An adjective is a word used along with a noun, to express some quality of the person or thing signified by the noun.
Adjectives undergo changes which mark their relation to other words. These changes are made, like those on nouns, partly on the beginning, and partly on the termination, and may be fitly denominated by the same names. The changes on the beginning are made by aspirating an initial consonant. The numbers and cases, like those of nouns, are distinguished by changes on the termination. The gender is marked partly by the initial form, partly by the termination.
Adjectives whereof the characteristic vowel is broad, follow, { 56} in most of their inflections, the form of nouns of the first declension, and may be termed Adjectives of the first declension. Those adjectives whereof the characteristic vowel is small, may be called Adjectives of the second declension.
_Example of Adjectives of the First Declension._
Singular. Plural _Mas._ _Fem._ _Com. Gend._ _Nom._ Mor, Mhor, Mora. _Gen._ Mhoir, Moire, Mora. _Dat._ Mor, Mhoir, Mora. _Voc._ Mhoir, Mhor, Mora.
_Formation of the Cases of Adjectives of the First Declension._
_Nominative._ The feminine gender is, in termination, like the masculine.
The other cases, both mas. and fem., are formed from the nominative, according to the rules already given for forming the cases of nouns of the first declension. Take the following examples in adjectives:--
_Genitive._--_General rule._ Marbh _dead_, g. s. m. mhairbh, f. mairbhe; dubh _black_, g. s. m. dhuibh, f. duibhe; fadalach _tedious_, g. s. m. fhadalaich, f. fadalaich.
_Particular rules._ 1. Sona _happy_, g. s. m. shona, f. sona; aosda _aged_, g. s. m. and f. aosda; beo _alive_, g. s. m. bheo, f. beo.
2. Bochd _poor_, g. s. m. bhochd, f. bochd; gearr _short_, g. s. m. ghearr, f. gearr.
3. Breagh _fine_, g. s. m. bhreagha, f. breagha.
4. Crion _little_, _diminutive_, g. s. m. chrìn, f. crìne.
5. Donn _brown_, g. s. m. dhuinn, f. duinne; gorm _blue_, g. s. m. ghuirm, f. guirme; lom _bare_, g. s. m. luim, f. luime. { 57} But dall _blind_, g. s. m. dhoill, f. doille; mall _slow_, g. s. m. mhoill, f. moille; like the nouns crann, clann.
6. Cinnteach _certain_, g. s. m. chinntich, f. cinntich; maiseach _beautiful_, g. s. m. mhaisich, f. maisich. Tearc _rare_, g. s. m, theirc, f. teirce; dearg _red_, g. s. m. dheirg, f. deirge; deas _ready_, g. s. m. dheis, f. deise. Breac _speckled_, g. s. m, bhric, f. brice; geal _white_, g. s. m. ghil, f. gile.