Date: Fri, 3 Feb 1995 22:26:15 -0500 (EST)

From: William Bailey <bbailey@panix.com>

To: tian@is.dal.ca
Subject: lesson 3 herein

Irish Lesson 3

One of the characteristics of moden printed

Irish is the frequency of the letter "h" after
consonants in words. Generally the "h" is not
sounded by itself but instead indicates a
pronunciation change in the consonant directly
ahead of it. This changs, called "aspiration",
occurs in other languages, too. In English, for
example, you know that the word "philosophy" is
pronounced with "f" sounds, nopt "p" sounds. The
"h" after the "p" tells you this, as it does in
"Philip" and "triumph". A German pronounces "ach"
differentl;y from "ac" or "ak", too, because he
knows that the "h" indicates a change, which we
call "aspiration" in Irish.
Aspiration is nothing more than a relaxation of
the tongue and lips as you say a consonant, so
that the air can flow out of the mouth more
easily. Aspiration can occur for initial
consonants under the effect of preceeding words or
word groups, suchas "my" or "in the". Aspiration
can also occur in the middle or end of a word. We
will now give you an "aspiration vocabulary", so
that you will be able to pronounce aspirated
consonants more easily as you read them.
Nearly all the aspirated sounds are close to
English sounds, but the aspirated "c" sounds are
somewhat different. Learn them separately first:
When ordinary, unaspirated "c" is next to "a",
"o", or "u", pronounce it like the "c" in "coat"
or "coal". This is called "broad c" Notice that
your tongue rises at the back and touches the roof
of your mouth for the "c" sound. Try these irish
words: ca/il (kaw*l), co/ta (KOH-tuh), cu/pla
(KOOP-luh). To make the aspirated sound,
pronounce the "c" without letting the tounge rise
so high. Try the German word "ach" first. Then
try the aspirated sounds in: lach (lahk*), loch
(lohk*), gu/chas (DOOK*-uhs). Next try the sound
at the start of words: cha/il (k*aw*l), cho/ta
(K*OH-tuh), chu/pla (K*OOP-luh). We will use the
symbol (k*) for the asp[irated "broad c" sound.
Pronounce "c" next to "e", "i" or before "ea"
like the "k" in "kill" or "kit". Notice that the
tongue touches the roof of the mouth farther
forward than for "broad c". Try these Irish
words: ceil (kel), ci/os (kees), ceannaigh. To
aspirate, say the "c" without letting the tongue
touch the roof of the mouth. The sound will be
like a "y" in Engliah with a slight "h" sound
before it; we will use (hy) as the symbol. Try:
cheil (hyel), chi/os (hyees), cheannaigh (HYAN-
ee). In parts of Ireland, the sound is closer to
English "h".
Now learn this aspiration vocabulary. ("Mo"
means "my" and aspirates the nine aspirable
consonants after it.)

be/al mo bhe/al ba/d, mo bha/d

(bay*l, muh VAY*L) (baww*d, muh VWAW*D)
Mouth, my mouth boat, my boat

cistin, mo chistin co/ta, mo cho/ta

KISH-tin, muh HYISH-tin) (KOH-tuh, muh K*OH-tuh)
kitchen, my kitchen coat, my coat

dies mo dheis do/thain, mo dho/thain

(desh, muh YESH) (DOH-hin, muh GOH-hin)
opportunity, my opportunity enough, enough for me

fear, mo fhear fa/inne, mo fha/inne

(far, mar) (FAW*-nye, MAW*-mye)
man, my man ring, my ring

ge/ag, mo ghe/ag gairdi/n, mo ghairdi/n

(GAY*-ugh, (gahr-DEEN, muh gahr-DEEN)
muh YAY*-ugh)
arm, my arm garden, my garden

mian, mo mhian ma/la, mo mha/la

(MEE-uhn, muh (MAW*-luh,
VEE-uhn) muh VWAW*-luh)
wish, my wish bag, my bag

peata, mo pheata po/ca, mo pho/ca

(PAT-uh, muh FAT-uh) (POH-kuh, muh FOH-kuh)
pet, my pet pocket, my pocket

se/ire, mo she/ire sa/l, mo sha/l

(SHAY*-ruh muh HAY*-ruh) (saw*l muh HAW*L)
supper, my supper heel, my heel

ti/r, mo thi/r talamh, mo thalamh

(teer, muh HEER) (TAH-luhv, muh HAH-luhv)
country, my country land, my land

CONVERSATION
After you have learned this conversation, go
over it again to look for examples of aspiration
in it, and see how the pronunciation is changed.
Se/amus (SHAY*-mus): Dia duit, a No/ra
(DEE-uh git uh NOH-ruh). Hello, Nora.
No/ra: Dia's Muire duit, a She/amais
(DEE-uhs MWIR-uh git, uh HAY*mish). Hello,
James.
Se/amus: Conas ta/ tu/ innui? (KUN-uhs TAW*
too in-YOO) How are you today?
No/ra: Ta/ me/ go maith, agus conas ta/ tu/
fe/in? (TAW* may* goh MAH, AH-guhs KUN-uhs TAW*
too fay*n) I am well and how are you? (lit.
"how is yourself?)"
Sea/mus: Ta/ me/ go maith leis, ach ni/l me/ eg
 obair anois (TAW* may* goh MAH lesh, ahk* NEEL
may* eg UH-bir uh-NISH). I am well but I am
not working now.
No/ra: Ni/l an aimsir go maith inniu (NEEL an
EYEM-sheer goh MAH in-YOO). The weather isn't
good today.
Se/amus: Ta/ an ceart agat (taw* un KART uh-
GUHT). Ta/ se/ fuar anseo, freisin. (taw*
shay* FOO-uhr ihn-SHUH FRESH-in). You're
right. It is cold here, too.
No/ra: Ni/l an seomra te, pe/ sce/al e/ (neel
un SHOHM-ruh shuh te, pay* SHKAY*L ay*). The
room isn't warm, anyway.

bbailey@panix.com "Life is not tried

it is merely survived
if you're standing outside the fire." - Garth Brooks 93/93