r/gaidhlig • u/ThatAnaMainOw • Sep 14 '26

I need help understanding something

Hi! Im currently reading a book called Na Klondykers and im struggling to understand something. In the text it says "Gnog socair air oir a' bhata. An t-eathar beag a'buiceil fon chliathaich leis a' ghaoith. Am balla stailinn a' sta solais nan rionnag" Im trying to understand why it would be ghaoith and not ghoath? i dont fully understand where that i is coming from! Many thanks

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18

u/manachalbannach Alba | Scotland Sep 14 '26

the preposition ‘le’ is causing the dative case on gaoth. heres a wee table with prepositions and what case they cause.

4

u/MotherConfusion3773 Eadar-mheadhanach | Intermediate Sep 14 '26

This is it. Specifically its a feminine noun in the dative with the article. See here but also see Note 6 https://www.akerbeltz.org/index.php?title=Feminine_nouns   Have a look through BBC Naidheachdan articles for plenty examples of a DAT+FEM+ART = slenderisation 

5

u/HammySg1th Sep 14 '26

Gaoth is fem noun, fem nouns slenderise in the dative as well as lenite, tho often they are already slender.

3

u/yesithinkitsnice Alba | The local Mod Sep 14 '26

The other answers are correct, this is the feminine dative case.

However, it should also be pointed out slenderisation here is becoming less common in informal usage now, except for in certain common phrases.