PRONUNCIATION
REVIEW
If the letter "e" in Irish has a síneadh (SHEEN-uh)
over it -- é -- pronounce it like the first
part of the vowel sound in English "may". Do not add
the (ee) sound; say "may" very slowly, and you will
hear it. Our pronunciation guide symbol for é
is (ay*), in which the asterisk tells you that the
sound resembles the English "ay" but has an audible
difference.
In pronouncing é, hold the sound for a longer
time than you would the English sound (ay). Compare
Irish "mé féin" (may* fay*n) with English
"may feign".
Practice on these words: sé (shay*); béal
(bay*l); déan; fé; clé; réim
(ray*m); spéir (spay*r).
If the letter é has no síneadh over
it, and if it is at a word end or followed by an "i,"
pronounce it like the "e" in English "let". Examples:
eile (EL-e); eire (E-re); eitilt (E-tilt); beir (ber);
leid (led); creid (kred).
Do not lengthen this sound as you do the "é"
sound.
If "é" precedes other vowels, it may get no
sound, or the vowels together may have a particular
sound of their own. For example, in the word "meá,"
the "e" is unsounded and merely tells you to give
the "m" its slender sound, with lips near the teeth:
(myaw*), differing from "má" (maw*) with lips
protruded.
In words like "fear" (far), the "ea" combination has
its own sound, resembling the "a" in English "at."
GRAMMAR
We continue with the saorbhriathar (say*r-VREE-huhr),
or free form, of the irregular verbs in the past tense.
Here are four more:
dúradh (DOO-ruh), it was said
ní dúradh, it was not said
an ndúradh? (un NOO-ruh), was it said?
nach ndúradh?, wasn't it said?
rinneadh (RIN-yuh), it was done, it was made
ní dhearnadh (YAHR-nuh), it wasn't done, it
wasn't made
an ndearnadh? (NYAHR-nuh), was it done?, was it made?
nach ndearnadh?, wasn't it done?, wasn't it made?
tugadh (TUG-uh), it was given
níor tugadh (NEE-uhr TUG-uh), it wasn't given
ar tugadh?, was it given?
nár (naw*r) tugadh?, wasn't it given?
fuarthas (FOO-uhr-huhs), it was found, it was gotten
ní bhfuarthas (nee VOOR-uhr-huhs), it wasn't
found, it wasn't gotten
an bhfuarthas?, was it found?, was it gotten?
nach bhfuarthas?, wasn't it found?, wasn't it gotten?
VOCABULARY
Masculine
nouns
bun (bun), bottom
barr (baw*r), top
toitín (tuh-TYEEN), cigarette
cipín (ki-PEEN), match
Feminine
nouns
cuileog, an chuileog (kwil-YOHG, un k*wil-YOHG), a
fly
fadhb, an fhadhb (feyeb, eyeb), problem
doirtim, ag doirteadh (DIRT-im, uh DIRT-uh), pour
goidim, ag goid (GID-im, uh GID), steal
geallaim, ag gealladh (GAL-im, uh GAL-uh), promise
geallaim duit é, I promise it to you
DRILL
A progressive drill on the saorbhriathra of the eight
irregular verbs of this lesson and Lesson 74 will
help fix these forms in your mind.
The example: With the words "thángthas" (HAW*NG-uh-huhs);
"go dtí an teach" (goh DEE un TAHK*); "chuig
an gcathair" (hig un GAH-hir). to the city; go through
this drill:
Ar thángthas go dtí an teach?; níor
thángthas go dtí an teach; nár
thángthas chuig an gcathair?; thángthas
chuig an gcathair. The meaning is: "Did people come
to the house?", etc.
Continue with:
Chuathas (K*OO-uh-huhs); amach; isteach. Did people
go?, etc.
Chualathas (K*OOL-uh-huhs); an madra; an cat. Was
the dog heard?, etc.
Chonacthas (K*UHN-uhk-huhs); Seán; Seoirse.
Was John seen?, etc.
Dúradh (DOO-ruh); leis é; an scéal
leo. Was it told to him?, etc.
Rinneadh (RIN-yuh); anseo é; in Éirinn
é. Was it made here?, etc.
Tugadh (TUG-uh); an cóta do Sheán; an
léine do Shéamas. Was the coat given
to John?, etc.
Fuarthas (FOOR-uhr-huhs); an leabhar ann; an leabhar
eile istigh. Was the book found there?, etc.
READING
EXERCISE
Gealladh (GAL-uh) dom é, ach ní bhfuair
mé é. An bhfacthas duit go ndearnadh
an obair in am? Níor goideadh rud ar bith ach
ár gclog. Nach ndoirtear amach é tar
éis an dinnéir? Lasfar an solas ar a
seacht a chlog. Aontaíodh (AY*N-tee-ohk*) leat.
Key:
It was promised to me, but I didn't get it. Did
it seem to you that the work was done in time? Nothing
at all was stolen but our clock. Isn't it poured out
after dinner? The light will be lit at seven o'clock.
People agreed with you.
Notes:
"Aontaím leat" (AY*N-teem lat) means "I
agree with you". "Aontaíonn sé liom"
means "He agrees with me." This is a second-conjugation
verb, with its imperative or command, "Aontaigh! (AY*N-tee),
meaning "Agree!" The past saorbhriathar becomes "aontaíodh".
(c)
1998 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.
|