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They'd be the better for that

B' fheàirrde iad sin

We first saw adjectives in their resultative degree forms in Cuspair 12.

B' fheàirrde thu beagan fois.

You would be the better for a little rest.

'S fheàirrde daoine gàire.

People are the better for a laugh.

If you're not sure, take a look back at Cuspair 12.

An ceum fàthach

In Gaelic to express the impact something has on the state of a person or thing, we can use an ceum fàthach (the resultative degree).

This is common in expressions and in speech with feàirrde (better) and miste (worse).

However, other adjectives can be created by slenderising the ending and adding de to the comparative form:

Is gilide am bòrd a chailc.

The board is whiter for its chalk.

Is flichide am monadh an stoirm.

The moor is wetter for the storm.

Adjectives with an irregular comparative form also add de :

Is lughaide fearg fuireach.

Anger is lesser for waiting.

Cha mhiste sgeul math aithris dà uair.

A good story is none the worse for being told twice

Remember that there is also an ceum buadhach (the qualitative degree) which we learned in Cuspair 12.

We saw examples of the qualitative degree in the conversation just now with the adjectives math and dona:

A bheil cùisean air a dhol am miosad?

Have things/matters gotten worse?

Tha an t-eòlas agam air na bana-bhàird air sìor dhol am feabhas!

My knowledge of the female poets has continually improved!

… a' feuchainn ris na sgilean aca a chur am feabhas.

… trying to improve their skills.

These two adjectives, along with the adjectives fliuch and beag , are given in the table below:

How would you translate these expressions into Gaelic using adjectives in an ceum fàthach (the resultative degree) ?

	It is not less for that!
	You'd be wetter for that!
	We would be the better for work!
	It is worse for the poor to be numerous.

Ciamar a chaidh dhut? How did you get on?

Cha lughaide e sin!

It is not less for that!

Bu fhlichide thu sin!

You'd be wetter for that!

B' fheàirrde sinn obair.

We would be the better for work!

Is miste na bochd a bhith lìonmhor.

It is worse for the poor to be numerous.