This piece of work began life as a doctoral thesis written at the
University of Texas between 1976 and 1978. Now after a year in Dublin it
is to become a book. Of the many people in the Department of Linguistics
at Texas who shaped my interests and who helped me through the writing
of the thesis, I must single out Lee Baker, Lauri Karttunen, Bill
Ladusaw, Sue Schmerling and Stanley Peters for special gratitude. All of
them have provided specific suggestions which have improved this work,
but perhaps more .importantly they provided a uniquely stimulating and
harmonious environment in which to work, and a demanding set of
professional standards to live up to. To Ken Hale lowe a particular debt
of gratitude - for two years of encour- agement and suggestions, and
particularly for a set of detailed comments on an earlier version of the
book which led to many changes for the better. I also thank my friends
Per-Kristian Halvorsen and Elisabet Engdahl, both of whom took the
trouble to provide me with detailed criticisms and comments. In Dublin I
am grateful to the School of Celtic Studies of the Institute for
Advanced Studies for giving me the opportunity of teaching a seminar on
many of the topics covered in the book and of exposing the material to
people whose knowledge of the language is unequalled. Donal 6 Baoill and
Liam Breatnach have been particularly helpful.