AN GAODHAL.
39
dúnfaidh sí, she, or it, will shut.
dúnfaidh sinn, we will shut
dúnfaidh sibh, you (plural) will shut
dúnfaidh siad, they will shut.
The past tense, —
dhúnas, I did shut; dhúnais thou didst
shut; dhún sé, he, or it, did shut; dhún
sí, she, or it, did shut; dhún siad, they
did shut.
There are but two genders in Irish
the masculine and feminine; sé, rep¬
resents nouns classed as masculine, sí
those classed as feminine. In the ab¬
sence of gender or when an infinitive
clause or a part of a sentence is used
as the nominative, the masculine pro¬
noun, sé, is employed; as, is maith an
nidh siúbhal air maidin, tugann 'sé' goile
do dhuine, it is a good thing to take a
walk in the morning, it gives one an
appetite; tá 'sé' (ag) feathrainn, 'it
rains, etc.
"A" The lrish for silver is airgead;
airgead-beo, quick-silver. Money, in
general, is also called airgead.
2. O’Reilly defines "Gaodhal" thus. —
Gaodhal, a hero, an Irishman, High¬
land Scot, etc.
The characteristics of the provinces,
"Gaoidhil na Muimhneach flathach, feol¬
mhuir, féastach, fíonmhuir, daoin¬
each, mórghálach.
Gaoidhil na Laighneach faobhrach, nimh
neach, fealmhar, gléasmhuir, ceol¬
mhuir, daoinneach, connagharach.
Gaoidhil na g-Conachtach freachmhuir
focal liomhtha, gasta, deághlabhrach.
Gaoidhil na n-Ultach brontach, tabhair¬
theach, neartmhar, cobharthach, neamh-
sgathmharach."
Some write to us in such a strain as would indi¬
cate that they were complimenting us by taking
THE GAEL. — We never were, or ever will be, un¬
der a personal obligation to any one — it is repul¬
sive to our nature — that nature which could not
brook the odium of being satisfied with picking up
the fragments of the remains of our fatted ox re¬
hashed for the Gotho-Saxon table. Compliment
yourselves by placing the evidence of your social
superiority before the world — not us. This, in
the interests of your children, you are morally,
as well as patriotically, bound to do.
We had a visit from Major Maher the other day
Eabhrach Nuadh, an t-ochtmhadh air Fhichid
lá d'ochdmhí, '9 .
Chum Eagarthóir an Ghaodhail.
A Shaoi Dhíl: Cuirim chugat ceann
eile de na dántaibh breághtha, tógtha ó
'n sean sgríbhin air ar labharas cheana.
Dob' é sealbhóir agus sgríobhnóir an
leabhair sin, Uilliam Ó hÓgáin ó Innis
Chuillin, acht gidh go d-tugann sé Innis
Chuillin mar áit chómhnuighthe, is ró-urus
aithint gur Mhúmhaineach é, mar atá an
litir 'g' cruaidh a n-deire na bh-focal a¬
gus go minic, tá sí curtha a n-ionad 'd'
múchta (dh) Cidh nách bh-fuil an chuid is
sinne de 'n leabhar so sgaíobhtha níos mó
ná seacht m-bliadhna air sheasgaid, bu
dhóigh le duine gur chuir mac ui hÓgáin
a ínntleachd agus a ghliocas le chéile
chum na sgríbhine do dheunamh chó lán de
chrapaibh agus de chómharthaibh is do thig
leis. Agus mar a dúbhart cheana, do
mheas sé go g-cirfeadh sé cuid d'a léigh¬
theoiribh a sgríobhadh a g-cinn. Do bhíod¬
ar na sean-sgoláirídhe chó fáidheamhuil
agus chó lán de chleasaibh gur bh' áil leo
a chéile do chur air mire air uairibh. Leis
sin, do ritheadar na focail aisteach 'nna
chéile, agus do chuireadar síos a n-ion
ad facail, gach níd do shaoileadar go
raibh cosamhlacht nó deáramh, a g-clódh,
a n-guth nó a bh-fuaim aca le na focail
do bhídheadh na n-inntinibh féin, ann am a
sgríobhtha. Cuireann so a g-cuimhne
dúinn na focail a deir O'Donobháin
linn 'nna ghraimeur, air dulthaobh 432,
mar leanas, —
"Arbitary contractions are very numerous, and
are used chiefly, in modern manuscripts. They
depend chiefly on the caprice of the scribe, and
can be learned only by practice."
Agus deir sé airís anns an dulthaobh
as neasa, .i. 433, —
“But the contractions of this class are rather rid¬
dles than legitimate abbreviations, and are not
found in any manuscript of authority."
Acht caithfimíd a bheith gabháilt dóibh; a¬
gus le congnamh Dé, beidh ceann díobh
ullumh agam do gach uibhir de 'n Ghaodhal.
Do chara fíor-bhuan,
Tomás D. de Norradh.
So é an Dán —
