Scottish Gaelicː A Comprehensive Grammar is a definitive description of contemporary Gaelic.
The volume presents a definitive description of modern Gaelic grammar, attending to both idealised usages - as typically taught in formal education - and more colloquial forms. Core chapters include useful observations about dialectal and register differences, such as variations in inflection, pronunciation and word forms. The book also demystifies nuances of the language that many users find opaque, according to recent research. In each chapter, the most important, basic information is presented first (e.g. standard verb conjugations), followed by increasingly detailed information for more advanced users. This way, the book addresses the diverse needs of its intended audience.
Brimming with authentic examples, the volume accommodates readers of all levels, from complete beginners to professional linguists. It is both an ideal textbook for structured coursework and an indispensable companion for independent study.
List of Tables
List of Figures
A note on examples, paradigms and linguistic terminology
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
1 Introduction
2 Gaelic spelling and pronunciation
3 Words and word classes
4 Basic syntax: phrases, clauses and grammatical relations
5 Common Nouns
6 Pronouns
7 Adjectives
8 Determiners
9 Word formation
10 Proper nouns
11 Prepositions
12 Numerals and numerical systems
13 The Gaelic verbal system
14 Semantic verbs
15 Conjunctions and verbal particles
16 The copula
17 Verbal noun cores and their arguments
18 Auxiliary verbs and aspectual marking
19 Impersonals and passives
20 Questions and tags
21 Clause combinations
22 Complement clauses
23 Relative Clauses
24 Modality
25 Adverbs and adverbials
26 Focussing
27 Formulaic Phrases
Bibliography
Corpora
Dialect studies
Gaelic dictionaries
Gaelic grammars and guides
General references
Gaelic Index
General Index
Glossary of grammatical terms
Biography
William Lamb is a Professor of Gaelic Ethnology and Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. Originally from Baltimore, Lamb spent over a decade living in a Gaelic-speaking community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. He brings a unique blend of academic rigour and knowledge of everyday Gaelic to this new descriptive grammar.
