PRONUNCIATION
REVIEW
Pronounce the letter "t": near "a", "o", or "u",
with its broad sound. For this, place the tongue
so that it lies along or close to the hard part
of the roof of the mouth behind the upper front
teeth, with the tongue tip touching the back of
the upper front teeth. Make sure that the tongue
is relaxed and spread out, not contracted and pointed.
Pronounce the "t", practicing on:
tál (taw*l), tóg, tú, tobar
(TOH-buhr), tachtadh (TAHK*-tuh), talamh (TAH-luhv),
táille (TAW*-il-ye), tlú (tloo), tnúth
(tnoo), traein (tray*n), troid (trid).
Pronounce a broad "t" inside or at the end of a
word in the same way: giota (GI-tuh), eachtra (AHK*-truh),
leat (lat), bocht (bohk*t).
Pronounce a "t" near an "e" or "i" with the tongue
tip against the hard ridge behind the upper front
teeth. Let the tip slide forward and down as you
pronounce the sound, which will have a faint (y)
sound at the end of it. Examples of this slender
sound: te, tirim (TIR-im), tír (teer), teip
(tep), teach (tahk*), téamh (tay*v), tiús
(tyoos), trí (tree), triúr (troor).
Inside or at the end of a word, slender "t" has
the same sound: litir, feictear (FEK-tyuhr), geit
(get), áit (aw*t).
Sometimes the slender "t" may resemble the English
(ch) sound, but do not consciously imitate the (ch)
sound. To see this, pronounce "áit" as (aw*)
and (t), with a faint (i) sound in between. Then
pronounce it (oy) and (ch), and you will hear the
difference.
Grammar
For the irregular verbs, the saorbhriathar (say*r-VREE-huhr)
or free form is regular in appearance for the present
tense. Learn these:
tagtar (TAHG-tuhr), people come
téitear (TAY*-tyuhr) people go
cloistear (KLISH-tyuhr), people hear
feictear (FEK-tyuhr), people see, it seems
déantar (DAY*N-tuhr), people make or do
tugtar (TUG-tuhr), people give
beirtear air (BER-tyuhr er), it is seized
faightear (FEYE-tyuhr), people get
deirtear (DER-tyuhr), people say
itear (I-tyuhr), people eat
In the negative, "ní" (nee) aspirates all
these except "deirtear", which becomes "ní
deirtear".
In the questions, both "an" and "nach" eclipse all
these, as in "nach bhfaightear anseo iad?" (nahk*
VWEYE-tyuhr un-SHUH EE-uhd), aren't they gotten
here?, don't people get them here?
Drill
Go through progressive drills with the forms above,
with four sentences in each drill, according to
this pattern:
Cuir; hataí sa seomra suite (SI-tye); hataí
sa chistin.
An gcuirtear hataí sa seomra suite? Ní
chuirtear hataí sa seomra suite. Nach gcuirtear
hataí sa seomra suite? Cuirtear hataí
sa chistin.
Tar; ó Chorcaigh (K*OHR-kee); ó Bhaile
Átha Cliath (vlaw*-KLEE-uh).
Téigh; go Gaillimh; go Sligeach (SHLIG-ahk*).
Clois; an traein; an t-eitleán (un TET-i-law*n),
the airplane.
Feic; an clár sin; that program; an cluiche
(KLI-hye), the game.
Déan; anseo iad; i Siceágó
iad (i shi-KAW*-goh EE-uhd), in Chicago.
Tabhair (TOO-ir); an t-airgead dó (un TAR-i-guhd
doh), the money to him; an t-airgead do Mháire.
Beir; ar an ngadaí (er ung AH-dee), the thief;
ar na fír eile.
Faigh; an t-adhmad (TEYE-muhd), wood; an phéint
(fay*nt), paint.
Abair; go bhfuil; nach bhfuil.
Ith; an fheoil (OH-il), meat; na prátaí
(PRAW*-tee), potatoes.
Comhrá
(KOH-raw*)
(The results of the change in the television aerial
prove excellent.)
Pól
(pohl): Tá gach rud réidh anois
(ray* uh-NISH). Lasc ann an gléas (lahsk
oun un GLAY*-uhs). Everything is ready now. Turn
the set on.
Bláthnaid
(BLAW*-nid): Tá mé bródúil
asat (broh-DOO-il A-suht). Sin í an obair
is fearr (fahr) -- a rinne (RIN-ye) tú le
tamall fada anuas (uh-NOO-uhs). I am proud of you.
That's the best work that you have done for a long
time.
Pól:
Suigh síos os comhair an teilifíseán
(TEL-i-fee-shaw*-in). Nach compordach (kuhm-POHR-dahk*)
an chathaoir (K*AH-heer) í sin? Sit down
before the television set. Isn't that chair a comfortable
one?
Bláthnaid:
Is compordach, gan amhras (OU-ruhs). Agus tá
mé ar mo sháimhín só
(HAW*-veen soh), freisin. It is, without a doubt.
And I feel comfortable too.
Pól:
Tá feabhas (fous) mór ar an íomhá
(EE-vwaw*). Táimid ag fáil (FAW*-il)
pictiúr cuíosach mhaith (KWEE-sahk*
vwah).
There's a big improvement in the image. We are getting
a fairly good picture.
Bláthnaid:
Tá an fhuaim (oo-IM) níos fearr
anois ná a bhí sí riamh. Ceartaigh
na dathanna (KYART-ee nuh DAH-huh-nuh), mas é
do thoil é (MAW* shay* duh HIL ay*). Nach
bhfuil an dath dearg róthréan? (dah
DYAR-ruhg roh-HYRAY*N). The sound is better now
than it ever was. Adjust the colors, please. Isn't
the red color too intense?
Pól:
Déanfar i gcúpla nóiméad
é sin. Tá orm mo bhia a fháil
(VEE-uh uh AW*-il). That will be done in a couple
of minutes. I have to get my food.
Note:
A chair is "compordach" to sit in, but for a
person, "Tá sé ar a sháimhín
só", or "Tá sé sómasach"
(SOH-muhs-ahk*), he is comfortable.
(c)
1998 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.
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