Pokorny J. A concise Old Irish grammar and reader

Halle a S.: M. Niemeyer; Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1914.Reprint: N.Y. AMS Press, Inc.This little book has been written in order to serve as an easy introduction to the scientific study of Old Irish. There is need for such a book; for the Manuals of Strachan and Thurneysen, excellent as they are, are not very well suited for beginners. Though the Old Irish literary remains that have been preserved in contemporary MSS. consist almost exclusively of Glosses and Scholia, a great number of fine stories and poems, going back to Old Irish times, have been preserved in later MSS., often corrupt and modernised by the mediaeval scribes, but not so much changed that it would not be possible to restore the original text with some certainty.
In the Eeader I have endeavoured to give representative examples of the chief literary subjects: saga, religion, law— both in prose and poetry—and some also of the more interesting glosses. The critical Old Irish texts are accompanied by full notes with constant references to the respective paragraphs of the grammar. For the use of beginners who have not the assistance of a teacher, a short text with a copious and elaborate commentary has been included.
The grammar is built up in accordance with the strictest scientific principles, though with regard to the arrangement of the paragraphs the practical point of view has been considered in the first instance. It is quite evident that this part especially of the book must be deeply indebted to the grammars of Thurneysen and Pedersen. Strachan's publications also have been of great value to me, and some rules have been literally taken over from his Selections from the Old Irish Glosses. But that my grammar is no mere extract from the works of my predecessors and that I have made my own way, where necessary, will become apparent in considering e.g. the chapter on the difficult problems of palatalisation.
I wish to state here my deep indebtedness to the kindness of Professor Kuno Meyer, who kindly read the proofs and assisted me in the most liberal way by frequent gifts of books and pamphlets.
But my chief thanks are due to the 'Gesellschaft für Förderung deutscher Wissenschaft, Kunst und Literatur in Böhmen,' whose most generous financial assistance enabled me to revisit Ireland and Wales in order to complete my dialectal studies and to collect new material for further publications.