I'm looking for a bit of clarification on "ar".

Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla has fully 2 ½ pages on this little word and I see it in mainly two forms (not counting the pronoun forms), as “ar” and “air”. Having read the various usages here, I'm not too confident that I'll always be aware the need to include "ar" when constructing sentences.

Let us first settle pronunciation, shall we?

I think I’ve heard both:
1. “ar” as in the eng. “Are you sick?”
2. “ar” as in the eng. “The air we breathe…”
3. “air” definitely as the eng. air or err (as in “To err is human…”)

So which is correct, or are there instances where either could be correct? Anything dialectical that would explain my hearing of both?

Beyond pronunciation, I find more often “ar” is used, i.e. “…ar chor ar bith”. But, when I see “air”, it seems to usually come at the end of a sentence or thought, i.e. “Tá punt agam air.” Is it simply word order that dictates the varied spelling?

Finally, any discussion of the pronoun forms and proper usage would be appreciated. Orm, ort, air, uirthi, orainn, orthu etc.

TIA,
Liam

The question one involves a hidden copula, and an old particle 'ro', so it is completely different from the preposition, which is pronounced as if 'er'.

They are not pronounced like English, especially as the preposition has a slender r in it.

You are right in that it looks a little complex, as the combination of letters 'ar' are used all over the place and for many different functions.

Thank you Bearn....I think.

I must ask, is there nothing in Gaeilge that can be nailed to the floor? :)

1. “ar” as in the eng. “Are you sick?”

I can't think of an instance where ar by itself (not inside a word) is pronounced like "are".

2. “ar” as in the eng. “The air we breathe…”

From some speakers, the interrogative copula ar sounds a bit like this.

3. “air” definitely as the eng. air or err (as in “To err is human…”)

From other speakers, the interrogative copula ar sounds a bit like this.

As for the preposition ar (meaning "on"), as Bearn says, it's a bit like "er" with the "e" sound very short.

Does that "nail it to the floor" a bit better for you, a Liam?

"Air" can most simply be translated as "on him"; "ar" as "on".

"Ta punt agam air" , "i owe him a pound" or more literally " i have a pound on him".

As with all(?) prepositions in Irish the prepostion is always combined with the pronoun to form what is called a prepositional pronoun thus;

ar = on
Ar me = orm = on me
ar tu = ort = on you
ar e = air = on him
ar i = uirthi = on her
ar sinne = orainn = on us
ar sibh = oraibh = on you (plural)
ar iad = orthu = on them

similarly
ag = at
ag me = agam = at me
ag tu = agat = at you
ag e = aige = at him
ag i = aici = at her
ag sinne = againn = at us
ag sibh = agaibh = at you
ag iad = acu = at them

Ta suil agam go gcuideann se seo leat. Go n-eiri an t-adh leat

Seo 'n do/igh a bhfuaimneam féin:

ar (foirm don chopail agus mi/r cheisteach san aimsir chaite) /@r(')/ (caol no/ leathan de réir a dtig ina dhiaidh)

ar (réamhfhocal) /er'/

air (ar+é) /ej/ (sin fuaimniu/ Ghaoth Dobhair. Thig leat "air" a dh'fhuaimniu/ mar /er'/ no/ /ej/ ach cha dtig leat "ar" a dh'fhuaimniu/ mar /ej/).

An bhfuil do mhéarchlár briste?

As with all(?) prepositions in Irish

Not all. Complex prepositions (those consisting of more than one word) work differently, e.g. inár dtimpeall "around us", os do chionn "above you". And there are even some simple ones without personal forms, e.g. gan mise "without me", mar iad "like them", seachas ise "except her".

Having learnt Connemara Irish, I would pronounce them similarly to Lughaidh:

ar (past forms of copula and interrogative particle): /ar(')/ (broad or slender depoending on what comes next)

ar (pronoun): /er/ - i.e., broad, not slender as Lughaidh.

air (ar+é): /ezh/ possibly the same thing as Lughaidh said, the slender "r" is like a voiced "sh" or very light "j" sound in Connemara, too.

Liam, in no case is the Irish "r" like English or American "r". Broad "r" is like the Scots trilled "r" and slender "r" like the Scots trilled "r" when initial, and like the "zh" sound (the character that looks like a combination of "j" and "z" in phonetic script) when medial or final, e.g., ríomhaire /ri:wazhe/ "computer.

/ər/ atá ar “ar” mar fhoirm den chopail agus mír cheisteach.

/er’/ atá ar “ar” (on) agus “air” (on him), agus ag déanamh tagairt do Chonamara atá muid.

Ach ba cheart aird a thabhairt do fhuaimeanna atá thart timpeall air – is fíor do Lughaidh agus Breandán, teagann athrúintí ar na r-nna seo (caolú nó leathnú) agus an comhthéacs ag imirt tionchar orthu.

air (ar+é): /ezh/ possibly the same thing as Lughaidh said, the slender "r" is like a voiced "sh" or very light "j" sound in Connemara, too.

To my ear, the Slender R sound is similar to whistling from the tip of the tongue.