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Gaelic Phonetics
Don't think that Scottish Gaelic is easy to learn!
It is one to the
most difficult languages on earth. Especially the pronunciation is a hard nut to crack. On the one hand there are a lot of dialectal
variations and another reason is that there are certain sounds in Gaelic which do not have any equivalents in English.
For all who are really eager to learn the basic concepts of this almost extinct language I have compiled a collection of
the most important phonetic sounds. Please have a close look at this table:
Table of vowels:
|
Gaelic letter |
English pronuncation |
Gaelic examples |
|
à (long) |
f-a-ther |
bàrd, brà |
|
à (long, flanked by m or n) |
like French: vi:n (no English equivalent) |
màs, àmhailt, ànradh |
|
a (short) |
p-a-t |
ad, sad, nach |
|
a (preceding dh, gh or at word's end) |
m-u-rder |
stadh, tadhal, agh |
|
a (short, flanked by m or n) |
like French: vin (no English equivalent) |
amh, na, nathair |
|
è (long) |
f-a-re |
dèan, cè |
|
é(long) |
J-a-ne |
éigin, féin, dé |
|
e (short, often at word's end) |
h-e-r |
gille, teine |
|
e (short) |
f-e-ll |
le, teth |
|
ì (long) |
f-ee-l |
rìgh, sìth |
|
i (short) |
f-i-t |
ith, glic, fir |
|
i (short) |
b-i-te |
tigh, rinn |
|
ò (long) |
m-o-re |
òl, còrr, crò |
|
ò (long, flanked by m or n) |
like French: r-o-nde (no English equivalent) |
òmar, mòine, nòs |
|
ó (long) |
t-o-ne |
có, mór, bó |
|
o (short, open) |
p-o-t |
do, conas |
|
o (short, preceded by m or n) |
like French: bon (no English equivalent) |
monadh, nochd |
|
o (short) |
c-o-at |
coma, bolla |
|
ù (long) |
s-u-re |
cùlan, ùr, brù |
|
ù and u (flanked by m or n) |
Roger M-oo-re |
rùn, ùnsa, ùmaidh |
|
u (short) |
f-oo-l |
cus, ubag, gu |
Table of vowel combinations:
|
Gaelic letter |
English pronuncation |
Gaelic examples |
|
ai (short) |
a-ny |
ainm, aithne, caisean |
|
ai (short) |
p-a-t |
cais, ait, caithream |
|
ai (short) |
s-e-cret |
airmis, cairbh |
|
ài (long) |
f-a-ther |
àithne, càin, fàilte |
|
ao (long) |
m-u-rder |
aobhar, saobhaidh |
|
ao (long) |
m-ü-sli |
caob, faobhar, aon |
|
eà (long) |
ya-rd |
deàrrsa, eàrra |
|
ea (short) |
p-e-t |
eas, seas, gead |
|
ea (close & short) |
b-a-se |
beag, eaglais |
|
ea (short) |
ya-rd |
ealag, gealach, cealg |
|
ei (close & short) |
c-a-se |
ceil, sseid, eile, sgeilp |
|
éi (long) |
sh-a-me |
éiginm léigh |
|
èi (long) |
f-ai-r |
sgèith, sèimh |
|
eo (short) |
yo |
seot, beothail |
|
eò (long) |
yoo |
ceòl, beò |
|
eu (long) |
f-a-me |
ceum, seud |
|
ià (long) |
Ia-n |
iàdach |
|
ìa (long) |
iö (like in murder) |
iasg, ciatach |
|
ìo (long) |
iö (like in murder) |
sìol |
|
iù (long) |
ju: |
iùl, fiù, iùbhrach |
|
io (short) |
sk-i-d |
giodar |
|
io (short) |
ju |
spiol, siola, iola |
|
òi (long) |
oh: |
fòill, fòir |
|
ói (long) |
öh:i (like in murder) |
cóibhneas |
|
oi (short) |
m-u-rder |
goil, oide |
|
oi (short) |
h-o-me |
boil |
|
oi (short) |
dovec-o-t |
sgoil, oil |
|
ua (long) |
uh-ö (like in murder) |
uallach, fuar |
|
ua (flanked by m or n) |
uh-ah |
uan, nuagach, uamha |
|
ùi (long) |
m-oo-d |
cùil, dùin |
|
uì (long) |
uh-i |
luib, tuinn |
|
uì (flanked by m or n) |
uh-i: |
cuimhne, muing |
|
ui (short) |
hui |
cuid, guidh |
|
aoi (short) |
öi (like in murder) |
saoile, aoibhneas |
Table of consonants:
|
Gaelic letter |
English pronuncation |
Gaelic examples |
|
b |
b-an |
boban |
|
bh (initial) |
v like in v-eil |
bheil |
|
bh (medial) |
v mor w like in gra-v-el |
labhairt, abhras |
|
bh (final) |
silent |
lobh |
|
c |
k like in kingr |
cìr, reic, cù |
|
ch |
lo-ch |
ach, chì, cha |
|
d |
dent |
dall, cadal |
|
d (flanked by e or i) |
like in jerk |
dearc, callaid |
|
dh (flanked by e or i) |
j like in yeah |
dhearc, buidhe |
|
dh (flanked by a, o, u) |
g like in Gilmore |
dha, modh, modhail |
|
dh (final, preceded by e or i) |
silent |
branndaidh |
|
f |
fell |
fear |
|
g |
g like in give or good |
gean, éigin, gabh, bog, bagair |
|
gh (flanked by e or i) |
j like in yeah |
oighe, gheibh |
|
gh (followed by consonant) |
silent |
oighreachd, maighdeag |
|
gh (flanked by a, o, u) |
g like in Gilmore |
ghabh, magh |
|
h |
not a letter of its own |
combined with other letters only |
|
l |
l like in full |
leam, calanas, banail, a làmh |
|
m |
m like in man |
mac |
|
mh (nasal) |
v like in vain |
amh, damh, damhan |
|
mh (nasal) |
ah-uh: |
Samhradh |
|
n |
n like in name |
dàn, a nàmh, ainm |
|
ng |
a-ng-le |
mang |
|
p |
p |
adopted letter from Germany |
|
r |
r like in rich |
mar, a ràmh, ràn |
|
rn |
co-rn |
mórnaich |
|
s (flanked by e or i) |
s-ure |
sian, maisein, cois |
|
s (flanked by a,o,u) |
s like in sun |
sàr, thusa, bus |
|
sh |
h like in have |
Shàbaid, sheachdain |
|
t-s (initial) |
t |
an t-Sàbaid |
|
t (flanked by e or i) |
tsch like in china |
peitean |
|
t (flanked by a, o, u) |
t like in Tom |
tàmh, cotan, cat |
|
th |
h |
athair, tha |
|
th (final) |
silent |
math, dath |
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Copyright
© 2019 by Mag. Peter Csar Laird of Glencairn - All rights reserved.
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