PRONUNCIATION
REVIEW
The letter "l", like other Irish consonants, has
two sounds. The broad sound occurs when the nearest
vowel in the word is "a", "o", or "u". The broad
sound is clearest when the letter "l" begins the
word.
In pronouncing "l", widen the tongue and force it
against the back of the upper front teeth. The sound
will differ from the English pronunciation, in which
you probably touch the tongue tip to the roof of
the mouth while keeping the tongue narrowed.
Pronounce these words containing the broad "l" sound:
lá (law*), day; ló (loh), in "de ló
is d'oíche", day and night; lú (loo),
smaller, smallest.
The next sound after a broad "l" can be a slender
(ay*) or (ee) sound, as in:
lae (lay*), of a day ("meán lae" (myaw*n
lay*) is "midday" or "noon"); luí (lee),
lying down.
The slender "l" sound occurs when the nearest vowel
in the word is "e" or "i". For slender "l" at the
beginning of a word, curl your tongue downward so
that the tongue is raised to touch the upper teeth
and the hard ridge behind them, while the tip touches
the back of the lower front teeth.
Pronounce these words with initial slender "l" sound:
le (le), with; leat (lat), with you; líon
(LEE-uhn), linen; léan (lay*n), sorrow; liom
(luhm), with me; leo (loh), with them. Do not add
a (y) sound to the "l".
Inside a word, or at a word end, "l" is often pronounced
like English "l", with the tongue narrower and touching
the roof of the mouth close behind the upper front
teeth.
GRAMMAR
We continue with the free form or saorbhriathar
(say*r-VREE-huhr). The sentence "Dúnaim an
doras" (DOON-im un DUH-ruhs) means "I close the
door", but "Dúntar an doras" is translated
as "Someone closes the door", or "The door is closed
by someone", or even "The door gets closed by someone".
This Irish sentence differs in meaning from "Tá
an doras dúnta" (DOON-tuh), which means that
at the present time the door is closed and not open.
English is not as clear in meaning in this respect
as is Irish.
Other forms for the saorbhriathar in the present
tense:
"Ní
dhúntar an doras ar a seacht a chlog" (nee
GOON-tuhr un DUH*ruhs er uh shahk*t uh k*luhg),
The door is not closed at seven, no one closes the
door at seven.
"An
ndúntar go moch é?" (un NOON-tuhr
goh mohk* ay*), Is it closed early?, Does someone
close it early?
"Nach
ndúntar an fhuinneog gach lá?" (nahk*
NOON-tuhr un in-YOHG gahk* law*), Isn't the window
closed every day?, Doesn't someone close the window
every day?
If the verb root ends in a slender consonant, which
is one with an "e" or an "i" closest to it, the
ending of the saorbhriathar is " _ _ _ tear". This
ending is pronounced (tuhr), but with a slender
"t". "Múin" becomes "múintear" (MOO-in-tuhr),
it is taught.
With verbs like "oscail" or "imigh" or "ceannaigh",
the forms are: osclaítear (OHSK-lee-tuhr),
it is opened; imítear (IM-ee-tuhr), it is
departed, people depart; ceannaítear (KAN-ee-tuhr),
it is bought.
The saorbhriathar can combine with other phrases
that you have learned. Examples:
Deir sé go gceannaítear bróga
ann (der shay* goh GAN-ee-tuhr BROHG-uh oun), he
says that shoes are bought there.
Is dóigh liom nach léitear (LAY*-tuhr)
sa tír seo é; I think that it is not
read in this country.
Cá ndíoltar iad? (kaw* NEEL-tuhr EE-uhd),
Where are they sold?
VOCABULARY
Masculine nouns
foirgneamh (FWIR-gi-nuhv), building; árasán,
an t-árasán (un TAW*-ruh-saw*n), apartment
building
Feminine
nouns
monarcha, an mhonarcha (un VWOHN-uhr-huh), factory;
saortharlann, an tsaortharlann (un TAY*-uhr-luhn),
laboratory
feictear dom (FEK-tuhr duhm), it seems to me
gurb ea (GUR-ruhb a), that it is; nach ea (nahk*
a), that it is not
DRILL
Feictear dom go bhfuil sé sa scoil (goh vwil
shay* suh skuhl), It seems to me that he is in school.
Feictear dom gur nuachtán é (gur NOO-uhk*-taw*n
ay*), It seems to me that it is a newspaper.
Feictear dom gurb ea, It seems to be that it is.
Feictear dom nach foirgneamh é sin, It seems
to me that that is not a building.
Feictear dom nach ea, It seems to me that it isn't.
Ní fheictear dom gurb ea (nee EK-tuhr duhm
GUR-ruhb a), It doesn't seem to me that it is.
Feictear dom go n-aontaítear leis (goh NAY*N-tee-tuhr
lesh), It seems to me that people agree with him.
Feictear dom nach dtuigtear an t-ábhar sin
(nahk* DIG-tuhr un TAW*-vwuhr shin), it seems to
me that that subject is not understood.
Make use of "feictear dom" with these verbs, in
the affirmative (with "go") form and negative ("nach")
form: críochnaigh (KREE-uhk*-nee), finish;
deisigh (DESH-ee), repair; clois (klish), hear;
glan (gluhn), clean.
Add nouns to the sentences, too, such as "obair",
"carr" or "bord".
(c)
1998 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.
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