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The Daltaí Boards » General Discussion (Irish and English) » Archive through September 13, 2011 » Pronounciation of é in Corca Dhuibhne « Previous Next »

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Kaji84
Member
Username: Kaji84

Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2010
Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2011 - 03:58 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

I'm wondering about the pronounciation of words with é in Corca Dhuibhne. I'm from Corca Dhuibhne but am not working there. However, up the country where I work, I hear people pronouncing é differently to how I do and now I'm beginning to question if I'm wrong, or if it's just my canúint!!

I pronounce the following:
scéal (story) - shkeel
Béarla (English) - beerla
féar (grass)- fear
béal (mouth)- beel

Does anyone else find this? Someone actually corrected me, and I was disgusted :)

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Wee_falorie_man
Member
Username: Wee_falorie_man

Post Number: 270
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2011 - 05:07 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

The person who "corrected" you (!) speaks in a different dialect and apparently knows nothing of how words are pronounced in Munster Irish.

I was taught (by various native speakers and books):

scéal - SHKEE-ul or SKEE-ul
Béarla - BEEur-luh
féar - FEE-ur
béal - BEE-ul

It would be nice to help them out by letting them know that there are other ways of pronouncing words in the Irish language that are just as "correct" and valid as their particular dialect

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Kaji84
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Username: Kaji84

Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2010
Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2011 - 05:35 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

Thanks! I was beginning to question myself!!

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Wee_falorie_man
Member
Username: Wee_falorie_man

Post Number: 271
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2011 - 06:14 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

No need to question yourself at all.

There is no such thing as a "superior" dialect of Irish - all dialects that are spoken by native speakers are of equal status.

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Brídmhór
Member
Username: Brídmhór

Post Number: 172
Registered: 04-2009


Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 05:10 am:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

quote:

There is no such thing as a "superior" dialect of Irish - all dialects that are spoken by native speakers are of equal status.



I totally agree.

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Lughaidh
Member
Username: Lughaidh

Post Number: 3966
Registered: 01-2005


Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 11:23 am:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

Me too, of course.
Yeah, often -éa- is prononced as if it were spelt -ia- in Munster (and in parts of Scotland too).

Learn Irish pronunciation here: http://loig.cheveau.ifrance.com/irish/irishsounds/irishsounds.html & http://fsii.gaeilge.org/

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Dearthair_beag
Member
Username: Dearthair_beag

Post Number: 6
Registered: 04-2011
Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 12:27 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

I was taught that it is more of an "e" in Spanish so:

scéal - SHKAY-ul
Béarla - BAY-ur-LA
féar - FAY-ur
béal - BAY-ul

(Message edited by dearthair_beag on August 04, 2011)

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Lughaidh
Member
Username: Lughaidh

Post Number: 3967
Registered: 01-2005


Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 06:50 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

Normally you only make a kind of diphthong in one-syllable words, not much in several-syllable words like Béarla.

Btw you'd say "shkay-ull" in Connachta and most of Donegal but shkee-ahl in Munster (and in Gweedore but it's an exception there). Fay-ur in C and D but fee-ahr in Munster, and so on.
Béarla is "bayr-luh" (stressed only on the 1st syllable) in C and D but "bee-uhr-luh" in M., etc

Learn Irish pronunciation here: http://loig.cheveau.ifrance.com/irish/irishsounds/irishsounds.html & http://fsii.gaeilge.org/

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Dearthair_beag
Member
Username: Dearthair_beag

Post Number: 7
Registered: 04-2011
Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 10:13 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

So, for someone just starting out learning Irish, that doesn't live in Ireland, how would such a person (i.e. me) know what the "correct" pronunciation is? I know that it will vary depending on regional accent/dialect, but pronouncing "tráthnóna" as "green" is obviously incorrect (to use a ludicrous example).

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Wee_falorie_man
Member
Username: Wee_falorie_man

Post Number: 272
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 11:15 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

There is no such thing as one "correct" pronunciation in Irish. I think it's best to just pick a dialect and stick with it until you become reasonably fluent. At the same time, take note of different pronunciations (and retain them in your passive vocabulary) so that you will be able to communicate with everyone, regardless of dialect.

And by the way, there is no one "correct" form of English pronunciation either:

either - "AYE-thur" or "EE-thur"
neither - "NYE-thur" or "NEE-thur"
tomato - "tuh-MEY-toh" or "tuh-MAH-toh"
aunt - "ant" or "awnt"
etc.

There is a lot of variation in English, too.

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Wee_falorie_man
Member
Username: Wee_falorie_man

Post Number: 273
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 11:30 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

oops, I forgot to mention:

I think it is best to learn Irish (or any language) from fluent native speakers or VERY proficient learners. That way, you will always know that the pronunciation you are learning is valid.

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Lughaidh
Member
Username: Lughaidh

Post Number: 3968
Registered: 01-2005


Posted on Friday, August 05, 2011 - 12:51 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

quote:

I think it is best to learn Irish (or any language) from fluent native speakers or VERY proficient learners.



who have learnt Irish from fluent native speakers :) (ie. people who speak like native speakers, more or less)

Learn Irish pronunciation here: http://loig.cheveau.ifrance.com/irish/irishsounds/irishsounds.html & http://fsii.gaeilge.org/

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Wee_falorie_man
Member
Username: Wee_falorie_man

Post Number: 274
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Friday, August 05, 2011 - 02:16 pm:   Small TextLarge TextEdit PostPrint Post

That's exactly what I meant to say, Lughaidh.

Thanks for finishing my sentence



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