Irish Lesson 32

PRONUNCIATION

In Irish, as in English, some of the sounds or syllables in words are dropped out in rapid everyday speech. You must learn to do this yourself and to listen for it in the speech of others. Up to now, these lessons have given you largely the full pronunciation of individual words, even in sentences.

We will now begin to indicate how sentences are pronounced in everyday speech. Individual words in vocabularies and examples will still receive their full pronunciations, however. You should learn them thoroughly before using the words in a sentence.

Here are examples of word-group pronunciations:

Táa fhios agat (TAW* uh is uh-GUHT) you know, becomes (taw*s uh-GUHT), with the sound forŽa elided.

Fear an tí(far un TEE) man of the house, becomes (far uh TEE). Ban an tí(ban un TEE) woman of the house, becomes (ban uh TEE). Cábhfuil túag dul? (KAW* vwil too uh DUHL) Where are you going? can become (KAW*-il too uh DUHL). Táan fear anseo (taw* un FAR un-SHUH), The man is here, becomes (taw*n FAR-un-SHUH).

We will put this into lessons gradually enough so that you will not become confused. And remember that everyone learning a language with the help of a book tries to sound all the letters in all the words, but native speakers never do.

GRAMMAR

Another use forŽle, with, is in expressions like:

Tácara liom ansin (taw* KAH-ruh luhm un-SHIN), a friend of mine is there. Leabhar liom (LOU-wuhr luhm), meansŽa book of mine. Hata le Seán: one of Johnþs hats. Clog le Nóra: one of Noraþs clocks, or a clock of Noraþs.

This usage implies that the subject spoken of is only one of several in its class.ŽLeabhar liom implies that I have several books.ŽMo leabhar isŽmy book and does not say whether I have others.

REFLEX EXPRESSIONS

Is dóchaé(is DOHK*-uh ay*) Itþs likely, I suppose so.

Maith go leor (mah goh lohr) good enough.

Cibéar bith (KI-bay* er BI) anyway.

Anois agus arís (uh-NISH AH-guhs uh-REESH) now and again, now and then.

Vocabulary

Masculine Noun

pá(paw*), pay

Feminine Nouns

obair, an obair (OH-bir, un OH-bir), work, the work

freagair, ag freagairt (FRAG-ir, uh FRAG-irt) answer

dþfhreagair mé, dþfhreagraíomar (DRAG-ir may*, drag-REE-uh-muhr), I answered, we answered

caill, ag cailleadh (keyel, uh KEYEL-uh), lose

tiomáin, ag tiomáint (ti-MAW*-in, uh ti-MAW*NT), drive

séan, ag séanadh (shay*n, uh SHAY*N-uh), deny

tuill, ag tuilleamh (till, uh TILL-uhv), earn

ag déanamh na hoibre (uh DAY*N-uhv nuh HIB-re), doing the work

póg, ag pógadh (pohg, uh POHG-uh), kiss

croch, ag crochadh (krohk*, uh KROHK*-uh), hang

gearán, ag gearán (gyar-AW*N, uh gyar-AW*N), complain

tochail, ag tochailt (TOHK*-il, uh TOHK-ilt), dig

thochlaíomar (hohk*-LEE-uh-muhr), we dug

NOTE: Táan cóta ar crochadh (the coat is hanging); notŽag crochadh, because the latter would mean that the coat is actively hanging something or someone.

DRILL

Go through a progressive drill beginning with the forms:

An leabhar lioméseo? Is this a book of mine? Níleabhar lioméseo. Is leabhar leatéseo. Continue withŽAn leabhar leatéseo? Níleabhar leatéseo. Etc. The last sentence will be:ŽIs leabhar lioméseo.

Repeat this withŽle Seán, le Máire, le dochtúir, leis an bhfear, leis an mbean, leis an gcailín.

CONVERSATION EXERCISE

Read what Bríd says each time, and follow the instructions for what you are to say. Say something appropriate in Irish before you glance down at the key, which you should cover until you need a line.

Bríd: Dia duit, a Dhónaill.

Tú: (Answer her and ask her how she is.)

Bríd: Támégo han-mhaith (HAHN-un-VWAH), agus conas tátúféin?

Tú: (Tell her that you are well, too. Ask her where Pascal is.)

Bríd: O, bhíséag obair sa ghairdín an lágo léir, ag tochailt.

Tú: He earned his pay, I suppose. Is he still doing the work?

Bríd: Táséag obair fós, agus a chóta ar crochadh ar an mballa in aice leis (in AK-e lesh) (meaningŽnear him).

Tú: He didnþt complain yesterday, and the weather as hot as it was. He came home directly.

Bríd: Níor chaill sérud ar bith, bheith ag obair amuigh.

Tú: We dug in the garden yesterday. Long work it is.

Bríd: Is fíor duit. Níor shéan mériamhésin. (I never denied that.)

Tú: Tell her you like to be working outside.

Key:

Diaþs Muire duit, a Bhríd. Conas tátú?

Támégo maith, leis. Cábhfuil Pascal, cibéar bith?

Thuill séa phá(faw*), is dócha. An bfuill séag déanamh na hoibre fós?

Níor ghearán séinné, agus an aimsir chomh (hoh) te agus a bhísé. Tháinig séabhaile go díreach.

Thochlaíomar sa ghairdín inné. Obair fhada is eaí.

Is maith liom bheith ag obair amuigh.