Fòram na Gàidhlig

I'm on my second round through TYG, and hoping to really understand the grammar accurately and in-depth this time. It seems many others on this board are using the book, too, so I'm hoping we can help each other out.

Chapter 2, do and a (to) are introduced. Are these words totally interchangeable, or is there a rule as to when to use one or the other?

Moran taing.

I'm pretty sure 'a' is less formal, and generally used for countries and places, whereas 'do' is more common with people and things. Tha feum aig duine sam bith seo a dhearbhadh co dhiu....

That's about it http://www.akerbeltz.org/beagangaidhlig ... mar_a1.htm

Seadh. Tha e ceart ri radh "Bidh mi a dol do Steòrnabhagh am-màireach" ach 's àbhaist do dhaoine ri radh "Bidh mi a dol a Steòrnabhagh am-màireach" no leis na fuaimreagan "Bidh mi a dol a dh'Astràilia am-màireach" (tha e dubailte).

Yes. It's correct to to say "Bidh mi a dol do Steòrnabhagh am-màireach" but people usually say "Bidh mi a dol a Steòrnabhagh am-màireach" or with vowels "Bidh mi a dol a dh'Astràilia am-màireach" (do is doubled), although the only native speaker I know is from Lewis and it is sometimes a little different there. Also, (and I'm on shaky ground here), the a is rather indistinct. If it is pronounced as a distinct open vowel (written á ...or à in GOC), it would mean from (out of) rather than to.

Moran taing airson ur cuideachadh, gu h-àraidh an làrach-lìn.




Thank you for your help, especially the website.

'S e do bheatha

That website was my favourite haunt when I first started and I still drop by when I need to.

F.S. mòran le sràc

LOL I better update it then... or I could start writing my double grammar of Gaelic... decisions, decisions...