Chapter XV: Section I

OF THE AGREEMENT OF THE ARTICLE WITH A NOUN.

_Collocation._

The article is always placed before its Noun, and next to it, unless when an Adjective intervenes.

_Form._

The article agrees with its Noun in Gender, Number, and Case. Final _n_ is changed into _m_ before a plain Labial; as, am baile _the town_, am fear _the man_. It is usually cut off before an aspirated Palatal, or Labial, excepting _fh_; as, a' chaora _the sheep_, a' mhuc _the sow_, a' choin _of the dog_. In the Dat. Sing. initial _a_ is cut off after a Preposition ending in a Vowel; as, do 'n chloich _to the stone_[94].

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A Noun, when immediately preceded by the Article, suffers some changes in Initial Form:--1. With regard to Nouns beginning with a Consonant, the _aspirated_ form is assumed by a mas. Noun in the gen. and dat. singular; by a fem. noun in the nom. and dat. singular. If the Noun begins with _s_ followed by a vowel or by a Liquid, instead of having the _s_ aspirated, _t_ is inserted between the Article and the Noun, in the foresaid cases; and the _s_ becomes entirely quiescent[95]. 2. With regard to Nouns beginning with a Vowel, _t_ or _h_ is inserted between the Article and the Noun in certain Cases, viz. _t_ in the Nom. sing. of mas. Nouns, _h_ in the gen. sing. of fem. Nouns, and _h_ in the nom. and dat. plur. of Nouns of either gender. Throughout the other sing. and plur. Cases, all Nouns retain their Primary form.

The following examples show all the varieties that take place in declining a Noun with the Article.

_Nouns beginning with a Labial or a Palatal._

Bard, mas. _a Poet_.

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ am Bard, na Baird,
_G._ a' Bhaird, nam Bard,
_D._ a', 'n Bhard[96]. na Bardaibh.

Cluas, fem. _an Ear_.

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ a' Chluas, na Cluasan,
_G._ na Cluaise, nan Cluas,
_D._ a', 'n Chluais. na Cluasaibh.

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_Nouns beginning with f._

Fleasgach, m. _a Bachelor._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ am Fleasgach, na Fleasgaich,
_G._ an Fhleasgaich, nam Fleasgach,
_D._ an, 'n Fhleasgach. na Fleasgaich.

F[`o]id, f. a _Turf._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ an Fh[`o]id, na Foidean,
_G._ na F[`o]ide, nam F[`o]id,
_D._ an, 'n Fh[`o]id. na Foidibh.

_Nouns beginning with a Lingual._

Dorus, m. _a Door._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ an Dorus, na Dorsan,
_G._ an Doruis, nan Dorsa,
_D._ an, 'n Dorus, na Dorsaibh.

Teasach, f. _a Fever._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ an Teasach, na Teasaichean,
_G._ na Teasaich, nan Teasach,
_D._ an, 'n Teasaich. na Teasaichibh.

_Nouns beginning with s._

Sloc, mas. _a Pit._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ an Sloc, na Sluic,
_G._ an t-Sluic, nan Sloc,
_D._ an, 'n t-Sloc. na Slocaibh.

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S[`u]il, fem. _an Eye._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ an t-S[`u]il, na Suilean,
_G._ na S[`u]la nan S[`u]l,
_D._ an, 'n t-S[`u]il. na Suilibh.

_Nouns beginning with a Vowel._

Iasg, m. _a Fish._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ an t-Iasg, na h-Iasga,
_G._ an Eisg, nan Iasg,
_D._ an, 'n Iasg. na h-Iasgaibh.

Adharc, f. _a Horn._

_Sing._ _Plur._
_N._ an Adharc, na h-Adhaircean,
_G._ na h-Adhairc, nan Adharc,
_D._ an, 'n Adhairc. na h-Adhaircibh.

The initial Form of Adjectives immediately preceded by the Article, follows the same rules with the initial Form of Nouns.

Besides the common use of the Article as a Definitive to ascertain individual objects, it is used in Gaelic--

1. Before a Noun followed by the Pronouns _so_, _sin_, or _ud_; as, am fear so, _this man_; an tigh ud, _yon house_.

2. Before a Noun preceded by the Verb _is_ and an Adjective; as, is maith an sealgair e, _he is a good huntsman_; bu luath an coisiche e, _he was a swift footman_.

3. Before some names of countries; as, righ na Spainne, _the king of Spain_; chaidh e do 'n Fhrainc, _he went to France_; but righ Bhreatain, _the king of Britain_; chaidh e dh' Eirin, _he went to Ireland_, without the Article. {141}