Aids to the Pronunciation of Irish/Chapter 10

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3482610Aids to the Pronunciation of Irish — Chapter 10: Digraphsthe Christian Brothers

CHAPTER X.

Digraphs.

79. We have already shown in Chapter VIII. how glides are formed, and we have also explained why it is not necessary to write the glides in English, whilst it is necessary to do so in Irish; consequently there are a large number of digraphs in Irish, for it is frequently necessary to join a slender consonant to a broad vowel, and vice versa. The digraphs used in Modern Irish are eá, eo, iú, ái, úi, ae, aí, ia, ío, ói, ui, ea, ai, iu, and ei. If one of the vowels of the digraph carries a síneaḋe.g., ái, iú, ói, &c, there is no difficulty in recognising which is the vowel and which the glide; but when there is not a síneaḋ the matter is not quite so easy—e.g., in

liom, “o” is the vowel and “i” the glide, whilst in fios, “i” is the vowel and “o” the glide.

80. Before dealing with the sounds of the digraphs and trigraphs in detail it is well to give some drill exercises in joining a slender consonant to a broad vowel, and vice versa.

Examples similar to the following should be frequently written on the blackboard by the teacher.

The glides are printed in small type, and the student is not to pronounce them. As previously explained their sole function is to indicate the broadness or slenderness of the consonants.

81. (1) Ó (2) Ó (3) Ó
ÓG ÓR DeÓ
CeÓ BeÓ ÓR
ÓiG ÓiR ÓiR
CÓG BOR DÓR
CeÓG BeÓR DeÓR
CÓiG BÓiR DÓiR
CeÓiG BeÓiR DeÓiR
(4) Ú (5) Ó (6) Ó
ÓL
US FeÓ
GÚS ÓiL FóL
ÚiS SeÓ FeÓL
GiÚS SeÓiL FeÓiL
GiÚiSe SeÓLTA FeÓLA
(7) Ó (8) an (9) ar
ann ara
ÓN rann cara
NÓN reann cairde
NeÓN treann cairdeas
NÓiN streann cairdeaṁail
NeÓiN streannc cairdeaṁlaċt
NÓiNÍN streanncán eascairdeas
streanncán ceoil eascairdeaṁail

EA.

82. It has been already pointed out in § 12 that there is no single character to represent the first or low caol vowel. The long sound of this vowel is heard in the words “father” “rather” “farther” as pronounced by country people. The position and shape of the tongue necessary for the production of this vowel have been already described. The digraphs ea and ai denote the short sound of this vowel when there are no disturbing influences due to the consonants. Ea is preceded by a slender consonant and followed by a broad one, whilst ai is preceded by a broad consonant and followed by a slender one.

bean cead fear peata
cearc mear neart greama
geata meala geal scread
gearraḋ leat fearra speal
lear reaṫa seas creasa
leasa gean feasa gealt
lean

83. In the following cases disturbing influences exist :—


(a) Ea, accented, and in first syllable, followed by a protected liquid, or by ḃ, ṁ, and a vowel or liquid is pronounced like ou in “house.” produces a nasal diphthong (§ 14).

seaḃaċ leaḃar meaḃar
leaṁnaċt cleaṁnas geaṁar
ceann peann gleann
geall meall ceanntar

For a long list of words refer to § 60 also to § 75.

(b) When not in first syllable, ea followed by ḃ, ṁ, &c, = ú.

duilleaḃar laeṫeaṁail flaiṫeaṁail
biṫeaṁnaċ croiḋeaṁail breiṫeaṁnas

For longer list refer to § 62.

(c) When ea accented is followed by the broad gutturals ċ, g, ng (the ng not being final—Munster), the e is a mere glide and the a, if the ea be initial, gets the sound of the first a in “capall,” otherwise it gets a slightly flatter sound (Ulster, Munster, and Connaught).

eagla eagal eaglais
eagailse eagair teaċtaire
leag ceaċt creaċ
beaċ teaċt imṫeaċt
seaċain teanga seaċt
sceaċ ceangail freagra

(d) Beag=beog, seaċas (i.e., Seaċ)=seoċas (eo in deoċ § 100 (a)), In bead (C. béad), “e” is the vowel, and “a” the glide; eala=ala, ealaḋa=alaí.

(e) Ea = í + broad glide in: inġean,[1] doilġeas, faiṫċeas, inḃear, coitċeann(ta). Refer to § 71.

84. Ea (unaccented). The e is a glide, and the a=the second a in “capall,” (Ulster, Munster and Connaught).

aistear seisean feiseanna
creideann aingeal cairdeas
páirceanna áiteaċa ṁilleas

AI.

85. Except in the cases mentioned below, ai, accented, has the short sound of the first caol vowel, preceded by a broad consonant and, followed by a slender one (Ulster, Munster, and Connaught).

aigneaḋ ais ait
aiteas ainm aistear
saic tais aibiġ
faic ainnir daingean
aingeal aisce taisce

(a) In Ulster, Munster, and Connaught ai=e in air, aige, aici; (and in raiḃ in Munster and Connaught).

(b) In Ulster ai in the following words:=“e” in “error,” “enter:aire, faire, airgead, baile, ainm, aiṫne, aimsir, ṫainic (Craig).

(c) In the following words “a” is a mere glide, and “i” is the vowel in Minister:—

bain, faide, glaise, glaine, caime agaiḃ.

ai=í in crainn, gaill, baill, daill. Refer to § 67 (c).

86. Ai following a labial (b, p, m, f), or a guttural gets the sound of the first a in capall, and the “i” is a mere glide.

bail blais bainne
baile caibidil caidreaṁ
caise caiseal caismirt
cairrgeaċ faire fairrge
fairsing flaiṫ[2] flaiṫeas[2]
faitċeas gairid gaisce
Gailliṁ mair mairg
maidin maide mairḃ
maiseaṁail maiṫ[2] maiṫeas[2]
paidir paiste caiṫ[2]

87. Ai followed by a protected liquid or by Ḋ, Ġ, ḃ+a vowel or liquid is pronounced î = “i” in “high.

aiġneas laiġin aiḃne
maiġdean saiḋḃir Taiḋg
aimsir caill cainnt
baintreaċ sainnt gaiḃne

For longer list of words refer to § 67.

(a) In Ulster ai followed by or ġ=î.

(b) In Desmond, ai=í in snaiḋm, saiġead, claiḋeaṁ. saiḋḃir and saiḋḃreas = sever and seviruss. In Desi saiḋḃir=sîr.

88. Ai, unaccented: a is a glide, and i the vowel (in Ulster, Munster and Connaught).

obair ċonnaic feadair
capaill laḃair leaḃair
socair Gobnait seasaiṁ

UI.

89. In this digraph the “u” is always the glide and the “i” the vowel (in Connaught and Munster).

buile buille cluig
cuisle cnuic cuilm
cuid cluiṫċe cuir
fuil fuinneog guiḋ
guirt guirm Muire
muin muir muirġin
muileann Muiris luisne
guib duine puirt
ruip tuit uisce

(a) In Ulster “u” of the digraph “ui” is often the vowel, and “i” the glide: muinntir, fuinneog, fuinnseog, fuiseog, cuid, cuisle, buideal, buinim, &c. In the following words “i” is the vowel: uisce, uilig, tuile, druim, ruibe, duine, cuiṁne, cruinn, tuig, duilleog, &c. (Craig).

90. When Ui is followed by a protected liquid, or by ḃ, ṁ, Ġ, Ḋ, + a vowel or liquid, the “u” remains a mere glide, but the “i” is lengthened to í.

Muiṁneaċ buiḋe dliġe
druim sliġe suim
luiḃeanna suiḋe luiġe
buiḋean bruiġean fuiġleaċ
guiḋe muinntir fuinnseog
cuiṁne críostuiḋe scéaluiḋe

For longer list refer to § 72.

The “i” of “ui” is short in scéaluiḋṫe, críostuiḋṫe, &c, the not being a vowel or liquid.

(a) buiḋeaċ =baoċ Munster.
buiḋeaċas =baoċas

Amuiġ=Amuí in Connaught, but amu in Munster. (Second syllable stressed in both cases).

IO.

91. In the digraph io, when under tonic accent, “i” is the vowel, o the glide, except in the cases mentioned below (Ulster, Munster, Connaught):—

Giolla fionna Sionainn
crios lios fios
slios bior mion
giota mioscais pionna
piostal
siolla=s i O lla.

92. When io, under tonic accent, is followed by a labial or a guttural, the “i” becomes a glide, and “o” the vowel (Ulster, Munster, Connaught).

liobar liobarnaċ sioc
siopa pioc iomaire
liom slioċt rioċt
tiocfad tiobraid mioċair
sciob gliogar
Also biolar and (f)iolar.
gliocas=glíocas.

93. Io, under tonic accent, followed by a protected liquid = in Desmond, and ou in Dēsi.

iompuiġ fionn iomċar
ionntaoiḃ cionntuiġ iongna (=úna)
ionnraic (ós)cionn prionnsa

Refer to § 66.

94. ioḋ and ioġ = í + “o” glide (Connaught and Munster).

ioḋna tioḋlaic ioḋbairt
ioḋal dioġaltas dioġrais
dioġla fioġar bioḋg
bioḋḃa fioḋ bioḋgaċ

The “i” is naturally long in ríoġain and díoġḃáil.

95. In io unstressed, “i” is the vowel and “o” the glide—e.g., ciotóg, miotóg, scioból, tionól, iománuiḋe, giobógaċ, &c. Tiomáin = tomáin (i.e., broad t).

Ionad = inead (old Ir. inad); cionnus = conus (cá + ionnus).

Oi.

96. The digraph oi has three distinct sounds, viz.:—

(1) o followed by a slender consonant.
(2) i preceded by a broad consonant.
(3) e preceded by a broad consonant.

It is very difficult to formulate definite rules to direct the student which pronunciation is to be given in a particular case. The following, however, may be of some assistance:—

(a) After gutturals (including l), or when followed by two different consonants (one may be silent owing to aspiration) the pronunciation is generally o.

scoil coisde cois doirt
loit foirḃṫe coitċeann doilġeas
loisc soilḃir doilḃir boiċt

(b) When followed by r or another consonant and slender vowel the sound is usually i in Munster, but in Connaught the pronunciation is e in almost all cases, excepting rule (a).

foineann coir oir foireann
coinne roilig doineann oide
toir oileaṁaint soir roimis

(c) In many words rules (a) and (b) will conflict, the pronunciation is then variable. In the following list the letters in brackets give the sound of the oi:—

goile (o or i) croise (i, e) croiḋṫe (i)
oifig (o, e) goid (i, e) toice (o, e)
troid (o, e) troiġ (i) gloine (i)
croiceann (e) coin (i) soiṫeaċ (o)
toil (o, e) coille (i) boiċte (o)
bois (o) doire (e) coiscéim (i)
oiread (i, e) oibre (e) roiṁ (e); C
foiṫin (o) coirce (o) roim (i); M

97. oi followed by a protected liquid = í in Desmond, but î in Desi.

coillcoimsiġroimpecloinnmoill

Refer to § 72.

(a) oi = î, in roinnt, doiṁin,[3] foiġne, foiġid, leac-oiḋre, coicṫiḋeas.

98. oiḋ and oiġ (not final) = í (usually).

croiḋe oiḋċe oiḋean
ċoiḋċe istoiḋċe groiḋe

99. oi unstressed = unstressed e, or i.

oileán oileaṁaint oireaṁnaċ
oideaċas (§ 52 (4)) oireaċtas

EO

100. In this digraph the “o” is always the vowel, and, except in a very small number of words, gets its long sound—i.e., ó (except in Ulster). The e is a very audible glide (resembling the English sound of “y”). The “e” is not heard when initial, or when it follows s. In Ulster “e” is likewise the glide, but the “o” = “o” in “lord;” “adorn,” &c. (§ 12 (c)).

ceo beo teo
deo teora Eoġan
eolas seod ceol
seol deor seomra
feola leor fuiseog
driseog eol geoḃad

(a) The “o” is short in deoċ, eoċair, seo, and in Connaught, seomra. As there are very few words in which the digraph eo is pronounced short, it is not necessary to mark the “o” long.

IU.

101. In this digraph the “i” is always a glide, and “u” in the vowel; so that its sound is simply u (short) preceded by a slender consonant (Ulster, Munster and Connaught).

piuc fiuċaḋ fiuċaim
fliuċ triuċ tiuġ (ġ=ḃ in M.)
indiu pr. inniuḃ, M. Siuḃán iuċair
pr. inniú, C.

AO.

102. This digraph has simply the sound of é preceded and followed by a broad consonant. After labials the sound resembles “wé.”

aos baos aonar
gaol caol saor
daor gaoṫ caoċ
maol baoġal (=baol) maor
faoḃar (=faor) Aoḋ paor
glaoḋ taoḃ saoṫar
aon aonaċ aosta
aol daol laoġ
baoṫ caor caoraċ
but caora=cuíre.

In Ulster ao is pronounced like ö in German, but ú is also frequently heard.

EÁ.

103. This digraph has not quite so open a sound as the “á” in “lán,” “bán,” &c, nor so flat a sound as the “a” in Maggie (i.e., the long sound of the first caol vowel, § 12 (a)). The “e” shows that the preceding consonant must be slender.

sleán oileán milleán
ciseán caisleán cineál
milseán (§ 144) Seán
coimeád=cimád (§ 12).

104. When is followed by or ġ it is pronounced á (§ 12) or á.

breáġ breáġṫaċt meáḋon
meáḋċaint spleáḋcas cneaḋ

ÉA or EU.

105. Both these digraphs represent the same sound, and the first one (i.e., éa) has been adopted by the Gaelic League as it represents the sound of the digraph in Connaught and in Ulster—viz., é followed by a broad glide; and as eu does not denote the Munster sound better than éa, éa should be accepted as the standard spelling.

(a) In Munster the sound is generally i-eai.e., the long sound of í followed by the sound of ea in fear, lean, bean, &c. There is practically equal stress on the two vowels í-ea.

méar féar léas
éadaċ déan éadan
féad béas bréan

(b) Before gutturals, labials, and l, the sound varies between í-ea and í-a (second a in capall), while there is a tendency to put the tonic accent on the second vowel.

scéal féaċ béal
bréag Séamas
Éaḋmonn (Éamon); often pronounced yamon.

In déag; and céad the stress on the second vowel is very marked.

(c) When grammatical inflections are added the sound usually = ée.g., méar (= mí-ear), but méaranna (= mé-ranna), also spelled méireanna féadfaḋ (= fé-taċ), &c.

106. Ae = é preceded by a broad consonant; as the e in this digraph is always long it is unnecessary to write a síneaḋ on it.

lae traen Gaeḋeal
laeṫe Gaeḋilig(e) (C.) Gaeluinn (M.)
Gaeḋealaċ (Gaoḋalaċ) aer (broad r)

EI.

107. In Modern Irish the vowel e occurs only at the end of words—e.g., baile, mé, lile, seamróige, &c.: in all other positions the digraph éi is used instead of é, and ei instead of e. The normal sounds of éi and ei are exactly those of é and e respectively (§12, c, d, e).

When ei (stressed) is followed by ḋ, ġ, ḃ, + a vowel or liquid; or by a protected liquid the diphthong Ei is produced (§ 68). In Dēsi , in addition to the above, produces this diphthong.

eiḋean feiḋil leiġeas
leiġeasaċ meiḋir meiḋg
meiḋreaċ Eiḃlín greim
deiṁeas geiṁreaḋ

For longer list refer to § 68.

108. In the following words ei is pronounced “i” in Munster.

deifir ḋeineas teine
neid smeig smeigín
feicsint gein meiṫil
deiṫneas meisneaċ feiṫeaṁ
leinḃ=linḃ or lenḃ
leigint=ligint or leogaint (eo short, § 100 (a)).

(a) In Ulster ei=i in the following words: meisce, greim, eile beirc, ceiṫre, leigim, deiṁeas, geiṁreaḋ (Craig).

109. In the following words “i” is pronounced like “e,” in Munster:—

litir (=leitir), litireaċ, litearḋa, tinneas, file.

IA.

110. In the digraph ia, i is always the stressed vowel, and gets the full sound of í (§ 12), whilst the a is always unstressed, and consequently equals the second a in “capall.” (M. U. & C).

fial ciall triall
grian Brian rian
pian siad iad
siar riaṁ Liam
Dia biaḋ mian

(a) Dia (used with Luain, Máirt, &c.) = .

(b) In the phrase “dia ḃeaṫa-sá,” dia = dé.

(c) Cia is pronounced (and now usually written) .

UA.

111. In this digraph, as in the last, both vowels are distinctly heard, but “u” gets the stress of the voice, and has its long sound—viz., ú; a has its unstressed value (M. U. and C).

cuan gual fuar
suas anuas luaṫ
luaċ fuaċt uasal
cluas uaċtar buaċaill
cuaċ scuab ċualas
bruaċ

(a) Ua in surnames = Ó (ú in Kerry, sometimes): Ua Dálaiġ.

(b) In Munster ua in the words nuaḋ and nuaḋaċt is pronounced ó: ḃfuil aon scéal nuaḋ (= nó) agat?

112. The digraphs ái, aí, ói, ío, úi, and íu present no difficulty as the vowel carrying the síneaḋ always gets its full long value, and the other vowel is a mere glide.

  1. In these words it is not really the ea which = í, but the “helping vowel” (§ 124) which develops between the two consonants; thus—doiliġeas, iniġean, faitiċeas, &c. The helping vowel is lengthened by the absorbed silent consonant, and the ea is really the broad glide.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 In Desmond these are pronounced flaṫ, flaṫas, maṫ, caṫ. See § 138.
  3. In Desmond ḃn and ṁn often produce the sound of nge.g., Suiḃne=Suínge; doiṁin, quasi doiṁn=dhîng; aiḃní=îngí; gaiḃní=gîgní.