LL-L "Lexicon" 2003.05.12 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 12.May.2003 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Lexicon" 2003.05.11 (12) [E]

Colin wrote:
"The adoption of loan-words is often a consequence of the lending
language being perceived as more
prestigious, such as e.g. the use of French _faux pas_ in English when
"gaff" would express exactly the same
thing."

Very true.

"It isn't clear that more than one person is being addressed, but (to my
knowledge) that isn't entirely clear from
"go raibh maith agaibh" either."

It is indeed clear from 'go raibh maith agaibh'. 'Agaibh' is the
multiple form of 'agat' (at you). If I were saying
thank you to a single person, I would use 'go raibh maith agat'. I
couldn't use 'go raibh maith agaibh' - it
wouldn't make any sense. Likewise, there are other forms for 'at him'
('aige'), 'at her' ('aici'), at them, and so on.
It is an intrinsic necessity in Irish grammar, and the progenitor of the
form 'yous' in Irish and Scottish English.

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