38 



The 6th chapter analyzes the Parts of Speech. He says the an- 

 cient Irish like the Hebrews reckoned but three, viz. Noun — Pro- 

 noun — Verb. The moderns nine, as the English, &c. 



Of the Article. — Its influence and government on the initials 

 of Nouns and Adjectives. — Its declension. He explodes all those 

 words called articles by other grammarians, except the definite ar- 

 ticle itti, from that rank. 



The 7th chapter. — Of the separate Particles, which include Ad- 

 verbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions and Interjections, which are in- 

 declinable. Of these he has given long catalogues. 



The 8th chapter. — Of the Particles and Negatives. These 

 are called by him after the former grammarians consignificative 

 Particles, or inseperable Prepositions, used in composition with 

 significant attributive words. They are called consignificative, be- 

 cause they are said to have no meaning except when associated 

 with other words that are significant. Here the formation of Irish 

 words of the derivative kind is investigated. — Of the Noun Sub- 

 stantive and Adjective. The remarks which I have made on Mac 

 Curlin's treatment of this part of Grammar are applicable to this, as 

 Vallancey has copied, in a great measure, his words concerning the 

 Rules respecting Genders, and the Declensions of Nouns and Adjec- 

 tives. Finding certain Adjectives irregular in their comparison, which 

 are also irregular in all the European languages as well as in the 

 Irisli ; this circumstance he attributes to their being derived from the 

 Celtic, in which it exists. 



The 9th chapter. — Of the Pronoun. First of the Compound 

 Pronouns, and their being a kind peculiar to the Irish, having them 

 above those which are common to other languages. They are re- 

 flective and emphatic when they take an encrease. He asserts that 

 they have not been explained by any Irish Grammarian before him- 

 self, which extremely embarrassed the learner. This strictly is not the 



