Pronunciation
Review
If "eo" begins a word, pronounce it (oh). Some examples:
eolas (OH-luhs), knowledge; eorna (OHR-nuh), barley;
Eochaill (OHK*-hil), Youghal, an Irish seaport.
The "e" is not sounded in this case, but it often
is sounded like English (y) when a consonant precedes
the "eo". Examples: ceo (kyoh), mist; beo (byoh),
alive; fuinneog (fwin-YOHG), window. The (y) sound
practically disappears when "l", "r", or "s" precedes
the "eo". Such words as "leo" (loh), with them;
"leor" (lohr), enough; and especially "bileog" (bil-YOHG),
sheet of paper, have a trace of this after the slender
"l", but "gleo" (gi-LOH), tumult, does not.
In a few words, such as "deoch" (dyuhk*), a drink;
"seo" (shuh), this; and "anseo" (un-SHUH), the "eo"
has a short (oh) sound that is closer to (uh) in
English.
Pronunciation
Exercise
Read these words aloud, phrase by phrase. Do not
try to get the meaning. Then look at the key directly
under the exercise to verify your pronunciation.
Go direach roimh thionól na comhairle --
cuireadh a thuilleadh postanna ar fáil --
agus i ndiaidh srian a chur le hollmhairiú
earraí.
Chomh maith leis sin -- tá cúrsaí
go dona faoi láthair -- go háirithe
trí oibriú an chiste. Sa chéad
dul síos -- beidh a fhoinsí féin
teacht isteach aige -- le gníomhaíochtaí
a shárú. Idir lucht talmhaíochta
agus tionscail a laghdú -- an amhlaidh nach
bhfuil a fhios ag an gcúntasóir.
Key:
(goh dee-RAHK* rev hin-OHL nuh KOHR-le -- KIR-uh
uh HIL-uh POHS tuh-nuh er FAW*-il -- AH-guhs in-YEE-uh
SREE-uhn uh K*UR le houl-VWAHR-oo AH-ree. hoh MAH
lesh shin -- taw* KOOR-see goh DUH-nuh fwee LAW*-hir
-- goh HAW*-ri-he tree IB-roo uh HYISH-te. suh hyay*d
duhl SHEES -- be uh IN-shee fay*n tahk*t ish-TYAHK*
e-GE -- le GNEEV-ee-uhk*-tee uh HAW*-roo. ID-ir
luk*t TAHL-vwee-uhk*-tuh AH-guhs TIN-skil uh LEYE-doo
-- un OU-lee nahk* vwil is eg un GOON-tuh-soh-ir)
Grammar
The words for "my", "your", "his", etc, can appear
with the genitive or possessive case. Examples for
the first declension, a group of nouns all of which
are masculine, are:
leabhar mo mhic (LOU-uhr muh VIK), my son's book
("the son's book" would be "leabhar an mhic" (uh
VIK).
ceann ár mboird (kyoun aw*r MWIRD), head
of our table ("head of the table" would be "ceann
an bhoird"(uh VWIRD).
The words "mo", "do", and "a" meaning "his", all
aspirate initial consonants in the following word.
The word "a" meaning "hers" does not change the
initial consonant in the following word, but causes
"h" to go before an initial vowel.
The words "ár"; "bhur" (vwoor), your (plural);
"a" meaning "theirs", all eclipse initial consonants
in the following word, and cause "n" to precede
an initial consonant.
With a term like "os comhair" (ohs KOH-ir), before,
in front of, an expression like: os comhair an chairr
(uh K*AHR), in front of the car, is easy to understand.
If you wish to say "in front of me" in Irish, however,
you must say: os mo chomhair (ohs muh K*OH-ir).
In this, the word for "my" modifies the noun "comhair".
This form is necessary because Irish has no word
for "of me" or "mine", only for "my".
Other examples of this:os ár gcionn (ohs
aw*r GYOON), above us
i m'aice (i-MAK-e), near me
inár n-aice (in aw*r NAK-e), near us
ina láthair (in uh LAW*-hir), in their presence
(also "in his presence" and "in her presence"; the
context or other words in the sentence tell you
which is the meaning)
in bhur measc (in vwoor MASK), in your midst
Vocabulary
These words are all from the first declension and
therefore are masculine and end in a broad consonant
in the basic form, which is the nominative singular.
uachtarán, an t-uachtarán (un TOO-uhk*-tuhr-aw*n),
an uachtaráin (un uhk*-tuhr-aw*-in), na huachtaráin;
president, the president, of the president, the
presidents
ollamh, an t-ollamh (un TUHL-uhv), an ollaimh (un
UHL-iv), na hollúna (nuh huh-LOON-uh), proffesor,
etc.
gearán, an gearán (un gyar-AW*N),
an ghearáin (uh yar-AW*-in), na gearáin;
complaint, etc.
ciorcal, an ciorcal (un KEER-kuhl), an chiorcail
(uh HYEER-kil), na ciorcail (nuh KEER-kil); circle,
etc.
suíochán, an suíochán
(un see-K*AW*N), an tsuíocháin (uh
tee-K*AW*N), na suíocháin; chair,
seat, etc.
margadh, an margadh (uh MAHR-uh-guh), an mhargaidh
(un VWAHR-uh-gee), na margaí (nuh MAHR-uh-gee);
market, the market, of the market, the markets
turas, an turas (un TOOR-uhs), an turais (uh TOOR-ish),
na turais; trip, etc.
praghas, an praghas (un PREYES), an phraghais (uh
FREYESH), na praghsanna (PREYES-uh-nuh); price,
etc.
geall, an geall (un GYOUL), an ghill (uh YIL), na
geallta (nuh GYOUL-tuh); promise, bet, etc.
nóiméid, an nóiméid
(un NOH-may*d), an nóiméid (uh NOH-may*d),
na nóiméid; minute, etc.
muileann, an muileann (un MWIL-uhn), an mhuilinn
(uh VWIL-in), na muilte (nuh MWIL-te); mill, etc.
slipéar, an slipéar (un shli-PAY*R),
an tslipéir (uh tli-PAY*R), na slipéir;
slipper, etc.
Drill
Cuir Gaeilge orthu seo (OHR-huh shuh):
During the trip; during my trip; during our trip.
In front of me; in front of the professor; in front
of my professor; in front of our professor.
He is finishing the circle; he is finishing my circle;
he is finishing their circle.
Key: Le linn an turais (le LIN uh TOOR-ish): le
linn mo thurais (muh HOOR-ish); le linn ár
dturais (aw*r DOOR-ish).
Os mo chomhair (ohs muh K*OH-ir); os chomhair an
ollaimh (un UHL-iv); os chomhair m'ollaimh (MUHL-iv);
os chomhair ár n-ollaimh (aw*r NUHL-iv).
Tá sé ag críochnú an
chiorcail (uh KREE-uhk*-noo uh HYEER-kil); tá
sé ag críochnú mo chiorcail;
tá sé ag críochnú a
gciorcail (uh GEER-kil).
(c)
1999 The Irish People. May be reprinted with credit.
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