EASY LESSONS IN IRISH.
Part II.
EXERCISE XXXVI.
§ 223. THE SOFTENED OR “ASPIRATED” SOUNDS OF THE CONSONANTS.
We have now spoken of the sounds of the vowels in Irish, and of their peculiar sounds in the Munster and Ulster dialects; we have also spoken of the sounds of the various groups of vowels. We have treated of the broad and slender sounds of consonants, and we have now to speak of the softened, or, as they are generally termed, “aspirated,” sounds of many consonants. We have examples of this softening down of consonantal sounds in other languages. Thus, from the Latin word deliberare are derived the French delivrer, and the English word deliver, where the b of the Latin is softened to v. Again, the Irish words bráṫair and leaṫair correspond to the English brother, leather, but the t is softened in sound (this is denoted by the mark above it, ṫ), and the words are pronounced brau′-hĕr, lah′-ăr.
§ 224. This softening of consonant sounds is usually called ASPIRATION. Aspiration in Irish, therefore, affects consonants only.
§ 225. In studying “aspiration” we have to ascertain (1) how the aspiration of a consonant is marked; (2) the effect of aspiration upon the sound of each consonant; (3) when aspiration takes place.
§ 226. Aspiration is MARKED usually by placing a dot over the consonant aspirated, thus: ḃ, ċ, ḋ, ḟ, ġ, ṁ, ṗ, ṡ, ṫ. The aspiration of l, r, n is not usually marked, and learners may neglect it in the beginning.
§ 227. Aspiration is sometimes indicated by placing a h after the consonant to be aspirated; as, bh, ch, dh, etc.
§ 228. We have now to see what are the SOUNDS of the aspirated consonants.
§ 229. SOUNDS OF l, n, r, ASPIRATED.
The aspirated sounds of l and n are almost like the sounds of the English l, n. The aspirated sound of r is almost the same as that of r slender. As these sounds are not very important, they may be passed over lightly.
§ 230. SOUNDS OF t AND s ASPIRATED.
Aspirated t (i.e., ṫ or th) is pronounced like h.
Aspirated s (i.e., ṡ or sh) is pronounced like h.
§ 231. Words.
| Caṫal (koh′-ăl), Cathal, Charles | [1]Baile an Aṫa (bwal′-ă ăn ah′-ă), Ballina |
| [1]O’Caṫail (ō koh′-ăl), O’Cahill | [1]Baile Aṫa Cliaṫ (bwal′-ă ah′-ă klee-ăh), Dublin |
| [2]caṫaoir (koh′-eer), a chair. | [1]go bráṫ (gŭ brauh), for ever |
| bóṫar (bō′-hăr), a road | leaṫan (lah′-ăn), wide, broad |
| [2]bóiṫrín (bōh′-reen), a little road |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Literally, grandson of Cathal, town of the ford, town of ford of hurdles, until judgment.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Munster, koh-eer′, bōh-reen′.
§ 232. Note—Caṫal is an old Celtic name, but in modern times it has often been translated into Charles. Compare Diarmuid and Jeremiah in § 210.
We will now generally use bóṫar instead of ród. Ród, however, is a pure Irish word, and is found in Irish manuscripts written before the English came to Ireland.
In many places Baile Aṫa Cliaṫ is shortened to B’l’aṫ Cliaṫ (blah klee′-ăh).
§ 233. Atá bóṫar cam ag dul go Baile Aṫa Cliaṫ. Fág stól ag an túirne, agus
[ 67 ]cuir caṫaoir ag an teine. Atá Diarmuid O’Caṫail in Éirinn anois, níl sé ag dul go tír eile. Níl an bóṫar glan. Atá an bád leaṫan, láidir.
§ 234. Do not leave a chair at the door, the day is cold and soft. I am not going to Ballina, I am going to Dublin, and Cahal O'Neill is going with me: we are not going yet, as (mar) the weather is cold. The road is dry, the boreen is not dry. A soft crooked boreen. The road is not broad.
EXERCISE XXXVII.
§ 235. ṡ IS SOUNDED LIKE H.
The possessive adjectives mo (mŭ), my; do (dhŭ), thy; a (ă), his, cause aspiration. Mo is pronounced like mu in must, do like thu in thus, a like a in along.
§ 236. EXAMPLES.
| mo ṫír | (mŭ heer), | my country |
| „ ṫobar | („ hŭb′-ăr), | „ well |
| „ ṫúirne | („ hoor′-nĕ), | „ spinning wheel |
| „ ṫeine | („ hen′-ĕ), | „ fire |
| do ṡolus | (dhŭ hŭl′-as), | thy light |
| „ ṡláinte | („ hLaun′-tĕ), | health |
| „ ṡúil | („ hool), | eye |
| „ ṡál | („ haul), | „ heel |
| „ ṡúiste | („ hoosh′-tĕ), | „ flail |
| „ ṡeamróg | („ ham′-rōg), | „ shamrock |
§ 237. Atá mo láir óg. Níl do ṡeamróg glas anois. Ná fág do ṫír. Ná cuir do ṡál ar an stól. Atá uisge in mo ṫobar. Ná cuir fód móna ar mo ṫeine. Níl mo ṡúiste ins an sgioból. Fuair mé do ṡúiste ins an eorna anois. A Nóra, ná fág do ṫír.
§ 238. Leave my light. Do not stand in my light. I am not in your (say thy) light, Cahal is in your light. The fire is hot now. My fire is not hot. My eye is blind. Never leave your country. My ship is going to Ballina. Put my spinning wheel at the well. Do not put my bridle on the mare, my bridle is broken.
EXERCISE XXXVIII.
§ 239. S is never aspirated except at the beginning of a word, and even then, when followed by c, g, b, m, p, it is not aspirated, because ṡ, i.e., h, could not be pronounced before these consonants:—
Thus: mo sgeul, mo sgioból, mo sgian.
§ 240. Táinig (thaun′-ig) came, did come, is now usually spelled ṫáinig (haunig); as, ṫáining Seumas go Baile Aṫa Cliaṫ, James came to Dublin, ní ṫáinig sé fós, he not come yet.
§ 241. Tug (thug) gave, did give, is now usually spelled ṫug (hug); as, ṫug Caṫal sgian do Niall, Cahal gave a knife to Niall; ní ṫug sé capall do Niall, he did give a horse to Niall.
§ 242.
O’Tuaṫail (ō thoo′-ăh-ăl, ō thooh′-ăl), O’Toole.
flaiṫ (flah), a prince.
maiṫ (mah), good.
In words of one syllable the ending -aiṫ is pronounced a-íṫ (o-eeh) in Connaught and Ulster; as, maiṫ (mo-eeh), flaiṫ (flo-eeh).
§ 243. Atá Caṫal in Éirinn anois. Níl sé in Éirinn fós, ní ṫáinig sé fós. Níl flaiṫ in Éirinn anois. Tug mé sgilling do Nóra, agus atá sgilling eile ag Nóra. Atá coirce maiṫ ins an sgioból ag Art O’Tuaṫail. Ní ṫug an reult solas mór do’n tír. Níl srian agam anois; fuair Caṫal capall agus srian uaim.
§ 244. My knife is not sharp. My story is long. There is barley in my (in mo) barn now. There is a good prince in the country. The prince is going to Dublin. Art O’Toole gave a blow to Niall O’Neill. The young prince did not come yet to Erin, he is in the other country yet.
EXERCISE XXXIX.
§ 245. P ASPIRATED (i.e., ṗ or ph) PRONOUNCED LIKE F.
§ 246. Examples.
| mo | ṗóca | (mŭ fōk′-ă) | my pocket |
| „ | ṗíopa | („ feep′-a) | „ pipe |
| „ | ṗáirc | (fau-irk) | „ field |
§ 247. The particle a (ă) used before the nominative of address, causes aspiration, as
| a Ṗeadair | (ă fadh′-ăr) | o Peter! |
| a Ṗóil | (ă fōl) | o Paul! |
| a Ṗádraig | (ă faudh′-rig) | o Patrick! |
| a Ṡeumuis | (ă heam′-ish) | o James! |
Notice how the names Peadar, Pól, Seumus, are spelled differently, Peadair, Póil, Seumuis, when the nominative of address is used.
ṡíos (hees), below, down
ṡuas (hoo′-ăs), above, up
tobac (thŭb-ok′), tobacco.
§ 248. Notice the difference between síos, downwards, and ṡíos, below; suas, upwards, ṡuas, above.
§ 249. Dia ḋuit, a Ṗeadair! Dia agus Muire duit, a Ṡeumuis. Cionnus atá tú? Ná fág do ṗíopa ar an stól, cuir do ṗíopa Cuir an sgilling in do ṗóca. Atá Conn óg, agus atá píopa agus tobac aige. Níl páirc ag Pádraig. Atá tobar in mo ṗáirc, agus atá uisge fuar ins an tobar. Ní ṫáinig an capall do’n tobar fós. Atá Conn ṡíos ag an sáile.
§ 250. There is a big hole in my pocket. Do not put my pipe in your pocket. Niall has a pipe, he has not tobacco Conn has tobacco, he has not a pipe. Do not put tobacco in your pipe yet, your pipe is not clean. My pocket is full. James, you have a horse and a mare. Peter has a pasture field. My pasture field is green; your field is dear. Put your mare into my pasture field, there is no water in your well. Peter gave a pound to Niall. The horse is up at the well.
EXERCISE XL.
ELISION OF VOWELS.
§ 251. When mo, my, or do, thy, is followed by a noun beginning with a vowel, the o of mo or do is omitted, as
m’asal (mos′-ăl), my ass
m’uan (moo′-ăn), my lamb
m’im (mim; Munst., meem), my butter
m’urlár (mur′-Laur), my floor
d’olann (dhŭl′-ăN), thy wool
d’áit (dhaut), thy place
d’arán (dhăr-aun′), thy bread
d’ór (dhor), thy gold
tráiṫnín (thrau′-neen), thraneen, or blade of grass
§ 252. In the spoken language this d for do) is often changed to t, as d’anam (dhon′-ăm), thy soul, often t’anam (thon′-ăm), or even ṫ’anam (hon′-ăm).
§ 253. Ar biṫ (er bih, er beeh) in life, at all, usually with the negative; as níl duine ar biṫ ag an doras, there is not a person at all (any person, there is no one) at the door.
§ 254. Níl olann ar biṫ ar m’uan fós. Níl, atá d’uan óg. Fan in d’áit, ná fág d’áit. Ná cuir salann ins an im, atá d’im (dim) milis. Ní ṫug tú dór do Niall. Atá d’olann trom. Níl crann ar biṫ ag fás ag an tobar. Níl fíon ar biṫ agam, atá uisge go leor agam. Atá arán agam, níl im ar biṫ ar an arán. Atá an bóṫar glan, leaṫan; níl tráiṫnín ag fás ar an ród anois.
§ 255. I am not going to Dublin, you are going to Dublin in my place, Patrick. My bread is fresh (and) wholesome: your bread is dry, your butter is not sweet. Your little lamb did not come to the door yet. My wool is cheap. There is no butter at all on my bread. Do not put any salt in the bread. Fresh butter, salt butter.
EXERCISE XLI.
§ 256. F ASPIRATED (i.e., ḟ or fh) is silent.
§ 257. Thus ḟuil is pronounced (il). The word which until now we have spelled níl, am not, art not, is not, are not, is really the shortened form of ní ḟuil (nee il), and this is the form we shall use henceforth.
§ 258. Fuair, got, found; ḟuair mé capall, I got a horse.
Ní ḟuair (nee oo′ir) did not get, Ní ḟuair mé sgilling, I did not get a shilling.
So also Ní ḟaca (nee ok′-ă) did not see, as Ní ḟaca Seumas Peadar, James did not see Peter. In Munster, the forms feaca, ḟeaca (faK′-ă, aK′-ă) are used.
§ 259. Ní ḟuil sgilling ag Peadar, ní ḟuair sé sgilling ó Niall. Ní ḟaca an capall an tobar, agus ní ṫáinig sé suas do’n tobar. Ní ḟuil Diarmuid ag obair ins an leuna, agus ní ḟaca mé Art ar an ród. Ní ḟuil reult ar biṫ ins an spéir anois. Ní ḟuil mo ṗíopa in mo ṗóca, atá mo ṗíopa agat, a Ṡeumuis. Ní ḟaca mé do ṗíopa.
§ 260. I did not see a ship or a boat on the water. Niall did not see the seagull in the sky. Cathal is not on the island—Dermot did not see Cathal on the island. I did not see the man working. I got a shilling from Art, I did not get a pound from Art, I got a pound from Niall, and the pound and the shilling are in my pocket now. Nora is not below at the well; she is above on the cliff.
EXERCISE XLII.
§ 261. Ḟ AFTER VOWELS.
When ḟ follows mo, do, the o is omitted; as.
[ 69 ]m’ḟeur (maer), my grass;
m’ḟíon (meen), my wine;
m’ḟear (mar), my man, husband;
m’ḟuil (mwil), my blood;
m’ḟeoil (m-yōl), my flesh;
d’ḟuinnneóg (dhin-ōg), thy window.
§ 262. Fear and bean, besides meaning “man” and “woman,” are used for “husband” and “wife.”
§ 263. Instead of leuna (laen′-ă), meadow, the word móinḟeur (mōn-aer), literally, bog-grass, is often used.
§ 264. Atá an feur tirim ins an sgioból, atá m’ḟeur úr ins an móin-ḟeur fós. Ní ṫáinig m’ḟear ó’n Oileán Úr fós. Ṫug mé an fíon do Niall, agus ṫug m’ḟear an speal do’n duine uile. Ní ḟuil an fíon ins an siopa. Ní ḟaca mé d’ḟíon (dee′-ăn) in áit a biṫ. Atá do ṡúiste ṡíos in an sgioból.
§ 265. Nora, your husband is not in the meadow now, he and my husband are at the well, drinking water. My husband has a big, young horse; he got the horse in the meadow. The man came to the meadow, he did not find any person (duine ar biṫ) in the meadow. I did not see your husband. I did not see your husband anywhere. I did not see your scythe up in the meadow.
EXERCISE XLIII.
§ 266. ASPIRATED SOUNDS OF b AND m.
The aspirated sounds of b and m are practically the same.
§ 267. b and m aspirated (i.e., ḃ or bh, ṁ or mh) are pronounced as follows:—
When SLENDER (that is, next e or i) they are pronounced like v.
When FINAL (at the end of a word) they are also pronounced like v.
In other cases they are pronounced like w.
Examples and notes on local peculiarities will now be given.
§ 268. Words.
| [1]agaiḃ (og′-ăv), at ye | Gailliṁ (Gal′-iv), Galway | ||
| liḃ (liv), with ye | ḃí (vee) | was, were | |
| siḃ (shiv), you, ye | raiḃ (rev) | ||
| linn (lin), with us | |||
§ 269. Ḃí is the past tense of atá; as, atá sé óg, he is young; ḃí sé óg, he was young.
§ 270. Raiḃ (rev), was, were. Note (1) that raiḃ is pronounced irregularly, not (rav), see 132, but (rev). The reason is, that it was formerly spelled roiḃ, which would be pronounced (rev). (2) Raiḃ is never used except after such as particles ní, not, as, ní raiḃ an bád ar an uisge, the boat was not on the water; or an, used in asking questions, as, an raiḃ an capall ag an doras? was the horse at the door?
§ 271. In answering questions in Irish no words like “yes” and “no,” are used; as,
An raiḃ Nóra ag an tobar? Ḃí.
Was Nora at the well ? (She) was, i.e. Yes.
An raiḃ Caṫal ag dul go Gailliṁ? Ní raiḃ.
Was Cahal going to Galway? (He) was not, i.e., No.
§ 272. OTHER EXAMPLES.
A ḃean (ă van), his wife; a ḃreac (ă vrak), his trout; a ṁic (ă vik), o son!
§ 273. Ná fág do ḃreac ag an doras. An raiḃ Caṫal liḃ ag dul go Gailliṁ? Ḃí, agus fuair sé capall ar an ród, agus ṫáinig sé go Gailliṁ linn (with us). Ḃí Art tinn, agus fuair sé bás fós. An raiḃ capall agaiḃ? Ní raiḃ, ḃí bó agus asal againn. Atá fuinneóg leaṫan ar an dún.
§ 274. We are not going down to Galway, ye are going up to Granard. We have a horse, ye have a coach. Had ye a scythe in the meadow? Was the horse working in the meadow? Dermot was not working with us down in the meadow. Had Nora a lamb? No, she had a sheep. Had Art a horse? Yes, and he had a coach. My window was clean, thy window was not clean. There was no window at all in the fort.