Irish Lesson 73

PRONUNCIATION REVIEW

Pronounce the letter "t": near "a", "o", or "u", with its broad sound. For this, place the tongue so that it lies along or close to the hard part of the roof of the mouth behind the upper front teeth, with the tongue tip touching the back of the upper front teeth. Make sure that the tongue is relaxed and spread out, not contracted and pointed. Pronounce the "t", practicing on:

tál (taw*l), tóg, tú, tobar (TOH-buhr), tachtadh (TAHK*-tuh), talamh (TAH-luhv), táille (TAW*-il-ye), tlú(tloo), tnúth (tnoo), traein (tray*n), troid (trid).

Pronounce a broad "t" inside or at the end of a word in the same way: giota (GI-tuh), eachtra (AHK*-truh), leat (lat), bocht (bohk*t).

Pronounce a "t" near an "e" or "i" with the tongue tip against the hard ridge behind the upper front teeth. Let the tip slide forward and down as you pronounce the sound, which will have a faint (y) sound at the end of it. Examples of this slender sound: te, tirim (TIR-im), tír (teer), teip (tep), teach (tahk*), téamh (tay*v), tiús (tyoos), trí(tree), triúr (troor).

Inside or at the end of a word, slender "t" has the same sound: litir, feictear (FEK-tyuhr), geit (get),áit (aw*t).

Sometimes the slender "t" may resemble the English (ch) sound, but do not consciously imitate the (ch) sound. To see this, pronounce "áit" as (aw*) and (t), with a faint (i) sound in between. Then pronounce it (oy) and (ch), and you will hear the difference.

Grammar

For the irregular verbs, the saorbhriathar (say*r-VREE-huhr) or free form is regular in appearance for the present tense. Learn these:

tagtar (TAHG-tuhr), people come

téitear (TAY*-tyuhr) people go

cloistear (KLISH-tyuhr), people hear

feictear (FEK-tyuhr), people see, it seems

déantar (DAY*N-tuhr), people make or do

tugtar (TUG-tuhr), people give

beirtear air (BER-tyuhr er), it is seized

faightear (FEYE-tyuhr), people get

deirtear (DER-tyuhr), people say

itear (I-tyuhr), people eat

In the negative, "ní" (nee) aspirates all these except "deirtear", which becomes "nídeirtear".

In the questions, both "an" and "nach" eclipse all these, as in "nach bhfaightear anseo iad?" (nahk* VWEYE-tyuhr un-SHUH EE-uhd), aren't they gotten here?, don't people get them here?

Drill

Go through progressive drills with the forms above, with four sentences in each drill, according to this pattern:

Cuir; hataísa seomra suite (SI-tye); hataísa chistin.

An gcuirtear hataísa seomra suite? Níchuirtear hataísa seomra suite. Nach gcuirtear hataísa seomra suite? Cuirtear hataísa chistin.

Tar;óChorcaigh (K*OHR-kee);óBhaileÁtha Cliath (vlaw*-KLEE-uh).

Téigh; go Gaillimh; go Sligeach (SHLIG-ahk*).

Clois; an traein; an t-eitleán (un TET-i-law*n), the airplane.

Feic; an clár sin; that program; an cluiche (KLI-hye), the game.

Déan; anseo iad; i Siceágóiad (i shi-KAW*-goh EE-uhd), in Chicago.

Tabhair (TOO-ir); an t-airgead dó(un TAR-i-guhd doh), the money to him; an t-airgead do Mháire.

Beir; ar an ngadaí(er ung AH-dee), the thief; ar na fír eile.

Faigh; an t-adhmad (TEYE-muhd), wood; an phéint (fay*nt), paint.

Abair; go bhfuil; nach bhfuil.

Ith; an fheoil (OH-il), meat; na prátaí(PRAW*-tee), potatoes.

Comhrá(KOH-raw*)

(The results of the change in the television aerial prove excellent.)

Pól(pohl): Tágach rud réidh anois (ray* uh-NISH). Lasc ann an gléas (lahsk oun un GLAY*-uhs). Everything is ready now. Turn the set on.

Bláthnaid(BLAW*-nid): Támébródúil asat (broh-DOO-il A-suht). Sinían obair is fearr (fahr) -- a rinne (RIN-ye) túle tamall fada anuas (uh-NOO-uhs). I am proud of you. That's the best work that you have done for a long time.

Pól:Suigh síos os comhair an teilifíseán (TEL-i-fee-shaw*-in). Nach compordach (kuhm-POHR-dahk*) an chathaoir (K*AH-heer)ísin? Sit down before the television set. Isn't that chair a comfortable one?

Bláthnaid:Is compordach, gan amhras (OU-ruhs). Agus táméar mo sháimhín só(HAW*-veen soh), freisin. It is, without a doubt. And I feel comfortable too.

Pól:Táfeabhas (fous) mór ar aníomhá(EE-vwaw*). Táimid ag fáil (FAW*-il) pictiúr cuíosach mhaith (KWEE-sahk* vwah).

There's a big improvement in the image. We are getting a fairly good picture.

Bláthnaid:Táan fhuaim (oo-IM) níos fearr anois náa bhísíriamh. Ceartaigh na dathanna (KYART-ee nuh DAH-huh-nuh), masédo thoilé(MAW* shay* duh HIL ay*). Nach bhfuil an dath dearg róthréan? (dah DYAR-ruhg roh-HYRAY*N). The sound is better now than it ever was. Adjust the colors, please. Isn't the red color too intense?

Pól:Déanfar i gcúpla nóiméadésin. Táorm mo bhia a fháil (VEE-uh uh AW*-il). That will be done in a couple of minutes. I have to get my food.

Note:A chair is "compordach" to sit in, but for a person, "Táséar a sháimhín só", or "Tásésómasach" (SOH-muhs-ahk*), he is comfortable.