SEAN-ĊAINT NA nDÉISE.
PART I.
PRONUNCIATION AND ACCENT.
A scientific account of the sounds of Waterford Irish will be found in Dr. Henebry's book on the “Phonology of Dési Irish.” In the present work the pronunciation has been mainly represented by writing the Irish word as it is pronounced. An ordinary acquaintance with the sounds of the Irish letters is therefore presumed.
(Note.—To assist the learner the pronunciation of Irish words has sometimes been represented by rude equivalents according to English spelling. These equivalents will help mainly towards illustrating the vowel sounds. The precise quality of the consonants, broad or slender, must be inferred from the Irish spelling. Ch represents the sound of Ċ in LOĊ.)
I. (1) The student should endeavour to acquire the exact sounds of the letters pronounced by the lips p, b, f, m, and ḃ or ṁ, i.e., V and W when followed by broad or slender vowel. Unfamiliarity with these sounds makes the learner fancy that the pronunciation of the Irish speaker is indistinct or blurred. To pronounce these letters when slender the lips must be pressed close to the teeth; to pronounce them when broad, the lips must be thrust forward so that the lips can be actually seen by the speaker by looking downwards. Pronounce the words “met” and “moon.” Note that the lips are
