EASY LESSONS IN IRISH.
(Continued.)
These Lessons were begun in No. 48, which is now out of print. The first part will soon be issued in book form, and improvements and suggestions are invited. In previous lessons, §§ 23, 38, add: im (im), butter; trom (thrum), heavy, seol (shol), a sail. See, also, §§ 78, 80. The pronunciation of an is given in §19; it is almost like an in annoy. It would not be advisable, as some suggest, to print over each exercise all the words used in it.
EXERCISE XIV.
§ 103. THE DIGRAPHS IN IRISH.
For the meaning of digraph, see § 90. Some digraphs represent long vowel-sounds, and others represent short vowel-sounds.
§ 104. The long vowel-sounds are often represented by digraphs consisting of two vowels, one of which is MARKED LONG. Thus:—
| ái | is sounded like | á, | i.e., like phonetic symbol | au |
| éi | „„ | é, | „„ | ae |
| ói | „„ | ó, | „„ | ō |
| úi | „„ | ú, | „„ | oo |
§ 105. As will be seen, these digraphs are formed by adding i to the vowels á, é, ó, ú; and the sound of the vowel which is marked long is given to the whole digraph. The only difference between ái, ói, úi and á, ó, ú is that the consonants which follow the ái, ói, úi are slender. (See § 8)
§ 106. Note.—In Ulster ái is pronounced (aa), and ói (au). (See § 14.)
§ 107 Examples for pronunciation only: sáile (saul′-ĕ) báis (baush), fáis (faush); céis (kaesh), éille (aelĕ), féir (faer); próisde) prōsh-dĕ), cúis (koosh).
§ 108. WORDS
| áit (aut), a place | láidir (Laud′-ir), strong |
| cáibín (kaub′-een[1]), a “caubeen” | míle (meel′-ĕ), a thousand |
| crúiscín (kroosh′-keen[1]) a pitcher | móin (mо̄n), turf |
| failte (faul-tĕ), welcome | móna (mо̄n′-ă), of turf: fód móna |
| fód (fо̄dh), a sod | páisde (paush′-dĕ), a child |
| folláin (fuL′-aun[1]), sound, healthy, wholesome | sláinte (sLaun′-tĕ), health |
§ 109. Míle fáilte. Fáilte agus sláinte. Crúiscín lán. Atá an áit folláin. Níl mé tinn, atá mé slán, folláin. Fág crúiscín ag an tobar. Fág móin ar an urlár. Ná fág móin ag an doras fós. Atá an páisde bán. Níl sé bán; atá sé donn. Atá an caibín cam. Fág fód eile ar an urláir.
§ 110. Art is not wearing (see § 40) a new coat. Art is strong and healthy. Do not leave a pitcher on the floor. Dry turf. The place is not wholesome. The strong horse is going to the road. She is young, she is not strong. The ship is strong, the boat is weak. The child is brown-haired. The place is green. The young horse is safe and sound (slán, folláin). Leave a sod of turf on the floor. There is not a sod of turf on the floor. Welcome. Warm day.
EXERCISE XIV.
§ 111 Other examples of the sounds of ái, éi, ói, úi:
| Briste (brish′-tĕ), broken | Éirinn (aer′-in), Ireland |
| Cáise (kaush′-ĕ), cheese | Súil (sool), the eye |
| Láir (Laur), a mare | Súiste (soosh′-tĕ), a flail |
| Sáile (saul′-ĕ), salt water, the salt sea | Túirne (thoor′-nĕ), a spinning-wheel |
| Sráid (sraud), a street |
§ 112. Many proper names involve the sound of ái; thus, Art, Flann, give rise to the diminutives Artagán, Flannagán (little Art, Flann), hence the family names O’H-Artagáin (о̄ horth′-ă-gaun), O’Flannagáin (о̄ floN′-ă-gaun), literally, grandson of little Art, Flann; the forms from which the ordinary O’Hartigan, O’Flanagan, are taken.
§ 113. The preposition “with” (= “along with”) is translated by le (le, almost like le in let); as, atá Art le Conn, Art is with Conn. This le prefixes h to a vowel; as, atá Conn le h-Art (horth), Conn is with Art.
§ 114. The preposition “to” (to a place) is translated by go (gŭ) when no article follows; as, go Gránárd, to Granard. When a vowel follows, h is prefixed; as, go h-áit, to a place. When the article follows, go is never used, but do’n (dhŭn) is used = “to the”; as, do’n áit, to the place. (See § 62).
[ 19 ] § 115. The preposition “in” is translated by in; as, in Éirinn, in Ireland.
§ 116. Arán, im, agus cáise. Atá cáise folláin. Atá cáise gann in Éirinn. Níl Conn O’Flannagáin in Éirinn; atá sé ag Cill-dara fós. Atá an túirne ar an urlár. Níl an túirne láidir. Níl Peadar ag dul ó áit go h-áit, atá sé in Éirinn. Súiste agus túirne. Atá súiste ar an urlár. Atá an sáile láidir. Níl sé ag dul go Cill-dara.
§ 117. The wool and the spinning-wheel are at the door. Leave the wool at the spinning-wheel. The wool is soft, the wheel is broken. I am not going to the the place. Stay in Ireland yet. Leave the horse and the mare at the well. Conn O’Hartigan is not in Ireland. The salt-water is not sweet. The ship and the big boat are on the salt-water, going to Ireland. I am not going to Ireland I am going with Conn O’Finegan.
EXERCISE XV.
§ 118. OTHER DIGRAPHS.
| éa | is pronounced like | é | that is, | ae |
| eá | „ „ | á | „ | au |
| ío | „ „ | í | „ | ee |
In these, also, it will be noticed, the digraph is pronounced practically with the sound of the vowel marked long—the other vowel is hardly sounded, thus:—
Féur is pronounced (faer), ísleán (eesh′-laun), cíos (kees).
§ 119. Note 1—éa is now generally spelled eu; as, feur (faer), grass. In Munster, in words of one syllable, éa or eu is pronounced ee′-o ; thus, feur (fee′-or).
Note 2—eá is used, and wrongly, in words like gearr, fearr, where ea, without any mark of length, should be used. Lengthening of the long vowel-sound noticed in such words is caused by the double r (see § 77).
Note 3—We would advise learners always to pronounce ío like í, or ee. In many monosyllables ío is yet pronounced ee′-ŭ ; as, fíon (fee′-ŭn), wine.
§ 120. Ceud míle fáilte! a hundred thousand welcomes! This popular phrase is seldom, if ever, seen properly spelled.
§ 121.
| ceud (kaedh) a hundred | leuna (lae'-n), a meadow |
| díol (deel), verb sell | Seumas (shae′-măs), James |
| feur (faer), grass | |
| fíon (feen), wine | síoda (sheedh′-ă), silk |
| líon (leen), verb, fill | síos (shees) down (wards) |
| líon „ noun, flax |
§ 122. Ceud míle fáilte go h-Éirinn. Fáilte agus sláinte. Níl an tír folláin. Atá an feur tirim. Lá te. Níl an lá té, níl an feur tirim fós. Atá Nóra agus Úna ag dul síos do’n tobar. Seumas, Art, Flann, Conn. Ná díol an láir óg fós. Díol an olann agus díol an líon in Eirinn. Atá an líon glan agus bog. Olann, líon, agus síoda. Atá an láir agus an capall óg ar an leuna. Níl an leuna glas fós, atá an feur tirim.
§ 123. The wine is strong. The strong wine is not wholesome. The child is not strong, he is sick (and) weak. The well is not clean, leave a pitcher at the well. James and Art are not in Ireland. Leave the horse and the mare at the meadow. A tall man. Long grass. The grass is long and heavy. The man is going down to Granard with a young horse. Sell the spinning-wheel: do not sell the wool yet. The meadow is heavy.
EXERCISE XVI:
§ 124. OTHER DIGRAPHS: ae AND ao.
| ae | are pronounced like ae in Gaelic. | |
| ao |
Thus: lae (Lae), aon (aen). In older Irish ao is scarcely ever met with, ae being the usual form.
§ 125. In Connaught ao is pronounced (ee). This is really the pronunciation of aoi. In Ulster, ao is pronounced like French u. In words of one syllable, ao is often pronounced ae′-ŭ, in Connaught, ee′-ŭ, as, aol (ae′-ŭl, ee′-ŭl), lime. We would advise learners to pronounce ao like ae, always.
§ 126. “In the” is not translated by in an, but by in san (in săn), now always spelled ins an; as, ins an áit (ins ăn aut), in the place; in áit, in a place.
§ 127
| aer (aer), air | |||||
| 1 | aol (ael), lime | 3 | daor (dhaer), dear | in price | |
| 2 | aosta (aes′-thă), aged | 4 | saor (saer), cheap | ||
| 5 | eun (aen), a bird | 6 | sgeul (shgael), a story, news |
| § 128. LOCAL: | Connaught | Munster |
| 1. ee′-ăl | ae′-ăl | |
| 2. ees′-thă | — | |
| 3. dhee′-ăr | dhae′-ăr | |
| 4. see′-ăr | sae′-ăr | |
| 5. ae′-ăn | ee′-on | |
| 6. shgae′-ăl | shgee′-ol |
§ 129. Atá an capall saor. Níl an láir saor, atá sí daor. Atá an olann saor ins an áit, atá an síoda daor in Éirinn. Níl Seumas ins an dún, atá sé ag dul síos do’n leuna. Atá aol ar an dún, agus atá an dún árd. Nil Conn óg, atá sé aosta. Eun agus uan. Atá an ród ag dul ó’n áir go Cill-dara.
§ 130. There is a young bird at the door. Conn is young and James is aged. The field is dear. Do not sell the dear horse in Ireland. James O’Hartigan is not in Ireland. He is not in the place. Leave the horse in the meadow yet. There is wholesome air in Ireland. Wholesome air, fresh bread. Welcome to the place.
EXERCISE XVII.
§ 131. SUMMARY OF PRECEDING SECTIONS 90 TO 130.
1. ia, ua. Each vowel pronounced separately; ia as ee′-ă, ua as oo′-ă.
2. eo pronounced yо̄; iu pronounced ew. In a few words eo and iu are short, like yu, or you in young.
3. Digraphs with one vowel marked long: ái, éi, ói, úi; éa, eá, ío. Give the whole digraph the sound of the vowel marked long; the other vowel is scarcely heard; éa is now usually written eu.
4. ae and ao are both pronounced like ae in Gaelic.
5. Most of the digraphs were formerly pronounced, like ia and ua, with the two vowel sounds distinctly audible: traces of this are yet heard; see §§ 125, 128.
EXERCISE XVIII.
§ 132. DIGRAPHS REPRESENTING THE SHORT VOWEL-SOUNDS.
| ai | are pronounced like | a | in | bat, | |
| ea | |||||
| ei | „„ | e | in | let, | |
| oi | |||||
| io | „„ | i | in | hit, | |
| ui |
N.B.—This must be learned by heart, as it is of the greatest importance.
§ 133. WORDS.
| bean (ban) a woman | seamróg (sham′-rōg), a shamrock |
| Doire (dher′-ĕ), Derry | |
| fear (far), a man | sean (shan), old |
| geal (gal), bright | seas (shas), verb, stand |
| lean (lan). follow | |
| leat (lath), with-thee | seamróg (sham-rōg′), in Munster |
| leis (lesh), with-him | |
| Peadar (padh′-ăr), Peter |
§ 134. Words like leat, with-thee, leis, with-him, are called Prepositional pronouns.
§ 135. Ná lean an capall ar an ród. Atá Peadar ag dul go Doire; agus níl mé ag dul leis. Atá an fear sean, lag. Seas ag an doras. Níl tú sean fós; atá tú óg agus slán. Atá bean agus fear ag an doras. Fág an túirne ag an dún. Fág an capall ag an tobar, níl sé ag dul go Cill-dara. Lean an capall óg do’n ród. Fáilte go Doire.
§ 136. Follow me, do not follow Peter. The day is bright (and) dry, and I am going with you to Derry. Follow the man on the road. Do not stand on the road. A clean road and a dry path. There is a shamrock growing at the well. I am not going with Peter; I am going with you to Granard. The road is not clean and the path is not dry. Conn is going to Granard, and there is a young man going with him. Art is going, with a young horse, to Kildare, to Derry, to Granard.
EXERCISE XIX.
[Before reading this Lesson study again the table above, § 132.]
§ 137. Slán leat (sLaun lath), safety with you, good-bye.
Ná bác leis (Nau bauk lesh), do not meddle with it, never mind it.
§ 138. WORDS.
| aluinn (aul′-ing), beautiful | teine ten′-ĕ), fire |
| deas (das), pretty | uile (il′-ĕ), all, whole |
| eile (el′-ĕ), other | uisge (ish′-gĕ), water |
§ 139. Notice the position of the words—
An tír eile, the other country.
An tír uile, the whole country.
§ 140. Atá an fear donn. Níl Tomás donn, atá an fear eile donn. Atá capall ar an ród. Atá an tír uile glas agus úr. Atá an tír áluinn. Bean óg, áluinn. Atá bád mór, áluinn, ar an linn. Uisge te. Atá long úr, áluinn ar an uisge. Atá teine ar an urlár. Ná fág an teine ar an urlár. Díol an capall ins an áit eile.
§ 141. Una and Nora are going with you to Kildare. Do not stand on the floor, [ 21 ]stand at the door. I am going to another country good-bye. Conn and another man are on the road. Conn is not big; Art is big. Una is white-haired, Conn is brown-haired. The ship is beautiful, she is high and long. The fire is hot. There is water in the well.
EXERCISE XX.
§ 142. The digraphs when obscure.
In simple words of two syllables (that is, words not formed from others by adding a termination) the first syllable is the one accented, as we have seen already; as capall (kop′-ăL), a horse. The vowel sound of the last syllable is then usually obscure, as we have already seen, and this is true when that vowel sound is represented by any of the digraphs given in § 132.
Thus—
| The word | Meaning | Is not sounded | But |
| carraig | rock | kor′-ag | kor′-ĕg |
| Connail | of Conall | kŭn′-al | kon′-ĕl |
| fosgail | open (thou) | fŭsk-al | fŭsk-ĕl |
| obair | work | ŭb′-ar | ŭb′-ĕr |
To a reader of English the real sound of these words would be fairly well represented by spelling them korrig, fuskil, ubbir, &c.
§ 143
Duinne (dhin-ĕ), a person (man or woman)
Druid (dhrid), close, shut (Connacht)
O’Conaill (о̄ kŭn′-ĕl), O’Connell
O’Floinn (о̄ flĕn), O’Flynn
Ag obair, at work, working
§ 144. Fosgail an doras mór, agus dún an doras eile. Ná fosgail an doras fós. Atá Conn O’Floinn agus duine eile ag an doras, agus atá an doras dúnta. Atá ar obair trom. Carraig árd. Atá carraig árd, áluinn ag an tobar. Atá an fear óg ag obair. Atá Peadar sean, agus atá an duine eile tinn. Atá carraig ag an linn. Uisge, linn, bád, long.
§ 145. Art O'Connell is going to Granard, and Patrick is going with him. Patrick is not going to another country, he is sick. He is not sick; he is working on the road to Derry. There is a rock at the well, and there is a tree growing at the door. There is a fire on the road. Close the door; the day is cold. Good-bye.