TRANSACTIONS.

ANNUAL ASSEMBLY.

The Twenty-fifth Annual Assembly of the Society was held in the Music Hall, Inverness, on Thursday evening, 8th July, 1897. The hall was filled in every part. Mr Charles FraserMackintosh of Drummond, LL.D., occupied the chair, and was supported by Colonel Alex. Macdonald, Portree; Rev. Father Bisset, Nairn; Rev. Mr Sinton, Dores; Mr William Mackay, Solicitor; Dr F. M Mackenzie; Mr Alex. Fraser, Inspector of Branches, Bank of Scotland; Mr Steele, Bank of Scotland, Inverness; Brigade-Surgeon Colonel Grant; Mr Kenneth Macdonald, Town-Clerk; Mr W. J. Watson, Rector, Royal Academy; Mr Alex. Mackenzie, publisher; Mr Thomas A. Mackay, British Linen Bank; Mr D. Macfarlane; and Mr John Maclennan, New Zealand; Mr Duncan Mackintosh, secretary; and Mr Alexander Macdonald, assistant secretary.

The party were played on to the platform by Pipe-Major Ronald Mackenzie, Gordon Castle, the piper to the Society; and at the beginning of the proceedings the artistes rendered "God Save the Queen," in the language of the Gael, in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The Secretary having submitted apologies for unavoidable absence from a number of well-known members of the Society,

The Chairman, who was cordially received, said:-I am always glad to have the opportunity of appearing before a meeting such as this at Inverness. The great matter of conversation at this time has been the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty, and you will all agree that it has been celebrated in a manner worthy of so interesting an event. Inverness, as all who saw the display

will testify, proved itself equal to the occasion. Those in authority, from the Provost downwards, carried out in the most satisfactory manner the ample programme which the liberality of the townspeople and their neighbours enabled them to undertake. This is the great Jubilee year, and it also happens that the Inverness Gaelic Society is in the 25th year of its existence; and though at a modest distance, we celebrate its "silver jubilee" with thankfulness for its past successful progress. It is a cause of thankfulness that many of the founders of the Gaelic Society still live and prosper, and while regretting that some of our number have been called away, such as, taking one illustration only, my old friend, Mr John Noble, bookseller, whose interest in Gaelic literature and old Gaelic books was so valuable and useful-I say, while we feel this regret, yet, on the other hand, a society like ours cannot exist without new blood; and to such as have lately joined we bid a hearty welcome, and in particular to Mr Thomas Mackay, banker; Mr A. Mackintosh, of the Customs; and last, but not least, Mr John Mackintosh, solicitor, who has in Glasgow distinguished himself in connection with Gaelic, and who has taken the somewhat bold step of summoning a "Mòd," shortly to be held at Inverness, without fear of result, though held by or under the presidence of a Mackintosh. I think I may say that Gaelic sentiments and feelings actively continue in increasing volume. Directed, as these are, in no hostility to our Constitution, giving no offence to other people with whom we are united, we at the same time, in a firm and united resolve, cherish the past, conserve the present, and perpetuate our future as Highlanders, and by so doing occupy a position that no assailant can overcome. Our Society may be

classed as the head of all the numerous clan and other associations connected with the Highlands. We have issued a large number of volumes, containing a vast amount of useful and valuable information. But no society can stand still. The moment it does, aecay sets in, and while the number of Highland Associations is great, at the same time much of their force and activity is wasted. At this moment Highland and Gaelic Societies are scattered over the wide bounds of the British Empire, just as our own colonies and dependencies, owing allegiance to Queen Victoria. According to my views, no more brilliant or valuable conception for the continuance and prosperity of the British Empire and its extension could be imagined than that first started in a definite form by Canada,

That it will in due time

under the instigation of Mr Laurier. prove successful we must all hope. Now, following out Mr Laurier's ideas, let all Highland and Gaelic Societies, while preserving their entire independence and activity within their respective sphere, federate into one great whole. Let us, the remnants of a once numerous Highland people in their own land, hold out the hand of brotherhood and confederation to those expatriated, some from necessity, some from choice. Thus, wherever they are, in America, Australia, Africa, or elsewhere, they will cherish and think of the Old Country with respect and reverence, and, if properly approached, there is good reason to believe that they would cordially reciprocate our overtures, and join in closer links, making the position of Highlanders stronger than ever.

The Chairman then introduced the programme of music for the evening, the musical part of which was well sustained by Mr R. Macleod, Inverness; Mr Angus Brown, Glasgow; Mrs Munro, Strathpeffer; and Miss Kate Fraser and Miss C. Watt, Inverness. Miss Cosey Fraser presided at the piano.

A Strathspey and reel party, led by Mr A. Watt, Inverness, introduced the pleasing variety of stringed instrumentation, and their two performances were very highly appreciated. Mr Watt's fellow-instrumentalists were:-Messrs Geo. Fraser, J. Alcorn, D. Watt, and A. Maclennan, violinists; H. J. Boyne, 'cello; and D. Maclennan, contra-bass. The dancing was in the capable hands of Pipe-Major Sutherland, Pipe-Major Ferguson, Duncan Macdonald, and Angus Mackay. Pipe-Major Sutherland also gave a finely executed exhibition of the sword dance.

The Gaelic oration was to have been delivered by Rev. Chas. Robertson, but he was unavoidably absent, and his place was kindly taken by Rev. Mr Sinton, Dores, who delivered a spirited extempore address.

On the motion of Dr F. M. Mackenzie, a very hearty vote of thanks was awarded to the performers, and a like compliment being passed to the Chairman, on the motion of Brigade-Surgeon Alex. Grant, the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" brought a very successful assembly to a close.

THE PRIZE ESSAY

ON

"THE PECULIARITIES OF GAELIC AS SPOKEN IN THE WRITER'S DISTRICT,"

THE

BEING THE FIRST IN MERIT OF THOSE SENT IN UNDER SOCIETY'S SPECIAL PRIZE TO THE MOD OF THE HIGHLAND ASSOCIATION HELD IN INVERNESS, IN SEPTEMBER, 1897. PERTHSHIRE GAELIC.

BY THE REV. CHARLES M. ROBERTSON.

Some

The characteristics of a dialect may be of two kinds. of them may consist in the presence or the absence of features that are or are not to be found in other dialects. Others, and perhaps these are the more numerous, consist in the application or non-application to individual words, and to particular classes of words, of modes of treatment that are both ancient and widespread. The sound che for post-vocalic c, for example, is universal in some dialects, while in others it simply does not exist. On the other hand, the most general characteristic of Perthshire Gaelic, which is the loss or removal of the vowel of a final syllable, associates itself for the most part either with the vowel infection and retraction which have transformed the Gadelic sūlī and atri into the rodern sùil and athair, or with the disappearance of the vowels of the stem suffixes. The stem suffixes which have resisted the tendency to vowel absorption are those of the forms jo, jâ, io, iâ, represented now by a terminal e, sometimes by a terminal a. The tendency to get rid of that stem suffix vowel has made some progress in Scottish Gaelic, or at least in some dialects thereof; but in Perthshire, and especially in the eastern district, it has carried everything before it. Thus it comes about that the usual remark made by strangers regarding Perthshire Gaelic is that the words are cut short in it; but the Glenlyon man's èowarna, for eòrna, and coireathaichc, for corc, would suffice to refute such a sweeping statement.

Like other dialects, this is not homogeneous. In the following pages the district of Strathardle, in the north-east, and all west and south of Loch Tay, are not touched upon. In the intervening area appear two well defined sub-dialects—an Eastern, represented here by Strathtay and Blair-Atholl, and a Western, to

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which Loch Tay, Glenlyon, and Rannoch belong. The Western Gaelic is distinguished by diphthongisation of a and o before long l, n, and r, by the pronunciation che for post-vocalic c, and by that of bh after 1, n, r, dealbh, etc., viz., au at Loch Tay, and a (aa) in Rannoch. In the Eastern dialect there is no diphthongising of a, o (though there is of io), no che for c, and bh in those positions is u or wa. Another difference recognised is the change of terminal ng and nd into nn in the West, and into g and d respectively in the East, but that distinction is not so well marked, and is necessarily shown chiefly in borrowed words. Other differences might be brought to light by a fuller comparison than is indicated by the scantiness of the notes labelled "Loch Tay,” Rannoch," or "Glenlyon." The dividing line between the two dialects practically coincides with the western boundary of the region of Pictish place-names, i.e., with a line drawn from the head of Glen Quaich by the east end of Loch Tay and between lochs Rannoch and Tummel to the head of Glen Errochdie, about ten miles north-west of Blair-Atholl. Where there is no qualification, the statements made describe the Eastern dialect as spoken at Blair-Atholl and in Strathtay. 'Strathtay,' in local usage, means the strath between Ballinluig and Aberfeldy, and is even limited to 'he north side of the river, the south side being usually called Grandtully. Any remark applying to Blair-Atholl Gaelic but not to that of Strathtay, or to that of the latter but not to that of the former, is accompanied by the name of the place to which it applies. The main points in which Blair differs from Strathtay are greater frequency of e for ai, the sound of i for eamh, and of ya for ea before rb, rc, and rg, and the regularity with which the media are eclipsed.

Change of pronunciation constitutes the phonetic history of language; differences are observed even between the passing and the rising generations, and tradition testifies to such mutation. The old Strathtay Gaelic for "Yoke the horse to the cart" is recorded to have been "Cuir an cuibhlidh anns an fheun." Cuibhlidh, also written cuillidh (MacAlpine) (from cuibh, muzzlebar, etc. ?), may have meant a team' at first Another of those remembered sayings is somewhat curious. One farmer addressed another, "Ma bheir thusa dhomhsa la de d' mhaodalach a' phluchd fraoich, bheir mise dhuitse dàir de mo steòc a stiùcaireachd," the meaning being, "If you will give me a day of your servant maid to pull heather, I will give you a day (?) of my ploughman to cut turf." The curious thing is that a similar saying has appeared in the Transactions, in a paper on Arran Gaelic,