{"id":39,"date":"2009-06-05T00:25:16","date_gmt":"2009-06-05T04:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=39"},"modified":"2019-12-13T05:57:39","modified_gmt":"2019-12-13T05:57:39","slug":"pronunciation-tips-for-mamo-morai-and-daideo-grandmagranny-and-grandpa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/pronunciation-tips-for-mamo-morai-and-daideo-grandmagranny-and-grandpa\/","title":{"rendered":"Pronunciation tips for Mam\u00f3, M\u00f3ra\u00ed, and Daideo (Grandma\/Granny and Grandpa)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\u00a0(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn)<\/strong><\/div>\n

There have been numerous inquiries on how to pronounce these words, since the previous blogpost on this topic came out (nasc th\u00edos<\/strong>),\u00a0<\/strong>so here are some tips:<\/span><\/p>\n

To pronounce Mam\u00f3<\/strong>: the final vowel is long, so it gets extra emphasis: mam-OH<\/span><\/p>\n

To pronounce M\u00f3ra\u00ed<\/strong>: the emphasis is on the first syllable, which sounds like the English word “more” but with a flapped (lightly trilled) \u201cr\u201d: MORR-ee.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When you see two vowels together in Irish and one of them is marked long, you usually only pronounce the long one: \u201ca\u00ed\u201d sounds like “ee”.\u00a0 Another example is the surname “Rooney” in Irish: \u00d3 Ruana\u00ed<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

To pronounce the flapped \u201cr,\u201d think of how \u201csure and begorrah\u201d is pronounced.\u00a0 Even though neither of these words is actually Irish Gaelic, the \u201cflapped r\u201d sound prevails.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBegorrah\u201d might look Irish and sound Irish, but it\u2019s actually a Hiberno-English euphemism for a phrase in English.\u00a0 If you know which phrase, how about sharing with other readers by using the \u201ccomments\u201d section?\u00a0 Hint: it\u2019s related to the traditional Hiberno-English expression, \u201cBy Dad!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To pronounce Daideo<\/strong>: Although this may look like 1950s Beat jive or Beatnik slang (Daddy-O), it’s not the same!\u00a0 The Irish “Daideo<\/strong>” is a two-syllable word, whereas “Daddy-O” is three.\u00a0 Also, the “d” in the middle of “Daideo<\/strong>” is pronounced “caol<\/strong>” or “slender” in Irish.\u00a0 Depending on what dialect of Irish one speaks, the “slender d” is a little or a lot like the sound “j” in English.\u00a0 The “eo” vowel is one long “oh” sound, even though it’s not marked as a long vowel.\u00a0 So “Daideo<\/strong>” is pronounced “DADJ-yoh.”<\/span><\/p>\n

All three of these will change slightly in direct address, that is, if you\u2019re speaking directly to Granny or Grandpa.\u00a0 If you\u2019re raising children or grandchildren as English-speakers, for example i Meirice\u00e1 Thuaidh<\/strong> (in North America), it may be fine for the child to simply learn to say, \u201cI love you, Mam\u00f3<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cThanks, Daideo<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

But if the children are growing up speaking Irish, these terms will be converted to the direct-address form, which involves softening (leniting) the first consonant.\u00a0 Those of you from Ireland might remember this as \u201cAn Tuiseal Gairmeach<\/strong>\u201d (the vocative case).\u00a0 This special form for direct address also applies to names in general, when you are speaking to the person directly, and also to any other noun, animate or inanimate, to whom or to which you are speaking. These forms are written “a Mham\u00f3<\/strong>,” “a Mh\u00f3ra<\/strong>\u00ed,” and “a Dhaideo.<\/strong>”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So that would include all your Pegeens and Aidans, as well as anything like a hammer to which you are wishing \u201cbad cess,\u201d that is, if it just smashed your thumb.\u00a0 It would also include pets\u2019 names, if you\u2019re speaking to the animal directly.\u00a0 So if you\u2019ve named your madra<\/strong> (dog), after Fionn Mac Cumhaill<\/strong>\u2019s hound, Bran<\/strong>, you can stop calling him back to you with \u201cHere, Bran!\u00a0 Come, Bran!\u201d and start using the lenited and palatalized version of the dog\u2019s name (“A Bhrain<\/strong>!” [say: “uh vrahn”]), which won\u2019t resemble anything in English.\u00a0 Then it won\u2019t sound so much like you\u2019re publicly declaiming an ode to breakfast cereal.\u00a0 Of course, you will have had to have trained the dogs to recognize two different forms of their own name, which might be hard unless they\u2019re still coile\u00e1in<\/strong> (puppies).\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to teach a seanmhadra<\/strong> (old dog) new tuisil<\/strong> (grammatical cases)!\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But guess what, we\u2019re out of space, so stay tuned for \u201cnouns of direct address\u201d i mblag at\u00e1 le teacht<\/strong> (in a blog to come)! \u00a0Sl\u00e1n go f\u00f3ill — R\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Pronunciation tips:<\/span><\/p>\n

madra<\/span><\/strong>: MAH-druh and seanmhadra<\/strong>: SHAN-WAH-druh <\/span><\/p>\n

tuiseal<\/span><\/strong>: TISH-ul; tuisil<\/strong>: TISH-il<\/span><\/p>\n

thuaidh<\/span><\/strong>: HOO-ee (the “t” and “d” are silent)<\/span><\/p>\n

Mac Cumhaill<\/span><\/strong>: mak coo-il (you may have known that one already, from the Legend of Knockmany, \u00c1.B.E.)<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
Nasc d’alt eile ar an \u00e1bhar seo:<\/strong>
\nM\u00f3r? Cr\u00edonna? or Sean? \u2014 Grandparents By Any Other Name!<\/a>Posted by r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a> on Apr 9, 2009 in Irish Language<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn) There have been numerous inquiries on how to pronounce these words, since the previous blogpost on this topic came out (nasc th\u00edos),\u00a0so here are some tips: To pronounce Mam\u00f3: the final vowel is long, so it gets extra emphasis: mam-OH To pronounce M\u00f3ra\u00ed: the emphasis is on the first syllable, which sounds like…<\/p>\n

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