abair

== Irish == === Etymology === From Middle Irish at·beir, from Old Irish as·beir, from Proto-Celtic *exs- (compare Latin ex) + *bereti, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-. See rá for the etymology of the verbal noun and past participle. === Pronunciation === (Munster, Aran) IPA(key): /ˈɑbˠəɾʲ/ (Connemara, Mayo, Ulster) IPA(key): /ˈabˠəɾʲ/ === Verb === abair (present analytic deir, future analytic déarfaidh, verbal noun rá, past participle ráite) to say, utter [with le ‘to’] amhrán a rá ― to sing a song to mean, refer to (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 ==== Synonyms ==== inis labhair ==== Derived terms ==== === Mutation === === References === === Further reading === Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “abair”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904), “adeirim”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 6 de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “abair”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm “abair”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026 == 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 rádaid (“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/ === Verb === abair (past thuirt, future their, verbal noun ràdh, past participle ràite) 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. 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 ==== ==== Derived terms ==== air dhomh/dhuinn sin a ràdh === Adverb === abair 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 === === Further reading === Edward Dwelly (1911), “abair”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 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