| piastóg (péisteog), | a worm, | from | piast, a reptile. |
| lasóg, | a match, | „ | las, a light. |
| gaḃlóg, | a little fork, | „ | gaḃal, a fork. |
These are examples of real diminutives in óg, but such real diminutives are not numerous, as most nouns in óg have practically the same meaning as the nouns from which they were derived (the latter being now generally obsolete): cuileog, a fly, from cuil, a fly; driseóg, a briar, from dris, a briar; fuinnseóg, an ash, from fuinnse, an ash.
In Craig’s Grammar we find luchóg, a rat (luch, a mouse). This example is a striking instance of the fact that the termination óg is losing (if it has not already lost) its diminutive force.
All derived nouns in óg are feminine.
Derived Nouns.
461. Words are of three classes—Simple, Derivative, and Compound. All simple words are, as a general rule, monosyllables; they are the roots from which derivative and compound words spring. Derivative words are made up of two or more parts. These parts undergo slight changes when they are united to form words, and thus the component parts are somewhat disguised. The difficulty which presents itself to a student in the spelling of Irish is more apparent than real. The principle of vowel-assimilation is the key to
