abair

See also: Abair

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish at·beir, from Old Irish as·beir,[1] from Proto-Celtic *exs- (compare Latin ex) + *bereti, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-.[2]

See rá for the etymology of the verbal noun and past participle.

Pronunciation

Verb

abair (present analytic deir, future analytic déarfaidh, verbal noun rá, past participle ráite)

  1. to say, utter
    amhrán a rá ― to sing a song
  2. to mean, refer to
    Ní tú a deirim. ― I don’t mean you; I’m not referring to you.
  3. (In the 2nd sing. imperative or 1st plural imperative) say, suppose (to state for illustrative or approximate purposes)
    abair is nach mbeadh sé ann ― supposing he weren’t there
    fiche punt, abair ― twenty pounds, say

Conjugation

The d-initial forms of this verb are immune to lenition in the standard language. They do, however, undergo eclipsis.

In at least some parts of Ulster, the initial d is deleted after ní, níor: níor úirt mé ― I did not say[6][7]

conjugation of abair (irregular)
verbal noun rá
past participle ráite
tense singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative
present deirim deir tú;
deireann tú;
deirir† 		deir sé, sí;
deireann sé, sí 		deirimid;
deir muid;
deireann muid 		deir sibh;
deireann sibh 		deir siad;
deireann siad;
deirid† 		a deir; a deireas; a deireann /
a ndeir*; a ndeireas*; a ndeireann* 		deirtear
past dúirt mé;
dúras;
dúrt 		dúirt tú;
dúrais 		dúirt sé, sí dúramar;
dúirt muid 		dúirt sibh;
dúrabhair 		dúirt siad;
dúradar 		a dúirt /
a ndúirt* 		dúradh
past habitual deirinn deirteá deireadh sé, sí deirimis;
deireadh muid 		deireadh sibh deiridís;
deireadh siad 		a deireadh /
a ndeireadh* 		deirtí
future déarfaidh mé;
déarfad 		déarfaidh tú;
déarfair† 		déarfaidh sé, sí déarfaimid;
déarfaidh muid 		déarfaidh sibh déarfaidh siad;
déarfaid† 		a déarfaidh; a déarfas /
a ndéarfaidh*; a ndéarfas* 		déarfar
conditional déarfainn déarfá déarfadh sé, sí déarfaimis;
déarfadh muid 		déarfadh sibh déarfaidís;
déarfadh siad 		a déarfadh /
a ndéarfadh* 		déarfaí
subjunctive
present go ndeire mé;
go ndeiread† 		go ndeire tú;
go ndeirir† 		go ndeire sé, sí go ndeirimid;
go ndeire muid 		go ndeire sibh go ndeire siad;
go ndeirid† 		— go ndeirtear
past dá ndeirinn dá ndeirteá dá ndeireadh sé, sí dá ndeirimis;
dá ndeireadh muid 		dá ndeireadh sibh dá ndeiridís;
dá ndeireadh siad 		— dá ndeirtí
imperative
– abraim abair abradh sé, sí abraimis abraigí;
abraidh† 		abraidís — abairtear

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form

in older literary language, and sometimes in spoken language, additional forms built on the stem abr- are found:

tense singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative
present dependent abraim abrann tú;
abrair 		abrann sé, sí abraimid;
abrann muid 		abrann sibh abrann siad;
abraid 		a n-abrann*;
a n-abras* 		abarthar
past habitual dependent abrainn abartá abradh sé, sí abraimis;
abradh muid 		abradh sibh abraidís;
abradh siad 		a n-abradh* abartaí
future dependent abróidh mé;
abród;
abróchaidh mé 		abróidh tú;
abróir;
abróchaidh tú 		abróidh sé, sí;
abróchaidh sé, sí 		abróimid;
abróidh muid;
abróchaimid;
abróchaidh muid 		abróidh sibh;
abróchaidh sibh 		abróidh siad;
abróid;
abróchaidh siad 		a n-abróidh*;
a n-abrós*;
a n-abróchaidh*;
a n-abróchas* 		abrófar;
abróchar
conditional dependent abróinn;
abróchainn 		abrófá;
abróchthá 		abródh sé, sí;
abróchadh sé, sí 		abróimis;
abródh muid;
abróchaimis;
abróchadh muid 		abródh sibh;
abróchadh sibh 		abróidís;
abródh siad;
abróchadh siad 		a n-abródh*;
a n-abróchadh* 		abrófaí;
abróchaí
subjunctive
present go n-abra mé;
go n-abrad 		go n-abra tú;
go n-abrair 		go n-abra sé, sí go n-abraimid;
go n-abra muid 		go n-abra sibh go n-abra siad;
go n-abraid 		— go n-abarthar
past dá n-abrainn dá n-abartá dá n-abradh sé, sí dá n-abraimis;
dá n-abradh muid 		dá n-abradh sibh dá n-abraidís;
dá n-abradh siad 		— dá n-abartaí

Synonyms

Derived terms

Mutation

Mutated forms of abair
radical eclipsis with h-prothesis with t-prothesis
abair n-abair habair not applicable

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

References
  1. ^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “as-beir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
  2. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 305
  3. ^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 15, page 10
  4. ^ Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), Zweiter Band: Wörterbuch [Second volume: Dictionary], Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 78
  5. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 370, page 125
  6. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 406, page 134
  7. ^ Wagner, Heinrich (1959) Gaeilge Theilinn: Foghraidheacht, Gramadach, Téacsanna [The Irish of Teelin: Phonetics, Grammar, Texts] (in Irish), Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], section 79, page 30; reprinted 1979

Further reading

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish at·beir, from Old Irish as·beir, from Proto-Celtic *exs- (compare Latin ex) + Proto-Celtic *bereti, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-.

The verbal noun is from Old Irish rád (compare Irish rá), from the verb ráidid (“talks”), from Proto-Celtic *rādīti, from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (“perform successfully”). Cognate with Sanskrit राध्नोति (rādhnoti, “succeeds”), Old Church Slavonic радити (raditi, “take care of, work”), Gothic 𐍂𐍉𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (rōdjan, “talk”), Lithuanian rodýti (“show”). The past participle is from the same stem.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈapɪɾʲ/

The adverb is commonly prefixed with /h/ in colloquial speech:

  • IPA(key): /ˈhapɪɾʲ/
  • (Lewis) IPA(key): /ˈhapəð/[1]

Verb

abair (past thuirt, future their, verbal noun ràdh, past participle ràite)

  1. say
    Abair ach beag is abair gu math e. ― Say little, but say it well.
    Na h-abair diug a choidhche ris an eun gus an dig e às an ugh. ― Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
  2. call [with ri]
    Shreap mi suas an cnoc ris an abair iad "An Sìthean Beag" ― I walked up the hill which they call "the little fairy mound" (literally, “the hill to which they say…”)

Usage notes

  • In most dialects of Scottish Gaelic still spoken, with the notable exception of Islay, the future and conditional tenses and the imperative form of can are almost always used in place of the actual abair forms in colloquial language; the abair forms are recognised but considered Biblical or excessively formal. Some northern dialects, such as Skye and Lewis, extend this to verbal noun forms derived from can, such as cantainn and canail.
  • While ràdh is the most common verbal noun form, many others are used: gràdh, ràdha, gràdha, ràdhainn, gràdhainn, ràdhtainn, ràit, and ràitinn.

Inflection

Conjugation of abair (irregular)
singular plural impersonal
first second third m/f first second third
independent past simple thuirt mi thuirt thu thuirt e/i thuirt sinn thuirt sibh thuirt iad thuirteadh
emphatic thubhairt mi thubhairt thu thubhairt e/i thubhairt sinn thubhairt sibh thubhairt iad thubhairteadh
future their mi
canaidh mi 		their thu
canaidh tu 		their e/i
canaidh e/i 		their sinn
canaidh sinn 		their sibh
canaidh sibh 		their iad
canaidh iad 		theirear
canar
conditional theirinn
chanainn 		theireadh tu
chanadh tu 		theireadh e/i
chanadh e/i 		theireadh sinn
theireamaid
chanadh sinn
chanamaid 		theireadh sibh
chanadh sibh 		theireadh iad
chanadh iad 		theirte(adh)
theirist(e)1
chante(adh)
chanaist(e)1
negative past simple cha tuirt mi cha tuirt thu cha tuirt e/i cha tuirt sinn cha tuirt sibh cha tuirt iad cha tuirteadh
emphatic cha tubhairt mi cha tubhairt thu cha tubhairt e/i cha tubhairt sinn cha tubhairt sibh cha tubhairt iad cha tubhairteadh
future chan abair mi
cha chan mi 		chan abair thu
cha chan thu 		chan abair e/i
cha chan e/i 		chan abair sinn
cha chan sinn 		chan abair sibh
cha chan sibh 		chan abair iad
cha chan iad 		chan abrar
cha chanar
conditional chan abrainn
cha chanainn 		chan abradh tu
cha chanadh tu 		chan abradh e/i
cha chanadh e/i 		chan abradh sinn
chan abramaid
cha chanadh sinn
cha chanamaid 		chan abradh sibh
cha chanadh sibh 		chan abradh iad
cha chanadh iad 		chan abairte(adh)
chan abairist(e)1
cha chante(adh)
cha chanaist(e)1
affirmative
interrogative 		past simple an tuirt mi? an tuirt thu? an tuirt e/i? an tuirt sinn? an tuirt sibh? an tuirt iad? an tuirteadh?
emphatic an tubhairt mi? an tubhairt thu? an tubhairt e/i? an tubhairt sinn? an tubhairt sibh? an tubhairt iad? an tubhairteadh?
future an abair mi?
an can mi? 		an abair thu?
an can thu? 		an abair e/i?
an can e/i? 		an abair sinn?
an can sinn? 		an abair sibh?
an can sibh? 		an abair iad?
an can iad? 		an abrar?
an canar?
conditional an abrainn?
an canainn? 		an abradh tu?
an canadh tu? 		an abradh e/i?
an canadh e/i? 		an abradh sinn?
an abramaid?
an canadh sinn?
an canamaid? 		an abradh sibh?
an canadh sibh? 		an abradh iad?
an canadh iad? 		an abairte(adh)?
an abairist(e)?1
an cante(adh)?
an canaist(e)?1
negative
interrogative 		past simple nach tuirt mi? nach tuirt thu? nach tuirt e/i? nach tuirt sinn? nach tuirt sibh? nach tuirt iad? nach tuirteadh?
emphatic nach tubhairt mi? nach tubhairt thu? nach tubhairt e/i? nach tubhairt sinn? nach tubhairt sibh? nach tubhairt iad? nach tubhairteadh?
future nach abair mi?
nach can mi? 		nach abair thu?
nach can thu? 		nach abair e/i?
nach can e/i? 		nach abair sinn?
nach can sinn? 		nach abair sibh?
nach can sibh? 		nach abair iad?
nach can iad? 		nach abrar?
nach canar?
conditional nach abrainn?
nach canainn? 		nach abradh tu?
nach canadh tu? 		nach abradh e/i?
nach canadh e/i? 		nach abradh sinn?
nach abramaid?
nach canadh sinn?
nach canamaid? 		nach abradh sibh?
nach canadh sibh? 		nach abradh iad?
nach canadh iad? 		nach abairte(adh)?
nach abairist(e)?1
nach cante(adh)?
nach canaist(e)?1
relative future (a) their mi
(a) chanas mi 		(a) their thu
(a) chanas tu 		(a) their e/i
(a) chanas e/i 		(a) their sinn
(a) chanas sinn 		(a) their sibh
(a) chanas sibh 		(a) their iad
(a) chanas iad 		(a) theirear
(a) chanar
imperative abram!
canam! 		abair!
can! 		abradh e/i!
canadh e/i! 		abramaid!
canamaid! 		abraibh!
canaibh! 		abradh iad!
canadh iad! 		abrar!
canar!
verbal noun ràdh
past participle ràite, cante

1 Lewis dialect form
Forms of the verb can are more often used in place of abair, particularly colloquial language, in the tenses where they are listed in italics here. The imperative form is common colloquially but with another different meaning entirely. Abair forms are more typical of high registers of the language, particularly ecclesiastical language, and some southern dialects which are now rarely spoken.

Derived terms

Adverb

abair

  1. Used as a modifier suggesting excitement, much in the way that "how" or "what a" are used
    Abair oillteil! ― How dreadful!
    Abair latha eireachdail! ― What a beautiful day!
    Abair gur àlainn e an-diugh! ― How beautiful it is today!
    Abair thusa gu robh e math! ― My word, he was good! (literally, “Say you that he was good”)

Alternative forms

  • habair, thabair

References

  1. ^ Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap

Further reading

  • Edward Dwelly (1911) “abair”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
  • Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “as-beir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
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