practical grammar of irish language.pdf - Cryptm.org

II. SOUNDS OF THE VOWELS.
The organs of speech admit only a limited numbei
of essentially different positions formative of articulat
sound ; but, as the slightest approximation of neighbouring
positions must produce a corresponding diversity
of audible effect, it happens that hardly two
languages exist, in which all the sounds are strictly
identical. Similarity, therefore, and not identity, is
sometimes all that can be furnished in the following
illustrations,
by means of corresponding English sounds
and spelling; and, where even this cannot be found,
the deficiency will be supplied from other languages,
or by description.
Vowels. English sounds. Examples. English Spelling.
1. & long. a in all. bat), b&ji. baz#n, loawr.
2. A short. a in what. Ale, mAfic. oltth, mortth.
3. A short. a in hat. CAJI, bjtAc. tthar, bratth.
4. A obscure. a in li-ar. AbAjtc. i'-wrk.
5. A diphthongal. A&AJIC. i'-urk, the * being
pronounced as i in dme; and the 6, which is
silent, being a mere sign that A- has this sound.
In Munster A before f) is
pronounced like au,
aun son.
as AT) prj,
1. & long.
e in there. p, f. fay, shay.
2. e short. e in ell. ell, pell, ell, fell.
3. e obscure.
{'**!?} *we. ddhin'-a.
4. e diphthongal. et), ler). ay-en, \ay-eu,
1. f long. nnmarme.rpio. ineen.
2. ]
short. i in null. rpjl. iml. In Munster
]
before ij is
pronounced long, as cjfj (ttheen)
sick.
3. ]
obscure, the same as 3,e. 8>iCfi. ghitth'-sha.
1. o long. o in ore. 6fi, njo\i. ore, more.
2. o short. o in monk. olc. wlk.
3. o diphthongal. O&AT). t'-an, the i as
in dz'ne. This case is similar to that of 5, A.
l.vlong-. u in rwle. vl, cvl. ool, kool.
2. v short. u in bwt. cvft, vcc. kwr, i/ghtth.
See Walker's Dictionary under the word The.