Chapter 12

OF PREPOSITIONS.

The Prepositions, strictly so called, are single words, most of them monosyllables, employed to mark relation. Relation is also expressed by combinations of words which often correspond to simple prepositions in other languages. These combinations are, not improperly, ranked among the prepositions. The following lists contain first the Prepositions properly so called, which are all simple; secondly, improper Prepositions, which, with one or two exceptions, seem all to be made up of a simple Preposition and a Noun.

Proper Prepositions.

Aig, Ag, _at_. Air, _on_. Ann, _in_. As, A, _out of_. De, _of_. Do, _to_ Eadar, _between_. Fa, _upon_. Fuidh, Fo, _under_. Gu, Gus, _to_. Gun, _without_. Iar, _after_. Le, Leis, _with, by_. Mar, _like to_. Mu, _about_. O, Ua, _from_. Os, _above_. Re, Ri, Ris, _to_. Roimh, _before_. Tar, Thar, _over, across_. Tre, } Troimh, } _through_. Throimh, } Seach, _past, in comparison with_.

The Preposition ann is often written double, ann an eolas, _in knowledge_; ann an gliocas, _in wisdom_. The final _n_ or _nn_ is changed into _m_ before a labial; as, am measg, _among_; ann am meadhon, _in midst_. Before the Article or the Relative, this Preposition is written anns; as, anns an toiseach, _in the beginning_, an cor anns am bheil e, _the condition in which he is_; and in this situation the letters _ann_ are often dropped, and the _s_ alone retained, 's an toiseach, _in the beginning_.

De, so far as I know, is found in no Scottish publications. The reasons which have induced me to assign it a place among the prepositions will be mentioned in treating of the combinations of the Proper Prepositions with the Personal Pronouns.

The Preposition _do_, like the verbal particle, and the Possessive Pronoun of the same sound, loses the _o_ before a vowel, and the consonant is aspirated; thus, dh' Albainn, _to {117} Scotland_. It is also preceded sometimes by the vowel _a_ when it follows a final consonant; as, dol a dh' Eirin, _going to Ireland_. This _a_ seems to be nothing else than the vowel of _do_ transposed; just as the letters of the pronouns mo, do, are in certain situations transposed, and become am, ad. In this situation, perhaps it would be advisible to join the _a_, in writing, to the _dh_ thus, dol adh Eirin. This would rid us of one superfluous _a_ appearing as a separate inexplicable word. The same remarks apply to the prep. _de_; _e.g._, armailt mh[`o]r de dhaoinibh agus _a dh'_ eachaibh, _a great army of men and of horses_, lan do [de] reubainn agus a dh' aingidheachd, _full of ravining and wickedness_, Luke xi. 39. Do, as has been already observed, often loses the _d_ altogether, and is written _a_; as, dol a Dhuneidin, _going to Edinburgh_. When the preposition is thus robbed of its articulation, and only a feeble obscure vowel sound is left, another corruption very naturally follows, and this vowel, as well as the consonant, is discarded, not only in speaking, but even in writing; as, chaidh e Dhuneidin, _he went to Edinburgh_; chaidh e th[`i]r eile, _he went to another land_; where the nouns appear in their aspirated form, without any word to govern them.

Fa has been improperly confounded with fuidh or fo. That fa signifies _upon_, is manifest from such phrases as fa 'n bhord, _upon the board_, said of a dead body stretched upon a board; leigeader fa l[`a]r, _dropped on the ground_, Carswell: fa 'n adhbhar ud, _on that account_, equivalent to air an adhbhar ud, see Psal. cvi. 42, and xlv. 2, metr. version.

The reason for admitting iar _after_, has been already given in treating of the Compound Tenses of Verbs in Chap. V.

The manner of combining these prepositions with nouns will be shown in treating of Syntax. The manner of combining them with the personal pronouns must be explained in this place, because in that connection they appear in a form somewhat different from their radical form. A Proper Preposition is joined to a Personal Pronoun by incorporating both into one word, commonly with some change on the Preposition, or on the Pronoun, or on both.

The following are the Prepositions which admit of this kind of combination, incorporated with the several Personal Pronouns: {118}

Prep. Singular.

_1st Pers._ _2d Pers._ _3d Pers._

{ m. aige, Aig, } agam, agad, { _at him;_ Ag; } _at_. _at me_, _at thee_. { f. aice, { _at her_.

{ m. air. { f. oirre. Air; orm, ort, { uirre. { orra.

{ m. ann. Ann; annam, annad, { f. innte.

{ m. as. As; asam, asad, { f. aisde.

{ m. dheth. De; dhiom, dhiot, { f. dh'i.

{ dhomh, } { m. dha. Do; { dhom, } dhuit, { f. dh'i.

Eadar; ... ... ...

{ m. fodha. Fo, Fuidh; fodham, fodhad, { f. fuidhpe.

{ m. h-uige. Gu; h-ugam, h-ugad, { f. h-uice.

{ m. leis. Le; leam, leat, { f. leatha.

{ m. uime. Mu; umam, umad, { f. uimpe.

{ m. uaith. O, Ua; uam, uait, { f. uaipe.

{ m. ris. Re, Ri; rium, riut, { f. rithe.

{ m. roimhe. Roimh; romham, romhad, { f. roimpe.

Thar; tharam, tharad, f. thairte.

{ m. troimhe. Troimh; tromham, tromhad, { f. troimpe.

{119} Plural. _1st Pers._ _2d Pers._ _3d Pers._

Aig, } againn, agaibh, aca, Ag; } _at_. _at us_. _at you_. _at them_.

Air; oirnn, oirbh, orra.

Ann; annainn, annaibh, annta.

As; asainn, asaibh, asda.

De; dhinn, dhibh, dhiu.

Do; dhuinn, dhuibh, dhoibh.

Eadar; eadarainn, eadaraibh, eatorra.

Fo, Fuidh; fodhainn, fodhaibh, fodhpa.

Gu; h-ugainn, h-ugaibh, h-uca.

Le; leinn, leibh, leo.

Mu; umainn, umaibh, umpa.

O, Ua; uainn, uaibh, uapa.

Re, Ri; ruinn, ribh, riu.

Roimh; romhainn, romhaibh, rompa.

Thar; tharuinn, tharuibh, tharta.

Troimh; tromhainn, tromhaibh, trompa.

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In most of these compound terms, the fragments of the Pronouns which enter into their composition, especially those of the first and second Persons, are very conspicuous[82]. These fragments take after them occasionally the emphatic syllables _sa_, _san_, _ne_, in the same manner as the Personal Pronouns themselves do; as, agamsa _at ME_, aigesan _at HIM_, uainne _from US_.

The two prepositions _de_ and _do_ have long been confounded together, both being written _do_. It can hardly be supposed that the composite words dhiom, dhiot, &c. would have been distinguished from dhomh, dhuit, &c., by orthography, pronunciation, and signification, if the Prepositions, as well as the Pronouns, which enter into the composition of these words, had been originally the same. In dhiom, &c., the initial Consonant is always followed by a small vowel. In dhomh, &c., with one exception, it is followed by a broad vowel. Hence it is presumable that the Preposition which is the root of dhiom, &c., must have had a small vowel after _d_, whereas the root of dhomh, &c., has a broad vowel after d. _De_ is a preposition preserved in Latin (a language which has many marks of affinity with the Gaelic), in the same sense which must have belonged to the root of dhiom, &c., in Gaelic. The preposition in question itself occurs in Irish, in the name given to a Colony which is supposed to have settled in Ireland, A.M. 2540, called Tuath de Danann. (See Lh. "Arch. Brit." tit. x. _voc._ Tuath; also Miss Brooke's "Reliques of Irish Poetry," p. 102.) These facts afford more than a presumption that the true root of the Composite dhiom, &c., is _de_, and that it signifies _of_. It has therefore appeared proper to separate it from _do_, and to assign to each its appropriate meaning[83].

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Dhiom, dhiot, &c., and dhomh, dhuit, &c., are written with a _plain d_ after a Lingual; diom, domh, &c.

Eadar is not incorporated with the pronouns of the singular number, but written separately; eadar mis agus thusa, _between me and thee_.

In combining _gu_ and _mu_ with the pronouns, the letters of the Prepositions suffer a transposition, and are written _ug_, _um_. The former of these was long written with _ch_ prefixed, thus chugam, &c. The translators of the Scriptures, observing that _ch_ neither corresponded to the pronunciation, nor made part of the radical Preposition, exchanged it for _th_, and wrote thugam. The _th_, being no more than a simple aspiration, corresponds indeed to the common mode of pronouncing the word. Yet it may well be questioned whether the _t_, even though aspirated, ought to have a place, if _g_ be the only radical consonant belonging to the Preposition. The component parts of the word might be exhibited with less disguise, and the common pronunciation (whether correct or not), also represented, by retaining the _h_ alone, and connecting it with the Preposition by a hyphen, as when written before a Noun, thus h-ugam, h-ugaibh, &c.

Improper Prepositions.

Air cheann; _at [the] end_, against a certain time. Air feadh, } Air fad; } throughout, during. Air muin; _on the back_, mounted on. Air sg[`a]th; for the sake, on pretence. Air son; on account. Air t[`o]ir; in pursuit. Air beulaobh; _on the fore side_, before. Air culaobh; _on the back side_, behind. Am fochair; _in presence_. Am measg; _in the mixture_, amidst, among. {122} An aghaidh; _in the face_, against, in opposition. An ceann; _in the end_, at the expiration. An comhail, } An coinnimh; } _in meeting_, to meet. An cois, } A chois; } _at the foot_, near to, hard by. An d[`a]il; _in the rencounter_, to meet. An diaigh, } An deigh, } probably for } An deaghaidh, } an deireadh; } in the end, after. An d['e]is; } An eiric; in return, in requital. Am fianuis, } An lathair; } in presence. An lorg; _in the track_, in consequence. As eugais, } As easbhuidh; } _in want_, without. As leth; in behalf, for the sake. A los; in order to, with the intention of. Car; during. Do bhrigh, a bhrigh; _by virtue_, because. Do ch[`o]ir, a ch[`o]ir; _to the presence_, near, implying motion. Do chum, a chum[84]; to, towards, in order to. Do dh[`i]th, a dh[`i]th, } Dh' easbhuidh; } for want. Dh' fhios; _to the knowledge_, to. Dh' ionnsuidh; _to the approach_, or _onset_, toward. Do r['e]ir, a r['e]ir; according to. Do thaobh, a thaobh; _on the side_, with respect, concerning. Fa ch[`u]is; by reason, because. Fa chomhair; opposite. Mu choinnimh; opposite, over against. Mu thimchoill, timchioll; _by the circuit_, around. O bharr, bharr; _from the top_, off. Os ceann; _on the top_, above, atop. {123} R['e]; _duration_, during. Tar['e]is; _after_[85]. Trid; through, by means.

It is evident, from inspection, that almost all these improper Prepositions are compounded; and comprehend, as one of their component parts, a Noun, which is preceded by a simple or Proper Preposition; like the English, _on account, with respect_, &c. The words ceann, aghaidh, lorg, barr, taobh, &c., are known to be real Nouns, because they are employed in that capacity in other connections, as well as in the phrases here enumerated. The case is not so clear with regard to son, cum, or cun, reir, which occur only in the above phrases; but it is probable that these are nouns likewise, and that, when combined with simple Prepositions, they constitute phrases of precisely the same structure with the rest of the foregoing list[86]. Comhair is probably comh-aire _mutual attention_. D[`a]il and c[`o]ir, in the sense of proximity, are found in their compounds comh-dhail and fochair [fa ch[`o]ir.] T[`o]ir, in like manner, in its derivative t[`o]ireachd, _the act of pursuing_. Dh' fhios, _to the knowledge_, must have been originally applied to persons only. So it is used in many Gaelic songs: beir mo shoiridh le d[`u]rachd dh' fhios na cailinn, &c., _bear my good wishes with cordiality to the knowledge of the maid_, &c., i.e., _present my affectionate regards_, &c. This appropriate meaning and use of the phrase came by degrees to be overlooked; and it was employed, promiscuously with do chum and dh' ionnsuidh, to signify _unto_ in a more general sense. If this analysis of the expression be just, then ghios[87] must be deemed only a different, and a corrupt manner of writing dh' fhios.

In the improper preposition os ceann, the noun has almost {124} always been written cionn. Yet in all other situations, the same noun is uniformly written ceann. Whence has arisen this diversity in the orthography of a simple monosyllable? And is it maintained upon just grounds? It must have proceeded either from a persuasion that there are two distinct nouns signifying _top_, one of which is to be written ceann, and the other cionn[88]; or from an opinion that, granting the two words to be the same individual noun, yet it is proper to distinguish its meaning when used in the capacity of a preposition, from its meaning in other situations, by spelling it in different ways. I know of no good argument in support of the former of these two opinions; nor has it probably been ever maintained. The latter opinion, which seems to be the real one, is founded on a principle subversive of the analogy and stability of written language, namely, that the various significations of the same word are to be distinguished in writing, by changing its letters, the constituent elements of the word. The variation in question, instead of serving to point out the meaning of a word or phrase in one place, from its known meaning in another connection, tends directly to disguise it; and to mislead the reader into a belief that the words, which are thus presented to him under different forms, are themselves radically and essentially different. If the same word has been employed to denote several things somewhat different from each other, that does by no means appear a sufficient reason why the writers of the language should make as many words of one[89].

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The use of the _proper Prepositions_ has been already shown in the composition of adverbial phrases, and of the _improper Prepositions_. The following examples show the further use of them in connection with Nouns and Verbs, and in some idiomatic expressions which do not always admit of being literally rendered in English.

Ag, aig.

_At_: aig an dorus, _at the door_; aig an tigh, _at the house, at home_.

_By reason of_: aig ro mheud aighir 's a sh[`o]lais, _by reason of his great joy and satisfaction_, Smith's _Seann d[`a]na_, p. 9; ag meud a mhiann _through intense desire_, Psal. lxxxiv. 2, metr. vers.; ag lionmhoireachd, Psal. xl. 5.

Signifying possession: tha tuill aig na sionnaich, _the foxes have holes_; bha aig duine araidh dithis mhac, _a certain man had two sons_; cha n'eil fhios agam, _I have not the knowledge of it, I do not know it_.

Chaidh agam air, _I have prevailed over him_, Psal. xiii. 4, metr. vers.

Joined to the Infinitive of Verbs: ag imeachd, _a-walking, walking_.

Air.

On, upon: air an l[`a]r, _on the ground_; air an l[`a] sin, _on that day_; air an adhbhar sin, _on that account, for that reason_.

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Denoting claim of debt: ioc dhomh na bheil agam ort, _pay me what thou owest me_, Matt. xviii. 28; cia meud ata aig mo thighearn ortsa? _how much owest thou unto my lord?_ Luke xvi. 57.[90]

Denoting an oath: air m' fhocal, _upon my word_; air l[`a]imh d' athar 's do sheanathar, _by the hand of your father and grandfather_.

Tha eagal, mulad, sg[`i]os, ocras, &c., air, _he is afraid, sad, fatigued, hungry_, &c.

Thig mo bheul air do cheartas, is air do chli[`u], _my mouth shall speak of thy justice and thy praise_, Psal. xxxv. 28. metr.; thig mo bheul air gliocas, _my mouth shall speak of wisdom_, Psal. xlix. 3, metr. v.; sin c[`u]is air am bheil mi nis a' teachd, _that is the matter of which I am now to treat_.

Tog ort, _rouse thyself, bestir thyself_, Psal lxxiv. 22, metr. v.

Chaidh agam air, _I prevailed over him_, Psal. xiii. 4.; metr.; 'S ann ormsa chaidh, _it was I that was worsted_.

Thug e am monadh air, _he betook himself to the mountain_.

_In respect of_: cha 'n fhaca mi an samhuil air olcas, _I never saw their like for badness_, Gen. xli. 19; air a lughad, _however small it be_.

_Joined with, accompanied by_: m[`o]ran iarruinn air bheag faobhar, _much iron with little edge_, McIntyre's Songs. Oidhche bha mi 'n a theach, air mh[`o]ran b[`i]dh 's air bheagan eudaich, _I was a night in his house, with plenty of {127} food, but scanty clothing_; air leth laimh, _having but one hand_.

Denoting measure or dimension: d[`a] throidh air [`a]irde, _two feet in height_.

Olc air mhath leat e, _whether you take it well or ill_.

Ann, ann an, anns.

_In.:_ Anns an tigh, _in the house_; anns an oidhche, _in the night_; ann an d[`o]chas, _in hope_; anns a' bharail sin, _of that opinion_.

Denoting existence: ta abhainn ann, _there is a river_, Psal. xlvi. 4, metr.; nach bithinn ann ni 's m[`o], _that I should not be any more_; b' fhearr a bhi marbh na ann, _it were better to be dead than to be alive_; ciod a th' ann? _what is it?_ is mise th' ann, _it is I_; mar gu b' ann, _as it were_; tha e 'n a dhuine ionraic, _he is a just man_; tha i 'n a bantraich, _she is a widow_[91].

Marking emphasis: is ann air eigin a th[`a]r e as, _it was with difficulty he got off_; an [`a]ite seasamh is ann a theich iad, _instead of standing (keeping their ground) they fled_; nach freagair thu? fhreagair mi ann, _will you not answer? I have answered_.

As.

_Out of:_ as an d['u]thaich, _out of the country_.

Denoting extinction: tha an solus, no an teine, air dol as, _the light, or the fire, is gone out_.

As an alt, _out of joint_; as a' ghualainn, as a' chruachainn, as an uilinn, &c., _dislocated in the shoulder, hip, elbow-joint_.

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Chaidh e as, _he escaped_.

Cuir as da, _destroy him_, or _it_.

Chaidh as da, _he is perished, undone_.

Thug e na buinn as, _he scampered off_.

Dubh as, _blot out_.

De.

_Of:_ Armailt mh[`o]r de dhaoinibh agus a dh' eachaibh, _a great army of men and horses_.

_Off:_ Bha na geugan air an sgathadh dheth, _the branches were lopped off_; thug iad an ceann deth, _they beheaded him_.

Dh' aon r[`u]n, _with one consent, with one purpose_; dh' aon bharail, _with one mind, judgment_.

A l[`a] agus a dh' oidhche, _i.e._, de l[`a] agus de oidhche, _by day and by night_. Lat. _de nocte_, Hor.

Saidhbhreas m['o]r d'a mheud, _riches however great_. Psal. cxix. 14, metr.

Do.

_To:_ Tabhair dhomh, _give to me, give me_; thug sinn a bos m[`i]n do Dhearg, _we gave her soft hand to Dargo_.

Dh' eirich sud dha gu h-obann, _that befell him suddenly_. Mar sin duinne gu latha, _so it fared with us till day, so we passed the night_; ma 's olc dhomh, cha n-fhearr dhoibh, _if it goes ill with me, they fare no better_.

Latha dhomhsa siubhal bheann, _one day as I travelled the hills_; latha dhuinn air machair Alba, _one day when we were in the lowlands of Scotland; on Scotia's plains_.

Eadar.

_Between:_ eadar an dorus agus an ursainn, _between the door and the post_.

Dh' eirich eadar mi agus mo choimhearsnach, _a quarrel arose betwixt me and my neighbour_.

{129} Eadar mh[`o]r agus bheag, _both great and small_, Psal. xlix. 2, metr.; Rev. xix. 5, eadar bhochd agus nochd, _both the poor and the naked_.

Fa.

_Upon:_ Fa 'n bh[`o]rd, _upon the board_; leigeadar fa l[`a]r, _was dropped on the ground, omitted, neglected_. Carswel. Fa 'n adhbhar ud, _on that account_; creud fa 'n abradh iad? _wherefore should they say?_

Fa sheachd, _seven times_, Psal. vii. 6, metr.; fa cheud, _a hundred times_, Psal. lxii. 9, metr.

Fuidh, fo.

_Under:_ Fuidh 'n bh[`o]rd, _under the board_; fuidh bhl[`a]th _in blossom_; tha an t-arbhar fo dh['e]is, _the corn is in the ear_; fuidh smuairean, _under concern_; fo ghruaim, _gloomy_; fo mhi-ghean, _in bad humour_; fuidh mhi-chliu, _under bad report_.

Denoting intention or purpose: air bhi fuidhe, _it being his purpose_, Acts xx. 7; tha tighinn fodham, _it is my intention or inclination_.

Gu, Gus.

_To:_ O thigh gu tigh, _from house to house_; gu cr[`i]ch mo shaoghail fein, _to the end of my life_; gus an crion gu luaithre a' chlach, _until the stone shall crumble to dust_. Sm. Seann d[`a]na.

A' bhliadhna gus an [`a]m so, _this time twelvemonth, a year ago_; a sheachduin gus an d['e], _yesterday se'ennight_.

Mile gu leth, _a mile and a half_; bliadhna gu leth, _a year and a half_.

Gun.

_Without:_ Gun amharus, _without doubt_; gun bhrogan, _without shoes_; gun fhios, _without knowledge, unwittingly_; gun fhios nach faic thu e, _in case you may see him_, {130} _if perhaps you may see him_; gun fhios am faic thu e, _if perhaps you may not see him_. Gun chomas aig air, _without his being able to prevent it, or avoid it_; _involuntarily_. Gniomh gun chomain, _an unmerited, or unprovoked deed_. Dh' [`a]ithn e dha gun sin a dheanamh, _he ordered him not to do that_. Fhuair iad rabhadh gun iad a philltinn, _they were warned not to return_.

Iar.

_After_: Iar sin, _after that_; iar leughadh an t-Soisgeil, _after the reading of the Gospel_; iar tuiteam sios da aig a chosaibh, _having fallen down at his feet_; bha mi iar mo mhealladh, _I was received_.

Le, leis.

_With_: Chaidh mi leis a' chuideachd mh[`o]ir, _I went with the multitude_.

Denoting the instrument: mharbh e Eoin leis a' chlaidheamh, _he killed John with the sword_.

Denoting the agent: thomhaiseadh le Diarmid an torc, _the boar was measured by Diarmid_.

Denoting possession: is le Donull an leabhar, _the book is Donald's_; cha leis e, _it is not his_.

Denoting opinion or feeling: is fada leam an l[`a] gu h-oidhche, _I think the day long, or tedious, till night come_; is cruaidh leam do chor, _I think your case a hard one_; is d[`o]cha leam, _I think it probable_; is doilich leam, _I am sorry_; is aithreach leis, _he repents_.

_Along_: leis an t-sruth _along the stream_; leis an leathad, _down the declivity_.

Leig leam, _let me alone_; leig leis, _let him alone_.

Mu.

_About_: ag iadhadh mu a cheann, _winding about his head_; labhair e mu Iudas, _he spoke about Judas_; nuair smachduichear duine leat mu 'lochd, _when thou {131} correctest a man for his sin_, Psal. xxxix. 11, metr.; sud am f[`a]th mu'n goir a' chorr, _that is the reason of the heron's cry_. Seann d[`a]na. Sud f[`a]th mu 'n guidheann ort na naoimh, _for this reason will the saints make supplication to Thee_.

O.

_From_: O bhaile gu baile, _from town to town_; o mhadainn gu feasgar, _from morning to evening_; o 'n l[`a] thainig mi dhachaidh, _from the day that I came home_; o 'n l[`a], is often abridged into la; as, la thainig mi dhachaidh, _since I came home_.

_Since_, _because_: thugamaid uil' oirnn a' bhanais, o fhuair sinn cuireadh dhol ann, _let us all to the wedding, since we have been bidden to it_.

Denoting want in opposition to possession, denoted by _aig_: na tha uainn 's a b' fheairrd sinn againn, _what we want and should be the better for having_.

Implying desire: ciod tha uait? _what would you have?_ Tha claidheamh uam, _I want a sword_.

Os.

_Above_: Mar togam os m' uil' aoibhneas [`a]rd cathair Ierusaleim, _if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy_, Psal. cxxxvii. 6, metr.; os mo cheann, _above me_, _over me_.

Ri, ris.

_To_: cosmhuil ri mac righ, _like to the son of a king_; chuir iad teine ris an tigh, _they set fire to the house_.

Maille ri, _together with_.

Laimh ris a' bhalla, _nigh to the wall_.

Ri l[`a] gaoithe, _on a day of wind_; ri fad mo r['e] 's mo l[`a], _during all the days of my life_; ri l[`i]nn Righ Uilliam, _in the reign of King William_.

Na bi rium, _don't molest me_.

Feuch ris, _try it_.

Cuir ris, _ply your work_, _exert yourself_; cuirear na {132} nithe so ribh, _these things shall be added unto you_, Matt. vi. 33. Tha an Spiorad ag cur ruinn na saorsa, _the Spirit applieth to us the redemption_, Assemb. Sh. Catech.

_Exposed_: tha an craicionn ris, _the skin is exposed, or bare_; leig ris, _expose or make manifest_.

Roimh.

_Before_: roimh 'n charbad, _before the chariot_; roimh 'n chamhair, _before the dawn_; roimh na h-uile nithibh, _before, in preference to, all things_; chuir mi romham, _I set before me, purposed, intended_.

Imich romhad, _go forward_; dh' fhalbh e roimhe, _he went his way_, _he went off_.

Seach.

_Past_: chaidh e seach an dorus, _he passed by the door_.

_In comparison with_: is trom a' chlach seach a' chl[`o]ineag, _the stone is heavy compared with the down_.

Tar, thar.

_Over_, _across_: chaidh e thar an amhainn, thar a' mhonadh, _he went over the river, over the mountain_; tha sin thar m' eolas, thar mo bheachd, &c., _that is beyond my knowledge, beyond my comprehension_, &c.

Tre, troimh, throimh.

_Through_: tre uisge is tre theine, _through water and through fire_.

OF INSEPARABLE PREPOSITIONS.

The following initial syllables, used only in composition, are prefixed to nouns, adjectives, or verbs, to modify or alter their signification:-- {133}

An[92], Di, Ao, ea, eu, eas, Mi, Neo:--Privative syllables signifying _not_, or serving to change the signification of the words to which they are prefixed into its contrary; as, socair _ease_, anshocair _distress_, _uneasiness_; ciontach _guilty_, dichiontach _innocent_; treabh _to cultivate_, dithreabh _an uncultivated place_, _a desert_; dionach _tight_, _close_, aodionach _leaky_; c[`o]ir _justice_, eucoir _injustice_; sl[`a]n _whole_, _in health_, easlan _sick_; caraid _a friend_, eascaraid _an enemy_; buidheachas _gratitude_, mibhuidheachas _ingratitude_; claon _awry_, neochlaon _unbiassed_, _impartial_; duine _a man_, neodhuine _a worthless unnatural creature_.

An, ain, intensitive, denoting an immoderate degree, or faulty excess; as, tighearnas _dominion_, aintighearnas _tyranny_; tromaich _to make heavy_, antromaich _to make very heavy_, _to aggravate_; teas _heat_, ainteas _excessive heat_; miann _desire_, ainmhiann _inordinate desire_, _lust_.

Ais, ath, _again_, _back_; as, eirigh _rising_, aiseirigh _resurrection_; beachd _view_, ath-bheachd _retrospect_; f[`a]s _growth_, ath-fh[`a]s _after-growth_.

Bith, _continually_; as, bithdheanamh _doing continually_, _busy_; am bithdheantas _incessantly_.

Co, com, comh, con, _together_, _equally_, _mutually_; as, gleacadh _fighting_, co-ghleacadh _fighting together_; lion _to fill_, colion _to fulfil_, _accomplish_; ith _to eat_, comith _eating together_; radh _saying_, comhradh _conversation, speech_; trom _weight_, cothrom _equal weight_, _equity_; aois _age_, comhaois _a contemporary_.

Im, _about_, _round_, _entire_; as, l[`a]n _full_, iomlan _quite complete_; gaoth _wind_, iomghaoth _a whirlwind_; slainte _health_, iom-shlainte _perfect health_.

{134}

In, or ion, _worthy_: as, ion-mholta _worthy to be praised_: ion-roghnuidh _worthy to be chosen_, Psal. xxv. 12, metr. vers.

So, _easily_, _gently_: as, faicsin _seeing_, so-fhaicsin _easily seen_; sion _weather_, soinion [so-shion] _calm weather_; sgeul _a tale_, soisgeul _a good tale_, _gospel_.

Do, _with difficulty_, _evil_; as, tuigsin _understanding_, do-thuigsin _difficult to be understood_; doinion _stormy weather_; beart _deed, exploit_. do-bheart _evil deed_.