language35

Irish Lesson 35

PRONUNCIATION

Read the passage in the next paragraph slowly without looking at the key below it. Then read it a second time, making use of the key if you are unsure. Do not try to make sense out of the words; merely concentrate on the pronunciation:

Tásésocraithe agam airgead a iarraidhÛn bhfear a thug cÛras ceoil dom. Nuair a bhírogha le déanamh, dúirt daoine eile gur chaith siad lÛn le Gréagaigh cheartradharcacha. I ngach uile cheann, déarfar gur chuir cairde dílse go fÛill go bhfuil an méid sin aicme agus dreamannaéagsúla ann nach aon mhaith a bheith a mealladh sa Taispeántas Ealaíne.

Key: taw* shay* SOHK-ruh-he uh-GUHM AR-i-guhd uh EER-ee ohn VAR uh hug KOH-ruhs KYOH-il duhm. NOO-ir uh vee ROU-uh le DAY*N-uhv, DOO-irt DEEN-uh EL-e gur k*ah SHEE-uhd lohn le GRAY*-gee hyart-REYE-uhr-KAHK*-uh. ing AHK* IL-e hyoun, DYAY*R-fuhr gur k*ir KAHR-de DEEL-she goh FOH-il goh vwil un may*d shin AK-me AH-gus DRAM-un-nuh ay*g-sool-uh oun nahk* ay*n vwah uh ve uh MYAL-uh suh tash-PAW*N-tuhs AH-leen-e.

GRAMMAR

The Irish word for "on" is "ar" (er). It usually aspirates the initial consonant of the next word, although there are many exceptions to this, as you will see. Here are examples of usage of "ar":

ar Shéamas (er HAY*-muhs), on James

ar charr (er K*AHR), on a car

ar mo charr (er muh K*AHR), on my car

ar an gcarr, on the car

féach ar an mbean (FAY*-uhk* er un MAN), look at the woman

In many common expressions, there is no aspiration of the following consonant:

ar buile (er BWIL-e), angry

ar crocadh (er KROHK*-uh), hanging

ar díol (er DEE-uhl), for sale

ar ball (er BOUL), presently

Like "ag" and "le", the preposition "ar" joins with "mé, tú, sé", etc, to form words meaning "on me, on you, on him", etc. Learn these forms thoroughly now, to be ready for the Drill below.

orm (OH-rum), on me

ort (OH-ruht), on you

air (er), on him

uirthí(IR-ee), on her

orainn (OH-rin), on us

oraibh (OH-riv), on you (pl)

orthu (OHR-huh), on them

An important use for "ar" is in such expressions as "I am angry" or "he is afraid". In Irish, these can become "Táfearg orm" (taw* FAR-uhg OH-ruhm), there is anger on me; and "Táeagla air" (taw* AH-gluh er), there is fear on him. Often sickness, too, is "on" a person, in sentences such as "Táslaghdán uirthi" (taw* sleye-DAY*N IR-ee) there is a cold on her.

VOCABULARY

Masculine nouns

mac (mahk), son

áthas, an t-áthas (AW*-huhs, un TAW*-huhs), joy, happiness

brÛn (brohn), sorrow

ocras, an t-ocras (OHK-ruhs, un TOHK-ruhs), hunger

tart (TAHR-ruht), thirst

amhras, an t-amhras (OU-ruhs, un TOU-ruhs), doubt

ionadh, an t-ionadh (OON-uh, an TOON-uh), surprise

Feminine nouns

eagla, an eagla (AH-gluh), fear

fearg, an fhearg (FAR-ruhg, un AR-ruhg), anger

náire (NAW*-re), shame

imní, an imní(IM-nee), anxiety

iníon, an iníon (in-EEN, un in-EEN), daughter

mínigh, ag míniú(uh MEEN-yoo), explain

mhíníomar (veen-EE-uh-muhr), we explained

cleacht, ag cleachtadh (klak*t, uh KLAK*-tuh), practice

glaoigh, ag glaoch (GLAY*-ee, uh GLAY*-uhk) ar (er), call on, telephone

anocht (uh-NOHK*T), tonight

aréir (uh-RAY*R), last night

anuraidh (un-NOOR-ree), last year

DRILL

Go through a progressive drill with "ar" and the pronouns, starting with:

An bhfuiláthas orm? Níláthas orm. Tááthas ort. An bhfuiláthas ort? Níláthas ort. Tááthas air. An bhfuiláthas air? etc. Your last sentence will be: Tááthas orm.

Repeat the progressive drill with as many of these words as possible: brÛn, fearg, eagla, ocras, tart, náire, imní, amhras, ionadh.

"Cad táair?" (kahd taw* er) means "What's wrong with him?" Aks this question and then answer it with some of the vocabulary words. For example: Cad táair? TábrÛn air. Make use of "Cad táort? Cad táoraibh?" etc.

CONVERSATION

Sinéad (shin-AY*D): Dia duit, a Réamoinn.

Réamonn (RAY*-mohn): Dia's Muire duit, a Shinéad. Conas tátú?

Sineád:”, táslaghdán orm. Bhíméistigh an lágo léir inné.

Réamonn: TábrÛn ormésin a chloisteáil (K*LISH-taw*-il). Glaoigh (GLAY*-ee) méort timpeall (TIM-puhl) a deich a chlog, ach níbhfuair (VOO-ir) méfreagra ar bith (FRAG-ruh er BI).

Sinéad: Chula mé(K*OO-uh-luh may*) an teileafÛn (TEL-e-fohn), agus níraibháthas orm ar chor ar bithéa chloisteáil.

Réamonn: Níl ionadh ar bith orm. Féach! Tádochtúir ag teacht!

Janet: Hello, Raymond.

Raymond: Hello, Janet. How are you?

Janet: Oh, I have a cold. I was inside all day yesterday.

Raymond: I'm sorry to hear that. I called you around ten, but I got no answer at all.

Janet: I heard the phone, and I wasn't happy at all to hear it.

Raymond: I'm not at all surprised. Look! A doctor's coming!