A question has come up on the Buntús Cainte Yahoo group about the prefix "an" in regards to leniting the following consonant of the next word. What little research I have done gave me the impression that the DNTLS rule applied. That is, if the consonant of the next word following "an" is D,N,T,L, or S then the consonant is not lenited. For example, is it an-deas or an-dheas?

Are the regional/dialect influences?

Le meas,

Student of Irish

Tá an leagan:
'an-deas' ceart agus caighdeánta.

Tá an leagan
'ana-dheas' ceart agus ceadaithe!

I allow and encourage people to use the second form if they are committed to it dialectically. If leniting, one should write the vowel which has allowed it to happen.

For the same reasons of dialect and preferance, I allow and encourage 'sa mbealach', 'den mbord', 'don mbádóir' and others.

As long as the user knows what they are about and IS consistent, pertinent to their own area or dialect, cén dochar?!

Some people ought not to worry too much about what may seem different from where they are in their own learning stage. Variety is the spice ...
For the moment, just make note of what you see. Communicating is the primary aim.

Go n-éirí leat a Student ofI.

A Sheosamh, a chara,

Thanks for the explanation. As a group, we've just begun Chapter 1 of Buntús Cainte, so I'm sure that beginners will be quite challenged to understand at this point of their studies the nuances between dialects as it relates to the prefix "an." I thoroughly enjoy the many aspects of the different Irish dialects and regional variations, but I would like to know, since Buntús Cainte adheres to Standard Irish, is it correct to indicate from a Standard-Irish view point, that "an" does not lenite words that begin with D, N, T, L or S?

Le meas, Student of Irish

Ó Dónaill's Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla lists the consonants subject to lenition following an- as b, c, f, g, m and p.

D, T, and S are not lenited following an-. As you know, N and L are never lenited.

Le meas,

>>As you know, N and L are never lenited.

Of course they are!

quote:

Of course they are!

not in Munster, neither broad ones in Conamara.

Scríobh Max: Of course they are!


Mar shampla...?

When there's difference between lax and tense, tense l/n are lenited into lax l/n.

My apologies...

I should have made it clear that I was referring to the written standard above!

True, yet it's a bit like saying that "sing" changes into "sang" but that "read" doesn't change; without specifying that the spelling does not always mirror the pronunciation changes...

'den mbord', 'don mbádóir'

A Sheosaimh, ce/n a/it a n-u/sa/idtear na foirmeacha seo?

Le meas, Peter

A Pheadair

Ní mise Seosamh ach tá a fhios agam. Seo iad na foirmeacha de Chorca Dhuibhne.

(Message edited by Róman on April 04, 2006)

Is fíor do Róman, is maith leis an Duibhneach an t-urú san a Pheadair.
Áit eile a mbíodh an t-urú san, ba é mo cheantar féin, Íochtar Chonnacht - Sligeach, i gcás roinnt cainteoirí.


Maidir leis an gceann eile, 'sa mbealach', bheinn ag súil leis i 'Learning Irish' Uí Shiadhail, uachtar Chonnacht - Gaillimh - Conamara. (Níl cóip agam féin anseo.)