This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 Excerpt: ...authorised" versions, will find the same word spelled differently in different places, t)Atb (dhow) is an incorrect pronunciation, heard (especially in the emphatic from SAtrj-rA dhow-to--to me) in Thomond and in other parts of the south of Ireland--in Connaught too, but not generally. Vallancey, although a philologist ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 Excerpt: ...authorised" versions, will find the same word spelled differently in different places, t)Atb (dhow) is an incorrect pronunciation, heard (especially in the emphatic from SAtrj-rA dhow-to--to me) in Thomond and in other parts of the south of Ireland--in Connaught too, but not generally. Vallancey, although a philologist, never made special etymology his particular study; and when writing his treatise on Grammar, had not the advantage, which a native who speaks Irish has, of being able to compare the spoken with the written forms of our language. He, as well as O'Reilly, whom you quote, followed the forms of spelling which they found in use by those who went before them, without investigating whether such forms were or were not philologically correct. Their authority is therefore worth nothing on this point, nor is the authority of any succeeding Irish writer, till Dr. O'Donovan's time. He is the first who has treated, as a master and as a philosopher, the subject of Irish Grammar. His authority alone is, therefore, speaking generally, of greater weight than all whom you quoted. He has been-followed by other labourers in the same field, who are endeavouring to settle disputed points of Irish orthography. Among these few is to be ranked pre-eminently the Archbishop of Tuam, in whose works you will find, for the prepositional pronoun, the spelling Sato invariably adopted. The spelling of this particular word Dr. O'Donovan does not settle. The weight of authorities against the correct spelling was so great that, perhaps, he did not wish to set them aside, and adopt that spelling which reason and analogy show to be right. Besides, his admirable Grammar treats of the language as it was in times past, and as it is found in works such as those you consulted, an...
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