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| (7) | Ó | (8) | an | (9) | ar |
| NÓ | 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 |
