{"id":316,"date":"2010-07-23T14:56:49","date_gmt":"2010-07-23T14:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=316"},"modified":"2010-08-02T14:59:31","modified_gmt":"2010-08-02T14:59:31","slug":"notai-ar-fhuaimniu-na-bhfocal-sa-bhlag-is-deanai-pronunciation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/notai-ar-fhuaimniu-na-bhfocal-sa-bhlag-is-deanai-pronunciation\/","title":{"rendered":"N\u00f3ta\u00ed ar Fhuaimni\u00fa na bhFocal sa Bhlag Is D\u00e9ana\u00ed [Pronunciation]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are some <\/strong>pronunciation notes for the last blog.\u00a0 Again, the purpose of the occasional blogs that are devoted primarily to pronunciation here is to provide a rough guide, especially aimed at addressing the issue of silent letters.\u00a0 For more practice with pronunciation, I always recommend Transparent\u2019s Word of the Day, which comes with sound files, and their various other programs for learning Irish (see blogs.transparent.com\/irish<\/a>)<\/p>\n

falar\u00f3p <\/strong>[FAH-luh-rohp], pl. falar\u00f3ip <\/strong>[FAH-luh-roh-ip], phalarope (the aquatic bird).\u00a0 This word is actually quite straightforward to pronounce in Irish, sounding pretty much like its English counterpart.\u00a0 The interesting point though, I think, is that the \u201cph\u201d of the English and the original Greek, has quite logically been changed to an \u201cf\u201d for Irish.\u00a0 This process of changing a \u201cph\u201d to \u201cf\u201d in loanwords happens quite consistently in Irish, as in<\/p>\n

Filideilfia<\/strong>, Filipigh<\/strong>, an cocat\u00fa Filip\u00edneach<\/strong>, and the scientific term, fean\u00f3tail\u00e9in<\/strong>, as well as, of course, f\u00f3n<\/strong>.\u00a0 The English equivalents are listed at the end of this article, in case there are ceisteanna ar bith<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPh\u201d wouldn\u2019t be retained in Gaelicizing a word like \u201cphalarope\u201d since \u201cph\u201d in Irish indicates that the letter \u201cp\u201d has been lenited (softened).\u00a0 You\u2019ve probably seen the p\/ph alternation already (P\u00e1draig, a Ph\u00e1draig, c\u00f3ta Ph\u00e1draig<\/strong> or \u00d3 Peat\u00e1in, N\u00ed Pheat\u00e1in<\/strong>, U\u00ed Pheat\u00e1in<\/strong>, for the surname Peyton\/Paton).\u00a0 So, to return to \u201cfalar\u00f3p<\/strong>,\u201d it\u2019s quite predictable that the word starts with \u201cf\u201d in Irish.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pronunciation of \u201cF,\u201d \u201cFh,\u201d and \u201cbhF\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, the new initial letter \u201cf\u201d is subject to mutation.\u00a0 It can be lenited (fh), becoming silent, as in \u201cNa hOile\u00e1in Fhilip\u00edneacha\u201d <\/strong>[nuh HIL-yaw-in il-ip-EEN-yukh-uh].\u00a0 Or \u201cbia an fhalar\u00f3ip<\/strong>\u201d [BEE-uh un AH-luh-roh-ip]. \u00a0In fact, I would say it\u2019s about a 99.99% rule in Irish: \u201cfh\u201d is silent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The letter \u201cf\u201d can also be eclipsed (bhf), in which case it is pronounced like a \u201cv\u201d when next to \u201ce\u201d or \u201ci,\u201d as in \u201ccobra seileogach na bhFilip\u00edneach Thuaidh<\/strong>\u201d and \u201ccobra seileogach na bhFilip\u00edneach Thoir Theas<\/strong>\u201d [KOB-ruh SHEL-yohg-ukh nuh vil-ip-EEN-yukh HOO-ee \/ HIRzh<\/sup> HASS] (I\u2019m giving both the northern and south-eastern variety since I don\u2019t want to overlook any of those spitting cobras and risk offending one!).\u00a0 \u00a0My ciars\u00far<\/strong> nimhdh\u00edonach<\/strong> is ready though, just in case!<\/p>\n

That was the slender \u201cbhf.\u201d\u00a0 How about \u201cbroad bhf\u201d?\u00a0 You\u2019ve probably been pronouncing the \u201cbroad\u201d version of \u201cbhf\u201d since you started Irish, perhaps without dwelling on the whys and wherefores of it.\u00a0 Beginners are often just told to pronounce \u201cbhfuil<\/strong>\u201d as \u201cwil,\u201d i.e with a \u201cw\u201d sound, no matter how counterintuitive it may look.\u00a0 Since \u201cbhfuil<\/strong>\u201d is the question form of the verb \u201cto be\u201d (present tense), you typically learn it in your first or second Irish lesson (C\u00e9n chaoi a bhfuil t\u00fa<\/strong>?\u00a0 An bhfuil t\u00fa go maith<\/strong>?, etc.). \u00a0The rule? \u201cBhf\u201d next to a \u201cbroad\u201d vowel (a, o, u) is pronounced like a \u201cw.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

So that also tells you how to pronounce teideal an bhlag seo<\/strong>: N\u00f3ta\u00ed ar Fhuaimni\u00fa na bhFocal <\/strong>[NOH-tee err OO-im-ny<\/sup>oo nuh WUK-ul, with the \u201cbhf\u201d like a \u201cw\u201d]<\/p>\n

In summary, then:<\/p>\n

Slender \u201cf\u201d and Slender \u201cbhf\u201d:<\/em><\/p>\n

a. Filideilfia<\/strong> [FIL-ih-del-fee-uh]<\/p>\n

i bhFilideilfia<\/strong> [ih VIL-ih-del-fee-uh, except of course for Philly\u2019s marketeers, who want locals to say, \u201cih VIL-ih-del-fee-aaaaah!\u201d (in Philadelphiaaaaah!). \u00a0Hmm, we could apply an dea-fhoghras sin<\/strong> to Baile \u00c1tha Cliath<\/strong> (Dublin) too, since it conveniently ends in an \u201cuh\u201d sound \u2013 Baile \u00c1tha Cli\u00e1\u00e1\u00e1\u00e1<\/strong>!\u00a0 That would incorporate function number two (of four) of the one-letter word \u201c\u00e1<\/strong>\u201d in Irish \u2013 \u201cah!,\u201d the interjection used to express joy, surprise, contentment, etc.\u00a0 Yes, \u201c\u00e1<\/strong>\u201d has four separate meanings in Irish, but guess what \u2013 sin \u00e1bhar blag eile<\/strong>!\u00a0 And, yes, I\u2019m assuming you remembered that the final \u201c-th\u201d of \u201cCliath<\/strong>\u201d is silent, otherwise the whole r\u00e9amhleagan<\/strong> falls apart.\u00a0<\/p>\n

b. Feabhra<\/strong> [Fy<\/sup>OW-ruh, \u201cow\u201d as in \u201ccow,\u201d \u201cnow,\u201d or \u201cau<\/span>f Wiedersehen], February<\/p>\n

i bhFeabhra<\/strong> [ih Vy<\/sup>OW-ruh], in February (or \u201ci m\u00ed na Feabhra<\/strong>,\u201d ach sin sc\u00e9al eile<\/strong>!)<\/p>\n

Broad \u201cf\u201d and Broad \u201cbhf\u201d<\/em>:<\/p>\n

a. na falar\u00f3ip<\/strong> [nuh FAH-luh-roh-ip], the phalaropes<\/p>\n

bia na bhfalar\u00f3p<\/strong> [BEE-uh nuh WAH-luh-rohp], the food of the phalaropes.\u00a0 And yes, there\u2019s a change at the ending too, but this is the section for pronunciation of initial \u201cbhf\u201d \u2013 not the section for possessive plural endings!<\/p>\n

b. folach <\/strong>[FOL-ukh], (act of) hiding<\/p>\n

i bhfolach <\/strong>[ih WOL-ukh], in hiding<\/p>\n

Well, that\u2019s a couple words (falar\u00f3p, folach<\/strong>) from the last blog!\u00a0 It may be a bit of short shrift for the next few, but here\u2019s at least a few more \u00f3n mblag is d\u00e9ana\u00ed<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

ficheall<\/strong> [FI-hy<\/sup>ul, the \u201chy\u201d as in \u201chumid,\u201d \u201chuman,\u201d \u201cHugh,\u201d or \u201chew,\u201d in other words, all breath<\/em> \u2013 NOT like \u201cchurch\u201d or \u201cloch\u201d or \u201cAchtung\u201d], chess or its Celtic counterpart<\/p>\n

corrmh\u00edol<\/strong> [kor-veel, equal stress on both syllables, since it\u2019s a compound word], one of the choices for \u201cmosquito\u201d<\/p>\n

bia beagmhaitheasa<\/strong> [BEE-uh By<\/sup>UG-WAH-huss-uh, equal stress on \u201cbeag<\/strong>-\u201d and \u201c-mhaith<\/strong>-\u201c since they\u2019re in a compound word].\u00a0 \u201cBeagmhaitheas<\/strong>\u201d more generally means \u201cuselessness\u201d or \u201cworthlessness,\u201d not \u201cjunk\u201d per se, as discussed in the previous blog.\u00a0 Literally, it\u2019s \u201cbeag<\/strong>\u201d (small) and \u201cmaitheas<\/strong>\u201d (goodness).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Freagra\u00ed:<\/strong> Philadelphia, Philippians, the Philippine cockatoo, phenolphthalein (did I hear someone say that only Irish seemed to have long strings of silent letters?)<\/em>, phone.\u00a0 Lenited:<\/em> The Philippine Islands, the food of the phalarope.\u00a0 Eclipsed<\/em>:<\/strong> North Philippine spitting cobra, South-east Philippine spitting cobra.<\/p>\n

Gluais\u00edn: ar fhuaimni\u00fa<\/strong> [err OO-im-ny<\/sup>oo], on pronunciation; dea-fhoghras<\/strong> [DJA-OH-russ, silent \u201cfh\u201d and \u201cgh\u201d], euphony; r\u00e9amhleagan<\/strong> [RAYV-Ly<\/sup>AG-un], premise<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are some pronunciation notes for the last blog.\u00a0 Again, the purpose of the occasional blogs that are devoted primarily to pronunciation here is to provide a rough guide, especially aimed at addressing the issue of silent letters.\u00a0 For more practice with pronunciation, I always recommend Transparent\u2019s Word of the Day, which comes with sound…<\/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":[],"class_list":["post-316","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316","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=316"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":319,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316\/revisions\/319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}