The literature of the Highlanders : $b a history of Gaelic literature from the earliest times to the present dayMacNeill, Nigel
History
The literature of the Highlanders : $b a history of Gaelic literature from the earliest times to the present day
MacNeill, Nigel
Scottish Gaelic literature -- History and criticism
Several good grammars and dictionaries have been published. Shaw,
towards the end of last century, published a grammar and dictionary
which are not of much value. Stewart’s Grammar in 1812 is still the
best, and any new grammar must take Stewart’s as a basis. Currie,
MacAlpine, Forbes, and Munro have also published grammars. Munro’s
is a work of real scholarship and value, but badly arranged. Dr
Macgillivray and L. MacBean have also written grammars, but the
best of all recent attempts is that published by the late D. C.
Macpherson, Edinburgh. Good grammars have also been written by
Irishmen, and even Germans, from which much help may be obtained.
The vocabularies of Macdonald and Macfarlane paved the way for the
Highland Society’s Dictionary, published in 1828, a noble monument
of Gaelic talent and industry. It appeared in two large volumes.
Its departments are—Gaelic, English, and Latin; Anglo-Gaelic,
Latino-Gaelic. There are 837 pages in the first volume, and 1016 in
the second. The general conduct of the work was entrusted to the
Rev. Dr John MacLeod of Dundonald. He was assisted by the Rev. Drs
Irvine, Macdonald, and Ewan MacLachlan. In its progress through the
press the work was carefully superintended and corrected by the
Rev. Dr Mackintosh Mackay. None of the Celtic languages can boast
of so extensive and learned a lexicon, although it is defective in
etymology, the science of language being then only in its infancy.
Armstrong and MacAlpine have also produced excellent and useful
dictionaries. That of the former is not much inferior to that of
the Highland Society’s, while MacAlpine’s has perhaps been the most
successful of all. The indefatigable labours of the Macfarlanes,
father and son, have been placed to the credit of Drs MacLeod
and Dewar, whose names were thought a necessary guarantee by the
publisher that their dictionary was of standard value. Theirs and
MacAlpine’s are in general circulation. That of the latter is a
pronouncing dictionary, and has been highly appreciated by those
anxious to acquire the language. The translations of phrases and
idiomatic expressions under the principal words are acknowledged
to be a chief excellence of the work. The English-Gaelic part of
MacAlpine’s dictionary was compiled by John Mackenzie, editor of “The
Beauties of Gaelic Poetry,” who had some peculiar ideas of reform
in Gaelic orthography. He was heartily execrated by the irascible
MacAlpine for his labour, which was no doubt a hack business
undertaken for publishers whom Mackenzie could not control. A good
deal of material for an etymological dictionary was left by the late
Dr Alexander Cameron of Brodick, the publication of which is looked
for under the editorial care of Mr Alex. MacBain, M.A.
PROSE WRITERS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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