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The Daltaí Boards » Archive: 2005- » 2005 (May-June) » Archive through June 17, 2005 » Feicfidh and deirfinn..why is there an f there? « Previous Next »

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Diarmo
Member
Username: Diarmo

Post Number: 125
Registered: 08-2004


Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 10:24 am:   Edit Post Print Post

just two examples of two verbs with f in the middle of them! but why is it that they there at all?
was the middle f in feicfidh pronounced in the past?
and the same question for deirfinn!

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Dennis
Member
Username: Dennis

Post Number: 63
Registered: 02-2005


Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 01:55 pm:   Edit Post Print Post

The -f- can be thought of as a future/conditional "flag", popping up between the verb root and the future or conditional ending of 1st congutation verbs. Sometimes it's called the "future stem" (the "conditional" used to be called "the secondary future").

In Old Irish the -f- was pronounced as /f/.

For learners, this -f- can be a handy diagnostic tool, since it reliably lets them know that the verb form is either future or conditional.

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Fear_na_mbróg
Member
Username: Fear_na_mbróg

Post Number: 584
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 02:57 pm:   Edit Post Print Post

I've heard many people pronounce the "f" in the following:

Dhúnfainn
Dhúnfá

Bhrisfinn
Bhrisfeá


Not sure if you're "allowed" though.

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Lughaidh
Member
Username: Lughaidh

Post Number: 384
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 06:49 pm:   Edit Post Print Post

It depends on dialect: in Munster the f is pronounced most of the time (as an /f/). In Connemara you say /h/ most of the time, and in Donegal, always /h/ except in the only verb "tchífidh" (=future of "feic") in which it's pronounced /f/ everywhere (except in parts of Gweedore).



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