Distribution of Seann-, Aosta and sean Conveying the Meaning 'Old' in Scottish Gaelic

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate under what circumstances the preposed adjective seann-and when the plain adjective aosta or sean is used with nouns to convey the meaning ʻold' in Scottish Gaelic. A combined analysis of a corpus study and interviews with native speakers was applied in the research. Seann-is highly productive, may describe traditional, older types or previous roles, it appears to be the default adjective for ʻold', occurring in compounds, fixed expressions, names, etc. Plain adjectives are principally used in Lewis (and Harris) to qualify nouns as opposed to southern dialects. They are preferred when referring to biological (or physical) age. Sean is rare in present day speech, preferred in southern dialects, while aosta is more typical in Lewis. For certain speakers, aosta refers to an older age than sean, alternatively aosta conveys respect. Contrastive contexts may encourage the distinction between the two adjectival types, and thus the use of the plain adjective. Aosta may display more poetic qualities, which renders it efficient in poetic descriptions.