{"id":1720,"date":"2012-01-17T17:23:53","date_gmt":"2012-01-17T17:23:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=1720"},"modified":"2012-01-25T07:26:23","modified_gmt":"2012-01-25T07:26:23","slug":"pronunciation-follow-up-to-the-cuig-fhocal-gan-mhaith-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/pronunciation-follow-up-to-the-cuig-fhocal-gan-mhaith-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Pronunciation Follow-up to the \u201cC\u00faig Fhocal gan Mhaith\u201d Series"},"content":{"rendered":"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The last few blogs have dealt pretty intensely with meaning and slight differences among comhainmneacha<\/strong> (synonyms).\u00a0 Here we\u2019ll look at a much more down-to-earth aspect of some of the same words \u2013 how to say them.\u00a0 We\u2019ll look at a few of the longer and more complex ones (tl\u00e1ith\u00edneacht, neamhghontacht, m. sh.)<\/strong> but we\u2019ll also look at some shorter, more basic words that illustrate some major points of Irish pronunciation, some from the blogs and others from general vocabulary.\u00a0 Some samples will involve the widespread Irish phenomena of lenition (s\u00e9imhi\u00fa<\/strong>) and eclipsis (ur\u00fa<\/strong>), but we\u2019ll also look such specific issues as lenited sounds in the middle or at the end of words and also some vowel sounds.\u00a0 Like most blog-length approaches to this topic, though, this is just barr an chnoic oighir<\/strong> (or rinn an oighearchnoic<\/strong>, or the \u201cbior<\/strong>\u201d thereof, if you prefer).<\/p>\n

I. Lenition (s\u00e9imhi\u00fa<\/strong>, lit. softening)<\/em><\/p>\n

Lenition of initial consonants occurs for over a dozen reasons in Irish, so I\u2019ll just focus on a few here.\u00a0 Lenition is generally marked by the insertion of the letter \u201ch\u201d after the initial consonant (cat<\/strong> becoming chat, m.sh.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

a. After the numbers 2 through 6, except for, well, na heisceachta\u00ed<\/strong> (the exceptions)<\/p>\n

Ceithre fhocal<\/strong> [KyEH-ruh OK-ul], four words<\/p>\n

C\u00faig fhr\u00e1sa<\/strong> [KOO-ig RAW-suh], five phrases<\/p>\n

Exceptions include some (but not all) units of measurement: ceithre bliana, s\u00e9 seachtain\u00ed<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>b. Directly after some (but not all) prepositions, some, but not all of the time (a chapters\u2019s worth of issues there!)<\/p>\n

Gan mhaith<\/strong> [gahn wah], useless, lit. without good, but \u201cgan t\u00fas gan deireadh<\/strong>\u201d (the d and t resistance)<\/p>\n

Compare: \u00f3 Bh\u00e9al Feirste<\/strong> (from Belfast; lenition) but \u201cgo B\u00e9al Feirste<\/strong>\u201d (to Belfast; no lenition)<\/p>\n

N\u00f3ta<\/strong>: I say \u201cdirectly\u201d here because the entire set-up changes if words like \u201can<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cmo<\/strong>\u201d are present. \u00a0Blag eile!<\/strong><\/p>\n

c.\u00a0Marking nouns that are \u201cpossessed,\u201d either literally (Jimmy\u2019s coat) or more abstractly (often involving compound prepositions like \u201cde r\u00e9ir<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cos cionn<\/strong>\u201d)<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with some real workhorse examples, not from the recent blog series: c\u00f3ta Sh\u00e9amais, s<\/strong>eomra Shiobh\u00e1n, in\u00edon Mh\u00e1ire, madra Chaitl\u00edn<\/strong>. \u00a0Some basic examples of the compound preposition “os cionn<\/strong>” are\u00a0os cionn an bhoird <\/strong>(above the table, normally “bord<\/strong>“) and os cionn an ghar\u00e1iste <\/strong>(above the garage, normally “gar\u00e1iste<\/strong>“)<\/p>\n

Looking at our recent blogs, we don\u2019t have to go any farther than the title of the series for “de r\u00e9ir<\/strong>“:<\/p>\n

de r\u00e9ir Fhionnt\u00e1n U\u00ed Thuathail<\/strong> [\u2026 IN-tawn ee HOO-uh-hil, note that the \u201cf\u201d of \u201cFhionnt\u00e1n<\/strong>\u201d is silent, as are the \u201ct\u2019s\u201d of \u201cThuathail<\/strong>\u201d]<\/p>\n

Note that if we didn\u2019t include the surname, the spelling and pronunciation of \u201cFintan\u201d would change \u00a0slightly: de r\u00e9ir Fhionnt\u00e1in<\/strong> [\u2026 IN-taw-in, with the \u201ctaw\u201d and \u201cin\u201d running together very smoothly], this\u00a0means \u201caccording to Fintan.\u201d\u00a0 Likewise: de r\u00e9ir Mharcais<\/strong> [WAR-kish], de r\u00e9ir Mhatha<\/strong> [WAH-huh] (according to Mark\/Matthew)<\/p>\n

Lenition also occurs after \u201cU\u00ed<\/strong>\u201d in surnames, which is also an aspect of possession, albeit very abstract:<\/p>\n

carr U\u00ed Thuathail<\/strong> [\u2026 ee HOO-uh-hil, as above], O\u2019Toole\u2019s car, the car of \u00d3 Tuathail<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sr\u00e1id U\u00ed Chonaill<\/strong> [srawdj ee KHON-ill], O\u2019Connell St.<\/p>\n

Bean U\u00ed Mhurch\u00fa<\/strong> [ban ee WUR-uh-khoo], Mrs. Murphy, lit. the wife\/woman of \u00d3 Murch\u00fa<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are many more situations in which lenition occurs, but that\u2019s a sample, for now.<\/p>\n

2. Eclipsis (ur\u00fa<\/strong>, lit. eclipsing): adding a new initial consonant and obscuring the pronunciation of the original one<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>a. After the preposition \u201ci<\/strong>\u201d (in)<\/p>\n

i gcrobhaing<\/strong> [ig-ROW-ing, the syllables more or less run together], in a cluster.\u00a0 In this transcription, \u201crow\u201d is as in \u201crow-boat,\u201d not as in \u201ca row\u201d (the latter being the \u201crow\u201d often paired with \u201cruction,\u201d thanks to Tim Finnegan)<\/p>\n

i mbanna\u00ed<\/strong> [im-AHN-ee], bail, as in \u201cag dul i mbanna\u00ed air<\/strong>\u201d (to go bail for him)<\/p>\n

This also occurs, of course, with many place names, like<\/p>\n

i mBaile \u00c1tha Cliath<\/strong> [im AHL-yuh KLEE-uh], in Dublin, with the middle word \u201c\u00c1tha<\/strong>\u201d basically swallowed into oblivion<\/p>\n

i mBost\u00fan<\/strong> [im OST-oon], in Boston<\/p>\n

b. With plural nouns in the genitive case, following the definite article \u201cna<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n

tr\u00e1th na gcomhainmneacha<\/strong> [traw nuh GOH-AN-yim-nyukh-uh], the time of the synonyms (\u201cSynonym Time,\u201d structured like \u201cTr\u00e1th na gCeist<\/strong>\u201d [\u2026 nuh gesht], which some of you may recognize from the popular quiz name)<\/p>\n

This structure also occurs in many widely used phrases like \u201cleabhair na gcail\u00edn\u00ed<\/strong>\u201d and in a lot of place names like \u201cD\u00fan na nGall<\/strong>\u201d [doon ung awl], Donegal, and \u201cBaile na mBacach\u201d<\/strong> [\u2026 nuh MAHK-ukh], Ballynamockagh (Co. Galway).\u00a0 In the latter, the anglicized version reflects what has happened to the initial \u201cb\u201d of \u201cbacach<\/strong>\u201d \u2013 it has been eclipsed and only the \u201cm\u201d sound is pronounced.<\/p>\n

III. Lenited sounds in the middle of a word<\/em><\/p>\n

One good thing about this feature of Irish pronunciation is that it rarely changes.\u00a0 Once a word has such a sound medially, it will usually remain intact no matter what other changes may happen at the beginning or the end of the word.\u00a0 Here are some examples from the recent blogs:<\/p>\n

diabhal <\/strong>[DJEE-uh-wul OR djowl], devil, with the \u201cbh\u201d approximating a \u201cw\u201d sound<\/p>\n

le haghaidh<\/strong> [leh hai], for.\u00a0 The \u201c-gh-\u201c in the middle is silent, serving simply to give us an \/ai\/ sound for the vowel, pretty much the same vowel as in English \u201cI,\u201d \u201ceye,\u201d \u201cmy,\u201d \u201cpie\u201d and \u201cguide\u201d (and now you can see why none of these English words is a good basis for a pronunciation guide).\u00a0 In other words, \u201chaghaidh<\/strong>\u201d is pretty much like the English greeting \u201cHi!\u201d\u00a0 And btw, the vowel sound in this \u201cle<\/strong>\u201d isn\u2019t at all like the French “le<\/em>” (the) but it\u2019s like the short \u201ce\u201d of \u201clet\u201d or \u201cpet\u201d<\/p>\n

neamhghontacht <\/strong>[NYOW- \u03b3<\/strong>ON-tukht] non-pithiness, probably not as commonly used as the positive form of this word, gontacht <\/strong>[GON-tukht], pithiness, but certainly there are possible usages, and it\u2019s a nice example of four consonants in a row, due to lenition.\u00a0 The final \u201c-mh\u201d makes the \u201c-ea-\u201c vowel an \u201cow\u201d sound (as in \u201ccow,\u201d or \u201couch\u201d).\u00a0 The \u201cg\u201d of \u201cgontacht<\/strong>\u201d is lenited after the prefix \u201cneamh<\/strong>-\u201c (non-, un-); linguistically, it is the voiced velar fricative that I\u2019ve discussed elsewhere (Treoir don Treoir: A Guide to the Guide (for Pronunciation), Cuid a 2<\/a>\u00a0(27 I\u00fail 2010), which is dedicated to the voiced velar fricative sound, and An Ghaeilge sa Leabhar _Galway Bay_: \u201cGuilp\u00edn,\u201d \u201cGr\u00e1\u201d agus Go Leor Eile<\/a>\u00a0(2 M\u00ed na Samhna 2009), which discusses this sound in a few terms of endearment, such as \u201cA ghr\u00e1!<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cA\u00a0ghr\u00e1 mo chro\u00ed!<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n

tarrth\u00e1il<\/strong> [TAR-haw-il], saving, bailout; the medial “th” is just pronounced “h”<\/p>\n

tl\u00e1ith\u00edneacht<\/strong> [TLAW-heen-yukht], mealy-mouthedness, soft-spokenness, wheedling, flattery, cf. tl\u00e1ith<\/strong>, weak; again,\u00a0the medial “th” is just pronounced “h”<\/p>\n

IV. Lenited sounds at the end of a word (usually very softened or silenced)<\/em><\/p>\n

maith<\/strong> [mah], good, as in \u201cgan mhaith<\/strong>\u201d [gahn wah], without good (useless, etc.)<\/p>\n

le haghaidh<\/strong> [leh hai], for.\u00a0 We\u2019ve mostly discussed this above, but note that the \u201c-dh\u201d of \u201chaghaidh<\/strong>\u201d is completely silent<\/p>\n

V. Pronunciation of final \u201ce\u2019s\u201d in Irish (as opposed to English)<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>In words like \u201cd\u00e9ine<\/strong>,\u201d the final \u201ce\u201d is never considered silent, although it may be barely audible or inaudible, if followed by another vowel.\u00a0 For example, d\u00e9ine<\/strong> [DJAYN-yuh], austerity and d\u00e9ine an tsaoil<\/strong> [djayn yun teel], the harshness of life.\u00a0 If one is articulating very carefully, the final \u201c-e\u201d and the \u201can<\/strong>\u201d can be distinguished [DJAYN-yuh un teel]<\/p>\n

VI. Which vowel is pronounced when there are two or three vowels in a row?<\/em><\/p>\n

This could take several blogs to answer, but to pick just a few examples:<\/p>\n

\u00edobairt<\/strong> [EEB-irtch], sacrifice.\u00a0 If one of the vowels has a long mark, only that one is pronounced.\u00a0 Likewise,<\/p>\n

U\u00ed Thuathail<\/strong> [ee HOO-uh-hil], of O\u2019Toole.\u00a0 Again, just the long vowel of \u201cU\u00ed.<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0 Additional examples: d\u00e9ine, b\u00e9al<\/strong> ([bayl], mouth, as in b\u00e9alghr\u00e1<\/strong>), anr\u00f3iteach<\/strong> [AHN-ROH-tchukh]<\/p>\n

When neither vowel is long, the pattern sometimes has to be memorized, and there are noticeable variations:<\/p>\n

deacair<\/strong> [DJAK-irzh], hard.\u00a0 The \u201cea\u201d is like English \u201cbat\u201d or \u201ccat\u201d (or like Irish bean, fear, <\/strong>or deas<\/strong>, but not like Irish \u201cbeag<\/strong>\u201d).\u00a0 The \u201cai\u201d here is unstressed, because it\u2019s the second syllable, so it\u2019s not a very distinct vowel sound.\u00a0 It could be considered a very short \u201cshort i\u201d or almost a \u201cschwa.\u201d<\/p>\n

mion<\/strong>– [min], mini-.\u00a0 Basically a short \u201ci\u201d with the \u201co\u201d mostly serving to keep the \u201cn\u201d broad.\u00a0 Not like the \u201cio\u201d in \u201ciontach<\/strong>\u201d [EEN-tukh] or \u201ciontas<\/strong>\u201d [EEN-tuss], though.<\/p>\n

In the case of \u201c-ua\u201d and \u201cia,\u201d each vowel is pronounced, as in \u00d3 Tuathail<\/strong> [oh TOO-uh-hil], crua<\/strong> [KROO-uh], diabhal<\/strong> [DJEE-uh-wul], and dian<\/strong> [DJEE-un]<\/p>\n

Three vowels in a row?\u00a0 Fadhb ar bith<\/strong>!\u00a0 We\u2019ve seen aoi<\/strong> [ee], a guest; faoi <\/strong>[fwee], under; and saoi <\/strong>[see], an expert, among others.<\/p>\n

Bhuel,<\/strong> as noted above, that was just tip of the iceberg, but it\u2019s a bit of a headstart.\u00a0 If you have any specific pronunciation questions, please feel to write in.\u00a0 SGF, R\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn) The last few blogs have dealt pretty intensely with meaning and slight differences among comhainmneacha (synonyms).\u00a0 Here we\u2019ll look at a much more down-to-earth aspect of some of the same words \u2013 how to say them.\u00a0 We\u2019ll look at a few of the longer and more complex ones (tl\u00e1ith\u00edneacht, neamhghontacht, m. sh.) but…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[96397,111881,32913,111883,111885,929,8667,111887,111879,111819,111886,111884,111882,111852,111877,5874,5878,111878,111888,111824,6758,6992,111889,7278],"class_list":["post-1720","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-uru","tag-cuig-fhocal-gan-mhaith","tag-deacair","tag-deine","tag-diabhal","tag-diphthongs","tag-eclipsis","tag-fhionntain","tag-final","tag-fintan-otoole","tag-fionntan","tag-gatair","tag-gatar","tag-iobairt","tag-irish-language-pronunciation","tag-lenited","tag-lenition","tag-medial","tag-o-tuathail","tag-otoole","tag-seimhiu","tag-syllable","tag-ui-thuathail","tag-vowel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1720"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1728,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1720\/revisions\/1728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}