language63

Irish Lesson 63

PRONUNCIATION REVIEW

In Irish, "f" gets its broad sound when the nearest vowel in the word is "a", "o" or "u". Begin the broad sound of "f" with the lower lip against the edge of the upper front teeth. Then move both lips outward as you make the (f) sound. Try:

fá(faw*), under; fada (FAH-duh), long; fadhb (feyeb), problem; fód (fohd), sod; foghlaim (FOU-lim), learn; folamh (FUHL-uhv), empty; foirm (FWIR-rim), form; fuar (FOO-uhr), cold. fud (fud), ar fud, all through; fuiseog (fwi-SHOHG), lark (bird); fabhra (FOU-ruh), eyelash; faobhar (FAY*-vwuhr), sharpness; faoileán (fwee-LAW*N), seagull; flaithiúil (fla-HOO-il), generous; fraoch (FRAY*-uhk*), heather; frog (frohg), frog.

Note that sometimes the broad "f" sound may be immediately followed by a sound resembling English (w). Compare "fí" (fee), weaving, which has a slender (f) as described in the previous lesson, with "faoi" (fwee), under, and its broad (f). The final (ee) in both words is the same, but the "f"s differ. "Fill" (fil), return, and "fuil" (fwil), blood, supply another example.

Examples of broad "f" inside a word:

marfóir (mahr-FOH-ir), killer; neafais (NYA-fwish), a trifle; profa (PROH-fuh), printer's proof; ráfla (RAW*-fluh), rumor; scafaire (SKAH-fuh-re), a hearty man; scríofa (SHKREE-fuh), written; tafann (TAH-fuhn), barking; triuf (truf), club (cards).

In the future tense and a few other instances, broad "f" in a word has an (h) sound:

dúnfaidh sé(DOON-hee shay*), he will close; fiafraigh de (FEE-huhr-ee de), ask him.

Aspirated broad "f" has no sound: mo fhadhb (muh eyeb), my problem.

GRAMMAR

The Irish verb "tá" can also serve in comparisons, to form the equivalent of "John is stronger than James". The form is:

TáSeán níos láidre náSéamas" (taw* shaw*n nees LAW*-dre naw* SHAY*-muhs).

In the future tense, "John will be stronger than James", The form is: "Beidh Seán níos láidre náSéamas".

In the past tense, you can say "níos láidre", too:

"BhíSeán níos láidre náSéamas", but a slightly different way is also common: "BhíSeán níba láidre náSéamas" (vee shaw*n nee buh LAW*-dre naw* SHAY*-muhs). The "ba" here is the past tense of "is". You have met the present tense of "is" but not the past yet.

You can also join the form "níos láidre" with other verbs. Example:

Éiríonn síníosáille gach lá(eye-REE-uhn shee nees AW*-il-ye gahk* law*), she grows more beautiful each day.

"Tá" can also help you to form superlatives, such as "He is the strongest man here". The form is:

Táséar an bhfear is láidre anseo (taw* shay* er un var is LAW*-dre un-SHUH). You are saying literally: "He is on the man is best here". Another example: TáSeán ar an scoláire iséirimiúla sa rang (taw* shaw*n er un skuh-LAW*-re is ER-i-myoo-luh suh rahng), John is the most intelligent student in the class.

VOCABULARY

ciúin, ciúine (KYOO-in, KYOO-in-e), quiet, quieter; gorm, goirme (GUH-ruhm, GIR-i-me), blue, bluer; rua, rua (ROO-uh) or (roh), red-haired, with redder hair; sean, sine (shan, SHIN-e), old, older; daor, daoire (day*r, DEER-e), dear, expensive; dearer, more expansive; trom, troime (truhm, TRIM-e), heavy, heavier; aibí, aibí(A-bee), ripe, riper; cairdiúil, cairdiúla (kahr-DYOO-il, kahr-DYOO-luh), friendly, friendlier; dearg, deirge (DYAR-ruhg, DYER-i-ge), red, redder; saibhir, saibhre (SEYE-vir, SEYE-vir-e), rich, richer; anuraidh (uh-NOOR-ee), last year

DRILL

Form comparatives by using "is" and "tá" with the following word groups. The first is an example.

Brian, cairdiúil, a athair. Is cairdiúil Brian náa athair (is kahr-DYOO-luh BREE-uhn naw* uh A-hir); táBrian níos cairdiúla náa athair.

An cailín seo, sean, an páiste sin.

Na húlla seo (nuh HOOL-uh shuh), aibí, na cinn sin (nuh kin shin). ("úll" means "apple"; "cinn" is the plural of "ceann", meaning "one").

An rothar, ciúin, mo charr.

An t-úll seo, dearg, an ceann sin.

An leabhar, trom, nuachtán.

Key:Is sine an cailín seo náan páiste sin (is SHIN-e un kah-LEEN shuh naw* un PAW*SH-te shin). Táan cailín seo níos sine náan páiste sin.

Is aibína húlla seo nána cinn sin. Tána húlla seo níos aibínána cinn sin.

Is ciúine an rothar námo charr. Táan rothar níos ciúine námo charr.

Is deirge an t-úll seo náan ceann sin. Táan t-úll seo níos deirge náan ceann sin.

Is troime an leabhar náan nuachtán. Táan leabhar níos troime náan nuachtán.