Editing Primitive Irish (section)

=== Morphology ===
Surviving Ogham inscriptions are written exclusively with nouns. It is possible to deduce some morphological features of Primitive Irish nouns from these inscriptions. With the exception of a few inscriptions in the [[Grammatical number|singular]] [[dative case]], two in the plural [[genitive case]] and one in the singular [[nominative case]], most known inscriptions of nouns in orthodox Ogham are found in the singular genitive, so it is difficult to fully describe their morphology. The German philologist Sabine Ziegler, however, drawing parallels with reconstructions of the [[Proto-Celtic language]]'s morphology (whose nouns are classified according to the vowels that characterize their [[Declension|endings]]), limited the archaic Irish endings of the singular genitive case to {{sc|-i}}, {{sc|-as}}, {{sc|-os}} and {{sc|-ais}}.<ref>Ziegler 1994, p. 53-92</ref>

The first ending, {{sc|-i}}, is found in words equivalent to the so-called Proto-Celtic category of [[Proto-Celtic language#*o-stem nouns|''*o''-stem nouns]]. This category was also recorded in the dative case using {{Sc|-U}}, with an inscription possibly in the nominative case also using {{Sc|-U}}. {{sc|-os}}, in turn, is equivalent to Proto-Celtic [[Proto-Celtic language#*i-stem nouns|''*i''-stems]] and [[Proto-Celtic language#*u-stem nouns|''*u''-stems]], while {{sc|-as}} corresponds to [[Proto-Celtic language#*ā-stem nouns|''*ā''-stems]]. The exact function of {{sc|-ais}} remains unclear.<ref>Ziegler 1994 p.53-92</ref>

Furthermore, according to Damian McManus, Proto-Celtic [[Proto-Celtic language#Nasal stems|nasal]], [[Proto-Celtic language#Velar and dental stems|dental, and velar stems]] also correspond to the Primitive Irish {{sc|-as}} genitive, attested in names such as {{sc|Glasiconas}},<ref>McManus 1991 p.102</ref> {{sc|Cattubuttas}},<ref>McManus 1991 p.108</ref> and {{sc|Lugudeccas}}.<ref>McManus 1991 p.116</ref>