words, the component parts are sometimes separated by a hyphen, and soulated by any unifor in apposition, the insertion of a hyphen seeraphy, tels, belonging to different syllables, are scarcely ever placed next to each other without some mark of separation[118] Thus so-aomaidh, _easily induced_, _propense_; so-iomchair, _easily carried_; do-innsidh, _difficult to be told_; and not soamaidh, doinnsidh, &c, without the hyphen

It was formerly remarked, Part I, that almost all Gaelic Polysyllables are accented on the first syllable When, in pronouncing compound words, the accent is placed on the first syllable, the two terms appear to be completely incorporated into one word When, on the other hand, the accent is placed, not on the first syllable of the Compound, but on the first syllable of the Subjunctive term, the two terms seem to retain their respective powers, and to produce their effect separately, and instead of being incorporated into one word, to be rather collaterally connected A rule may then be derived fro Compounds, viz, to insert the hyphen between the component parts, when the Prepositive ternorant_, antroerate_, coeul _Gospel_, banoglach _a maidservant_, &c, without a hyphen; but to write an-fhiosrach _unacquainted_, ban-fhiosaiche _a fe_, so-fhaicsin _easily seen_, &c, with a hyphen[119] By this rule, a correspondence isand the pronunciation, but likewise between the written language and the ideas expressed by it A complex idea, whose parts are most closely united in the mind, is thus denoted by one undivided word; whereas an idea composed of parts more loosely connected, is expressed by a word, whereof the couished, and exhibited separately to the eye Thus also the Gaelic scholar would have one unifor, viz, to place the accent always on the first syllable of an undivided word, or member of a word If any exception be allowed, itin apposition, as beo-airgiod _quicksilver_

Let it be observed that, according to this rule, an Adjective preceding a Noun can never, but in the case just mentioned, be connected with it by a hyphen For if the accent be wholly transferred from the Noun to the Adjective, then they are to be written as one undivided word; as, garbhchriochan _highlands_; but if the accent be not so transferred, the Adjective and the Noun are to be written as two separate words; as, seann duine _an old eul _a bad tale_

It not unfrequently happens that two Nouns, whereof the one qualifies the ra the other in the Genitive, co only one complex object The two Nouns in this case are soether in one word, and thus form a Compound of a looser structure than those which have been considered Such are ceann-cinnidh, _the head of a tribe or {173} clan_; ceann-tighe, _the head of a family_; ceann-feadhna, _the leader of an army_; fear-turnis, _a traveller_; luchd-faire, _watch_; urlar-bualaidh, _a threshi+ng-floor_; fear-bainse, _a bridegroouailne, _a shoulder-belt_, &c In writing Compound Nouns of this description, the two Nouns are never written in one undivided word, but always separated by a hyphen It cooverning another in the Genitive, whether such an expression is to be considered as a compound ter, or whether they are to be written separately, without any suchof the Government of Nouns may help us to an answer, and furnish an easy rule in the case in question It was reoverned another in the Genitive, the Article was never joined to both; that for the overned, but so, that in the latter case, the two Nouns see one complex idea

If this last remark hold true, it overning another in the Genitive, where the Article is orNoun_, there the two Nouns ought to be connected by a hyphen in writing; otherwise not Thus we can say, without impropriety, an ceann-feadhna, _the commander_; an luchd-coily considered as Compounds, and written with a hyphen But it would be contrary to the usage of the language to say, ae, _the top of a rock_; an t-uachdar tally it would be improper to write a hyphen between the Nouns in these and similar examples

The different effects of these two , with or without the hyphen, is very observable in such instances as the following:--Ainyle, &c; ainm-duthcha, _a country nahlander, &c; clann Donuill, _Donald's children_; clann-Donuill, _the Macdonalds_

Though few have exerted the the structure of the Gaelic language, in respect of its inflections, construction, and collocation, this cannot be said to be the case with regard to Ety has been done, toward analysing single vocables, particularly names of places But this analysis seems to have been too often made rather in a way of randoy of Derivation and Co has even induced some to assert that all true Gaelic Primitives consist of but one syllable, that all Polysyllables are either derived or compounded, and therefore that there is roo theory too far It appears a fruitless and rather chimerical attempt to propose a system of directions by which all Polysyllables whatever may be resolved into component parts, and traced to a root of one syllable All I have thought it necessary to do is to eneral principals of Etyulate the composition and derivation of those classes of words whereof the analysis may be traced with some probability of success

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EXERCISES IN READING, EXPLAINING, AND analYZING

_Froiu h-aobhach suilbhear an dail gach tuiteahdear a bhi gearan 's a' talach air gach laimh; beadaidh ri lnn socair, is dio-chridheach ri h-alish_

The good soldier will advance, with spirit and cheerfulness, to any service that falls in his way But it is the practice of the bad soldier to be co on all occasions; saucy in time of ease, and peevish in return for kindness; faint-hearted under hardshi+ps, and feeble in encountering exigency

_analysis_

_Theid_ 3 per sing Fut Affir of the Article _an_, the

_Deadh_ An indeclinable Adjective, always placed before its Noun

_Shaighdear_ Nohdear_, a soldier, in the aspirated form, because preceded by the Adj _deadh_ Gram p 145 {176}

_Gu_ A proper Preposition, to, for

_Aobhach_ An Adject of the first Declension, joyous, having an _h_ before it, because preceded by the Prep _gu_ Gram p 161 _Gu h-aobhach_, joyfully, cheerfully, an adverbial phrase Gram p 109

_Suilbhear_ An Adject cheerful _Gu_ is to be supplied frou suilbhear_, cheerfully, an adverbial phrase

_An dail_ An improper Preposition, to meet, to face, to encounter; made up of the proper Prep _ann_, in, and the Noun _dail_,Gram p 121