9
Similarly, the six short vowel-sounds are brought to mind when we repeat the words:—
- “That bell is not much good.”
In our key-words the following symbols shall be used to represent those sounds:—
PHONETIC KEY.
§ 13. I.—THE VOWELS.
| In the key-words, | Are to be | In the English | |
| the letters | sounded like | words | |
| 1. | aa | a | half; calf |
| 2. | æ | ae | Gaelic |
| 3. | ee | ee | feel; see |
| 4. | au | au | naught; taught |
| 5. | ō | o | note; coke |
| 6. | oo | oo (long) | tool; room |
| 7. | a | a | bat; that |
| 8. | e | e | let; bell |
| 9. | i | i | hit; fill |
| 10. | o | o | knot; clock |
| 11. | ŭ | u | up; us |
| 12. | u | oo (short) | good; took |
| (same sound as u in full.) | |||
It is useful to note that the sound (No. 6) of oo in poor is the same as the sound of u in rule; while the sound (No. 11) of u in up, us, is the same as that of o in son, done. It will be noticed that the same numbers are attached to the same sounds in both tables.
§ 14. II.—THE OBSCURE VOWEL-SOUND.
THE SYMBOLS ă and ĕ.
There is in Irish, as in English, a vowel sound usually termed “obscure.” In the word “tolerable” the a is
