EASY LESSONS IN IRISH.
(Continued.)
EXERCISE XXVIII.
C BROAD (CONTINUED).
§ 184. WORDS.
| cú (koo), greyhound | púnt (poonth), a pound |
| [1]breac (braK), a trout | sac (sok), a sack |
| [1]cearc (karK), a hen | [1]searc (sharK), love |
| glac (glok), take | sioc (shiK, sŭhk), frost |
| mac (mok), a son | sparán (spor′-aun), a purse |
| muc (muk), a pig |
§ 185. Atá sac coirce agus sac eorna ins an sgioból anois. Cuir an sac trom ar an urlár; cuir an sac eile ar an asal. Atá Nóra agus an mac óg ag dul do’n oileán úr. Atá breac deas ins an tobar. Atá cearc ins an sgioból, ag an sac coirce. Ná glac an sgilling ó Una, níl sgilling eile aici anois, agus atá sgilling agat. Atá muc ins an leuna. Atá sparán deas ag Peadar. Glac an púnt uaim, agus cuir an sgilling ins an mála.
§ 186. There’s a pound in the purse. I have not a purse, I have a new shilling. There is a shilling on the floor. Open the door, there is a hen in the barn, James has a fresh trout. There is frost on the road—the day is cold and healthy. Do not take a shilling from Niall, he has not another shilling now. Niall has a new shilling and Conn has another shilling. There is a greyhound at the door. I have not the purse, the purse is lost. The purse is not lost, the purse is on the floor. Do not lose the pound.
EXERCISE XXIX.
C SLENDER.
§ 187. As before stated, the ordinary letter k will, in most cases, represent to the ordinary reader the correct sound of c slender. This, however, is not true when the c is followed immediately by l, r or n. In English the combinations cl, cr, as in clear, cream, are always pronounced with our K sound, or broad sound of c, so that when in Irish these combinations are followed by a slender vowel, we must use the symbol k to caution the student that the c is to have its slender sound. It is not difficult to pronounce c slender before l, r or n, but the sound is unknown in English, and we shall endeavour to teach it to our students by means of a little device:
§ 188. Examples.
| The word | Key word | is pronounced almost |
| cleas | klas | kil-as′ |
| crios | kris | kir-is′ |
| cneas | knas | kin-as′ |
| creid | kred | hir-ed′ |
If the first syllable of the words in the last column be pronounced very short, and the stress be laid on the last syllable, the student will have a very good pronunciation of the words in question.
§ 189. Words.
| [2]binn (bin), sweet (of sound) | crios (kris, kir-is′), belt |
| ceol (kōl, k-yl), music | fíor (feer), true |
| ciall (kee′-ăL), sense | láidir (laud′-ĕr), strong, |
| cionnus (kiN′-as), how ? | ná (Nau), nor |
| cré (krrae, kir-ae′), clay | nó (Nō), or |
| creid (kred), believe | páirc (paurk), a pasture, field[3] |
| críona (kreen′-a, kir-een′-a), prudent |
§ 190. Cionnus atá tú? How are you ? Go láidir, strongly. Cionnus ’tá tÚ is oftener Heard, and the older form, cannus ’taoi? (koN′-ăs thee) is yet spoken in Munster. Gort, a tillage field; páirc, a pasture field.
§ 191. Atá ciall ag Nóra. Níl ciall ag Úna, níl sí críona. Níl an ceol binn, atá an fonn eile binn. Dia duit, a Úna, cionnus atá tú? Atá mé go láidir, cionnus atá Nóra, agus an mac? Atá cóta úr agus crios úr ar an mac anois. Níl an crois fada go leór. Ná creid an sgeul-níl an sgeul fíor. Níl an mac óg láidir, atá sé tinn, agus níl ciall aige fós. Atá gort mór agam, níl páirc agam; ata bó agam, atá sí ar an ród.
§ 192. Prudent Nora. Conn has a belt. Do not believe the story. Do not put clay on the road. A horse has not sense, a man (duine) has sense. The other man (duine) has not sense. Nora and Una are prudent [ 51 ]they have sense, they are not young now. How are they now? They are well and healthy—they are not sick. Believe the true story. The man got a belt at the shop, the belt is cheap. Conn has a big strong boat. I have not a boat, weak or strong. How are you? Good-bye. A cow is on the road, she has no grass on the road now, the road is dry.
| l | is sounded like | l | in | valiant |
| n | „„ | n | „ | moon |
| N | thick sound not in English | |||
| n | „„ | n | „ | new |
| K | „„ | k | „ | looking |
| k | „„ | k | „ | liking |
EXERCISE XXX.
SOUND OF g.
§ 193. What we have said o the sound of may be repeated with few changes, in speaking of the sound of g. It is never soft like the English g in gem. As a rule, its sound can be well represented by ordinary g; as gort (gŭrth), a field; gé (gae), a goose.
§ 194. To the phonetic key we may now add:—
| G | is sounded like | g | in | begun. |
| g | „„ | g | „ | begin. |
And, as to the sounds of the Irish letter g:—
| g broad | sound like | G |
| g slender | „„ | g |
§ 195. The two pronunciations of the English word “guide,” as we hear them in Ireland, are examples of the two sounds of the Irish g. As a rule, we hear the word pronounced with g slender g), as g-yide or, in our phonetic system (geid). Some persons, however, pronounce the g as g in “going.”
§ 196. Examples.
| g BROAD. | |||
| The word | sounds like | in English | or, like keyword |
| Gaoi | -gy | boggy | (Gee) |
| Goir | -er | auger | (Ger) |
| g SLENDER. | |||
| Gí | -gy | peggy | (gee) |
| Gier | -er | bigger | (ger) |
§ 197. Words.
| coróin (kŭr-ōn′), a crown, 5s. | [4]iasg (ee′-asG), a fish. |
| goile (Gel′-ĕ), appetite | iasgaire (ee′-asG-er-e), a fisherman |
| guirt (Girt), salty | salann (sol′-aN), salt |
| [4]Guirtín (Girt′-een), a little field | [4]seagal (shaG′-al), rye |
§ 198. Atá coirce, eorna, agus seagal ins an sgioból. Níl seagal ag fás ar an ród. Atá Conn tinn, níl goile aige anois. Níl coróin ins an sparán anois. Níl breac úr ag an iasgaire; atá breac guirt ins an siopa. Atá iasg mór ar an urlar. Cuir an seagal ins an sgioból. Níl an seagal glas; atá an coirce agus an eorna glas.
§ 199. The fisherman has a new boat. Fresh fish and salt fish. Do not put salt on the fish. I have not a pasture-field (páirc). I have a little tillage-field (guirtín). There are a pound, a crown, and a shilling in the purse. There is a hen in the barley, and another hen in the rye. Nora has a young sheep, and a big heavy lamb. Niall has no appetite, he is not strong yet. Put salt on the road, there is grass growing on the road now, Put a fresh fish in the bag, and put the bag on the floor.
EXERCISE XXXI.
§ 200. g SLENDER.
In English words beginning with gl, gr, the g is alway given the broad G sound. In Irish words commencing with gl, gn, gr, we must not forget to pronounce slender g properly. Thus:—
| Key word | ||||
| [5]gleann | is pron, | gil-aN′ | or | (glaN) |
| [5]greann | „„ | gir-aN′ | „ | (graN) |
| [5]grinn | „„ | gir-in′ | „ | (grin) |
| gné | „„ | gin-ae′ | „ | (gnae) |
| grian | „„ | gir-ee'-an | „ | (gree′-an) |
§ 201. Examples.
| gleann, a glen, valley. | greann, fun. |
| grian, the sun. | grinn, funny, pleasant. |
§ 202. Atá an gleann glas. Grian agus solas. Atá an solas geal. Atá Niall agus Art ag an doras, agus atá greann mór aca anois. Atá Art ag dul go Cill-dara, agus fear grinn leis. Atá solas ins an tobar. [ 52 ] § 203. There’s a green valley in Ireland. A strong sun, a hot day. There is fun in Ireland yet. A pleasant young fisherman. A fisherman got a crown on the ground.
EXERCISE XXXII.
§ 204 SOUND OF s.
We have already said that s, when broad, is sounded like English s, and when slender, like sh. To this rule there are some exceptions.
When followed by the labials b, m, p, or by r, s slender is pronounced like s in English.
| smig (smig), the chin. | spéir (spaer) the sky. |
| speal (spal), a scythe. | srian (sree'-an), a bridle. |
§ 205. The same is true of s preceded by r
beul (bael), the mouth.
Seoirse (shrōsa), George.
tuirse (thirsa), weariness.
reult (raeLth), a star.
§ 206. Cuir an speal ins an sgioból. Atá Seoirse ag dul síos do’n leuna, agus atá speal aige. Ná cuir srian ar an asal. Atá reult mór geal ins an spéir.
§ 207. The scythe is sharp. The scythe is crooked. Put a bridle on the mare. Mouth, foot, chin, knee. There is not a star in the sky now. The sky is not bright.
| n | is sounded like | n | in | noon |
| N | thick sound not in English | |||
| n | „ | n | „ | new |
| K | „ | k | „ | looking |
| k | „ | k | „ | liking |
EXERCISE XXXIII.
§ 208. SOUNDS OF b, f, m, p, BEFORE CERTAIN VOWEL SOUNDS.
Before the digraphs beginning with a broad vowel, and also before aoi, the labials are followed by a w sound:—
The digraphs in question are ae, ao, ai, oi, ui.
§ 209. EXAMPLES.
| maol (mwael), bald. | fuil (fwil), blood. |
| maor (mwaer), a steward. | [6]fuinneog (fwin′-ōg), a window. |
| [6]faoileán (fweel′-aun), seagull. | [6]fuiseog (fwish′-ōg), a lark. |
| baile (bwal′-ĕ), a town. | muilionn (mwil′-iN), a mill. |
| bainne (bwan′-ĕ), milk. |
§ 210. PROPER NAMES.
Diarmuid (dee′-ĕr-mwid) Dermot, now often translated by Jeremiah! Muire, (Mwir′-ĕ) Mary (the Blessed Virgin); Máire (Maur′-ĕ) for ordinary Marys.
§ 211. Dia duit! Dia agus Muire duit this is the ordinary salutation = God save you (literally, God to thee). God save you kindly (literally, God and Mary to thee). In some places one person says, Dia ’s Muire duit, and the other says, in answer, Dia ’s Muire duit, a’s Pádraig (St. Patrick).
§ 212. Aig baile (eg bwal′-ĕ) is often used for “at home.”
§ 213. Atá faoileán mór bán ar an aill. Atá coirce agus eorna ins an muilionn. Atá coirce ag Niall, agus fuair sé eorna ag an muilionn. Fuair Máire sgeul ó’n oilean úr. Arán agus bainne. Ná cuir an bainne ar an urlár. Atá an baile mór. Níl Diarmuid ag baile, atá sé ag dul síos do’n leuna. Fág an mála ag an muilionn. Atá fuil ar an urlár—fuair fear bás. Atá an bainne úr, milis. Bó óg agus bainne milis.
§ 214. God save you, Una! God save you kindly, Nora. How are you? I am well. An eagle and a seagull are on the fort. There is a large eagle going up into the (ins an) sky. The horse is at the mill. There is no water at the mill. Dermot and Niall are in Ireland yet; Peter and Thomas are in America. Niall is not bald yet, he is young, and he is growing yet. The milk is fresh (and) warm. The milk is wholesome. An eagle found a young lark on the cliff. The white seagull is not in the land, he is on the water. Mary has a young white lamb.
EXERCISE XXXIV.
§ 215. OTHER EXAMPLES.
| buile (bwil′-ĕ), madness, frenzy. | maide (mwad′-ĕ), a stick. |
| buille (bwil′-ĕ), a blow. | maidin (mwad′-in), morning |
| faire (fwar′-ĕ), watching. | muineál (mwin′-aul), the week. |
| fuinnseog (fwin′-shōg), an ash tree. | ól (ōl), verb, drink. |
| spailpín (spwal′-peen), a rambling labourer. | |
| ar buile, frantic. | |
| ar maidin, in the morning, this morning. | |
| ag faire, watching. | |
§ 216. Fuair Diarmuid buille trom ó Art, agus atá sé tinn fós. Atá an long ag dul go tír eile, agus atá Peadar ag [ 53 ]faire, ar an aill. Atá fuinnseog ag fá ins an áit. Atá an muilionn sean, agus briste suas; níl an muilionn ag obair. Atá speal ag an spailpín.
§ 217. God save you, Una; warm morning. How is Mary. She died this morning. You are not sick, drink the milk; the milk is fresh and wholesome. Head, foot, neck, heel, eye. Do not stay at the mill. There is a mill at Granard, and another mill at Kildare. There is a large town at Kildare, the town is old.
EXERCISE XXXV.
§ 218. We have a]ready pointed out (§ 176) that all the consonants, when slender, have a y sound after them. This y sound is particularly noticeable after the labials b, f, m, p, followed by eo, eoi; ui, iui.
| beo (b-yō), alive, live. | Feoir (f-yōr) the Nore. |
| beoir (b-yōr), beer. | fiu (f-yew), worthy. |
| feoil (f-yōl), flesh, meat. |
§ 219. This y sound is, of course, but a rapid pronunciation of the e of eo, or i of iu. In Munster, also, in words like fionn (fewN), fair-haired; beann (bae-ouN′, b-youN), feall (fae-ouL′, f-youL) we have an almost similar sound; and even in Connaught good speakers pronounce words like bean, woman, with a slight trace (bae-an′) of the sound of e. Learners can, however, pronounce it (ban).
§ 220. Here we may introduce one of the words irregularly pronounced—beag, little, The g is, of course, broad, like g in begun, not like g in begin, In most parts of Ireland beag is pronounced (beG); in some places (b-yeG) or (b-yŭG).
§ 221. Fuil agus feoil. Atá an breac beo fós. Fuair mé iasg beo ar an tír. Laoi, Feoir, Siuir, Sionainn, Bóinn. Atá an faoileán ag dul ó Éirinn go tír eile. Níl fuiseog ag an doras, atá fuiseog ins an leuna. Atá fuinnseog ag fás ag an tobar. Atá an capall ag an tobar, ag ól an uisge. Níl Nóra mór fó, atá sí beag.
§ 222. There is a live trout in the well. Dermot has not a field, he has a cow, she is old and she has not milk. An eagle found a little bird on the cliff. The seagull is not alive. Dermot O’Connell has a pretty little boat. The little boat is on the Lee. The Lee is in Ireland. Do not drink (ná h-ól) water, drink the milk. Niall and Dermot are drinking(ag ól) water at the well.