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EXERCISE XVI.
§ 118. OTHER DIGRAPHS.
| éa | is pronounced like | é | that is, | ae |
| eá | „ „ | á | „ | au |
| ío | „ „ | í | „ | ee |
In these, also, it will be noticed, the digraph is pronounced practically with the sound of the vowel marked long; the other vowel is hardly sounded, thus:—
Féar is pronounced (faer), ísleán (eesh′-laun), cíos (kees).
§ 119. Note 1—éa is still occasionally spelled eu; as, feur (faer), grass. In Munster, in words of one syllable, éa or eu is pronounced ee′-o; thus, fear (fee′-or).
Note 2—eá is used, and wrongly, in words like gearr, fearr, where ea, without any mark of length, should be used. Lengthening of the long vowel-sound noticed in such words is caused by the double r (see § 77).
Note 3—We would advise learners always to pronounce ío like í, or ee. In old Irish we always find fín, wine; fér, grass. In many monosyllables ío is yet pronounced ee′-ŭ ; as, fíon (fee′-ŭn), wine.
§ 120. Céad míle fáilte! a hundred thousand welcomes! This popular phrase is seldom, if ever, seen properly spelled.
§ 121.
| céad (kaedh) a hundred | léana (lae'-n), a meadow |
| díol (deel), verb sell | Séamas (shae′-măs), James |
| féar (faer), grass | |
| fíon (feen), wine | síoda (sheedh′-ă), silk |
| líon (leen), verb, fill | síos (shees) down (wards) |
| líon „ noun, flax |
