maith
Irish
Etymology 1
From Old Irish maith[3] (compare Scottish Gaelic math and Manx mie), from Proto-Celtic *matis (compare Welsh and Breton mad, Cornish mas).
Adjective
maith (genitive singular masculine maith, genitive singular feminine maithe, plural maithe, comparative fearr)
Usage notes
- Takes the adverbial construction go maith when used predicatively after a form of bí:
- Tá an anraith seo go maith. ― This soup is good.
Declension
Singular | Plural (m/f) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Positive | Masculine | Feminine | (strong noun) | (weak noun) |
Nominative | maith | mhaith | maithe; mhaithe² | |
Vocative | mhaith | maithe | ||
Genitive | maithe | maithe | maith | |
Dative | maith; mhaith¹ |
mhaith | maithe; mhaithe² | |
Comparative | níos fearr | |||
Superlative | is fearr |
¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.
Derived terms
Declension
Second declension
Bare forms
|
Forms with the definite article
|
Verb
maith (present analytic maitheann, future analytic maithfidh, verbal noun maitheamh, past participle maite)
Inflection
singular | plural | relative | autonomous | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||||
indicative | present | maithim | maitheann tú; maithir† |
maitheann sé, sí | maithimid | maitheann sibh | maitheann siad; maithid† |
a mhaitheann; a mhaitheas / a maitheann*; a maitheas* |
maitear |
past | mhaith mé; mhaitheas | mhaith tú; mhaithis | mhaith sé, sí | mhaitheamar; mhaith muid | mhaith sibh; mhaitheabhair | mhaith siad; mhaitheadar | a mhaith / ar mhaith* |
maitheadh | |
past habitual | mhaithinn / maithinn‡‡ | mhaiteá / maiteᇇ | mhaitheadh sé, sí / maitheadh sé, s퇇 | mhaithimis; mhaitheadh muid / maithimis‡‡; maitheadh muid‡‡ | mhaitheadh sibh / maitheadh sibh‡‡ | mhaithidís; mhaitheadh siad / maithidís‡‡; maitheadh siad‡‡ | a mhaitheadh / a maitheadh* |
mhaití / mait퇇 | |
future | maithfidh mé; maithfead |
maithfidh tú; maithfir† |
maithfidh sé, sí | maithfimid; maithfidh muid |
maithfidh sibh | maithfidh siad; maithfid† |
a mhaithfidh; a mhaithfeas / a maithfidh*; a maithfeas* |
maithfear | |
conditional | mhaithfinn / maithfinn‡‡ | mhaithfeá / maithfeᇇ | mhaithfeadh sé, sí / maithfeadh sé, s퇇 | mhaithfimis; mhaithfeadh muid / maithfimis‡‡; maithfeadh muid‡‡ | mhaithfeadh sibh / maithfeadh sibh‡‡ | mhaithfidís; mhaithfeadh siad / maithfidís‡‡; maithfeadh siad‡‡ | a mhaithfeadh / a maithfeadh* |
mhaithfí / maithf퇇 | |
subjunctive | present | go maithe mé; go maithead† |
go maithe tú; go maithir† |
go maithe sé, sí | go maithimid; go maithe muid |
go maithe sibh | go maithe siad; go maithid† |
— | go maitear |
past | dá maithinn | dá maiteá | dá maitheadh sé, sí | dá maithimis; dá maitheadh muid |
dá maitheadh sibh | dá maithidís; dá maitheadh siad |
— | dá maití | |
imperative | maithim | maith | maitheadh sé, sí | maithimis | maithigí; maithidh† |
maithidís | — | maitear | |
verbal noun | maitheamh | ||||||||
past participle | maite |
* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form
‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis
Mutation
Irish mutation | ||
---|---|---|
Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
maith | mhaith | not applicable |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
References
- Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 90, page 50
- Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 290, page 103
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “maith”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “maithid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Further reading
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “maith”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
Old Irish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [maθʲ]
Etymology 1
From Proto-Celtic *matis, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂tis (“ripe, good”), from *meh₂- (“to ripen, to mature”). Cognate with Welsh mad and Gaulish mat.
Alternative forms
Adjective
maith (comparative ferr, superlative dech)
- good
- c. 800, Würzburg Glosses on the Pauline Epistles, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 499–712, Wb. 15c23
- Hóre is cuci rigmi, is ferr dún placere illi.
- Since it is to him we will go, it is better for us to please him.
- c. 800, Würzburg Glosses on the Pauline Epistles, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 499–712, Wb. 16b9
- Ní indráigne dúib cinin·fil lib, ar idib maithi cene.
- It is no detriment to you pl, though we are not with you, for you are good already.
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 51b10
- In tan as·mber Dauid “intellectum tibi dabo”, sech is arde són do·mbéra Día do neuch nod·n-eirbea ind ⁊ génas triit con·festar cid as imgabthi do dénum di ulc ⁊ cid as déinti dó di maith. Aithesc trá lesom insin a persin Dǽ.
- When David says, “I will give thee understanding”, that is a sign that God will give to everyone that will trust in him, and work through him, that he may know what evil he must avoid doing, and what good he must do. He has then here a reply in the person of God.
- c. 800, Würzburg Glosses on the Pauline Epistles, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 499–712, Wb. 15c23
Declension
i-stem | |||
---|---|---|---|
Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
Nominative | maith | maith | maith |
Vocative | maith | ||
Accusative | maith | maith | |
Genitive | maith | maithe | maith |
Dative | maith | maith | maith |
Plural | Masculine | Feminine/neuter | |
Nominative | maithi | maithi | |
Vocative | maithi | ||
Accusative | maithi | ||
Genitive | maith* maithe | ||
Dative | maithib | ||
Notes | *not when substantivized |
Derived terms
- mad (adverb)
Further reading
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “maith”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Scottish Gaelic
Welsh
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /mai̯θ/
- Rhymes: -ai̯θ
Adjective
maith (feminine singular maith, plural meithion, equative maithed, comparative maithach, superlative maithaf)
Derived terms
- amser maith yn ôl (“a long time ago”)
Mutation
Welsh mutation | |||
---|---|---|---|
radical | soft | nasal | aspirate |
maith | faith | unchanged | unchanged |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
References
- R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “maith”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies