Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive Pronouns
- For a definition of reflexive see Reflexive (definition)
Reflexive pronouns (in English forms like myself, yourself, himself, herself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves) are used obligatorily when referring back to another noun that has been named in the same clause, e.g., John loves himself (himself refers back to John). In other words they are used as anaphors.
In Gaelic, unlike English (but used this way in Irish English and Hebredean English), reflexive pronouns can also be used as Emphasis. In such uses, they are not anaphoric (i.e. they don't refer back to a previous noun). For example, they can be used in subject position: Tha è fhèin a' tighinn (Literally "himself is coming", but colloquially HE is coming.)
In Gaelic the reflexive is formed by attaching fhèin (sometimes fhìn in the first person) to either basic grade or emphatic grade pronouns. This is usually written as a separate word.
| person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | mi fhìn or mi fhèin | sinn fhèin |
| 2nd | thu fhèin | sibh fhèin |
| 3rd masc | e fhèin | iad fhèin |
| 3rd fem | i fhèin |
Note:
- The choice of fhìn or fhèin with the 1st person singular is a matter of dialect. In Skye the form fhìn is more frequently used than fhèin
- Also: mise fhìn, thusa fhèin, esan fhèin, ise fhèin, sinne fhèin, sibhse fhèin, and iadsan fhèin.
Examples
| Chuir | Jill | uimpe | fhèin | gu | cabhagach. | ||||||
| put.pst | Jill | on.3sg.f | self | adv | hurry | 'Jill dressed herself hurriedly.' (Levin) | |||||
- Virtual reflexive alternation
| Cha | mhòr | nach | gear | an | fheòil | seo | i | fhèin. | ||||||
| Neg | big | Neg.C | cut.fut | the | meat | Prox | 3sg.f | Refl | 'This meat (practically) cuts itself.' (Levin) | |||||
| Fosglaidh | an | uinneag | i | fhèin. | ||||||
| open.fut | the | window | 3sg.f | Refl | 'The window opens itself.' (Levin) | |||||
- Reflexive of appearance
| Thaisbean | fuasgladh | dhan | a' | cheist | e | fhèin | an dè. | ||||||
| present.pst | solution | to.def | the | question | 3sg.m | Refl | yesterday | 'A solution to the problem presented itself yesterday.' (Levin) | |||||
- Obligatory reflexive object
| Shleuchd | an | t-sagart | e | fhèin. | |||||||
| prostrate.pst | the | priest | 3sg.m | Refl | 'The priest prostrated himself.' (Levin) | ||||||
