PRONUNCIATION
REVIEW
If the nearest vowel to the letter "p" in a word
is "a", "o", or "u", pronounce the letter "p" with
lips protruded and rounded. Practice on:
pá, pál, paidir (PAHD-ir), póg,
post (pohst), púca, puth (pu), puinn (pwin).
Inside a word or at a word end: stopaim (STOHP-im),
iompair (UM-pir), leapa, ceap (kyap), rap (rahp).
To pronounce a "p" when the nearest vowel in the
word is "e" or "i", bring the lips in close to the
teeth and spread the lips slightly, as in a faint
smile. Try: pé (pay*), pic (pik), pian (PEE-uhn),
péist (pay*sht), Peadar (PAD-uhr), peann
(pyoun).
Inside a word or at a word end: impire (IM-pir-e),
teipim (TEP-im), scaip (skahp), scléip (shklay*p).
Finally, practice on these two words that have both
broad and slender "p", until you can say the word
easily and naturally: píopa (PEEP-uh), páipéar
(paw*-PAY*-uhr).
Grammar
In Lesson 69, the Comhrá (KOH-raw*) contained
the sentence "Bíonn rud beag do mo bhodhrú"
(duhm VOU-roo). This means literally "There is a
little thing to my bothering (or annoying)." "Ag
bodhrú" is the verbal noun for the verb "bodhraím"
(BOU-reem), I bother. The English word "bother"
may have come from this. The word also means "to
deafen", and "bodhar" (BOU-uhr or BOH-uhr) means
"deaf."
"John
is bothering you" becomes: "Tá Seán
do do bhodhrú" (duhd VOU-roo). "John is striking
you" is: "Tá Seán do do bhualadh"
(duhd VOO-luh), literally "John is to your striking."
Here is the entire system for this:
Tá an fear do mo bhualadh; the man is striking
me.
Tá an fear do do bhualadh; striking you.
Tá an fear á bhualadh (aw* VOO-luh);
striking him.
Tá an fear á bualadh (aw* BOO-luh);
striking her.
Tá an fear dár mbualadh (daw*r MOO-luh);
striking us.
Tá an fear do bhur mbualadh (duh vwoor MOO-luh);
striking you (plural).
Tá an fear á mbualadh; striking them.
"He
is praising himself" is "Tá sé a mholadh
féin" (aw* VWUHL-uh fay*n). "They were washing
themselves" is "Bhí siad á ní
féin."
Comhrá
(KOH-raw*)
(Bláthnaid and Pól continue attempts
to improve television reception.)
Bláthnaid
(BLAW*-nid): Cén fad an tsreang ญญ atá
uait? (un trang uh-TAW* oo-it) Níl sreang
níos faide (FAD-ye) ญญ ná fiche troigh
againn (naw* FI-hye tree uh-GIN). How long is the
wire that you want? We don't have a wire longer
than twenty feet.
Pól
(pohl): Sílim go ndéanfaidh sé
sin (goh NYA*N-hee shay* shin) ญญ an gnó.
Caithfidh mé (KAH-hee may*) ญญ an dréimire,
mo chasúr, agus uirlisí eile a fháil
(un DRAY*M-i-re, muh k*ah-SOOR, AH-guhs IR-li-shee
EL-e uh AW*-il). I think that that will work. I
must get the ladder, my hammer, and other tools.
Bláthnaid:
Bí cúramach (KOOR-uh-mahk*). Be
careful.
Pól:
Ó, táim (TAW*-im) níos
oilte (IL-te) anois ญญ ná anuraidh (uh-NOOR-ee).
Bí cinnte faoi sin (bee KIN-tye fwee shin).
Oh, I am more skilled now than last year. Be sure
of that.
Bláthnaid:
Cá leagfaimid (LAK-hi-mid) an tsreang?
B'fhéidir tríd an mballa (BAY*-dir
treed un MAHL-uh) ญญ in aice an teilifíseáin
(in AK-e un TEL-i-fee-shaw*-in) ญญ agus ansin an
spéir (spay*r) ญญ chuig an árasán
(hig un AW*-ruh-saw*n) ญญ os ár gcomhair
(ohs aw*r GOH-ir). Where will we run the wire? Perhaps
through the wall near the television set, and then
in the air to the apartment building opposite us.
Pól:
Níl sé sin ceadaithe (KAD-i-he)
ญญ dúinn. Ach tá smaoineamh eile agam
(SMWEEN-uhv EL-e uh-GUHM). Leagaimis an tsreang
ญญ trí pholl na heochrach (tree foul nuh
HOHK*-ruhk*) ญญ sa doras. Beimid ábalta (BE-mid
AW*-buhl-tuh) ญญ an tsreang a chrochadh (K*ROHK*-uh)
ญญ ar an mballa ญญ lasmuigh (lahs-MWEE) den teach.
We are not allowed to do that. But I have another
idea. Let's run the wire through the keyhole in
the door. We will be able to hang the wire on the
wall outside the house.
Bláthnaid:
Ach níorbh fhéidir linn (NEE-ruhv
AY*-dir lin) ญญ an eochair a shá (un OHK*-hir
uh haw*) ญญ isteach sa pholl. Conas a bheimid ábalta
ญญ an doras a chur ญญ faoi ghlas? (fwee glahs).
But we wouldn't be able to stick the key into the
hole. How will we be able to lock the door?
Pól:
Tá an ceart agat. Cuirfaidh mé
poll eile ญญ tríd an doras ญญ le mo dhruilire
láimhe (GRIL-i-re LAW*-i-ve). Seasfaidh (SHAS-hee
may*) ญญ ar an dréimire ญญ agus beidh mé
ag obair ann. You're right. I will put another hole
through the door with my hand drill. I'll stand
on the ladder and I'll be working there.
Bláthnaid:
Beidh mé i mo sheasamh (i muh HAS-uhv)
ญญ cois an dréimire (kish un DRAY*M-i-re)
ญญ agus coinneoidh (kin-YOH-ee) mé greim
docht (grem dohk*t) ญญ ar an dréimire ญญ
ar eagla (AH-gluh) go sleamhnóidh tú
(shlou-NOH-ee too). I'll be standing next to the
ladder, and I'll keep a firm grip on the ladder
for fear that you will slip.
(c)
1998 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.
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