Prefix: Prefixed Adjective
Certain particles occur only as prefixes in Old Irish, such as im-, com-, and neph-.
Nominal compounds can be created by prefixing one noun to another. For example, lam “hand”, prefixed to brat “cloth” renders lambrat “handkerchief”. Only the initial noun of a nominal compound is labelled with the prefix feature. Unlabelled nouns should be assumed to be regular.
In Old Irish generally adjectives follow the noun they qualify; catt bán “white cat”, grían gel “bright sun”. A select few adjectives precede the noun, however, forming a compound with it. These include dag- “good”, droch- “bad”, il- “many” and sen- “old”. Unlike the regular adjectives, prefixed forms do not inflect to conform with the case, number and gender of the affected noun. Adjectives which are not labelled with the prefix feature should be assumed to be regular adjectives.
Yes: it is a prefix
The prefix feature is always given the affirmative value, “Yes”.
Examples
- nephchostae “footless”
- chomchésad “co-suffering”
- imlebor “verylong”
Examples (Nominal Compounds)
- buadliæ “victory-stone”
- lambrat handkerchief (lit. “hand-cloth”)
- rígṡuide “throne” (lit. “king-seat”)
Examples (Adjectival)
- Sengoidelc “Old Irish”
- ilbélre “many languages”
- óinfer “single man”
Prefix in other languages: [he] [sga]