HOW TO PRONOUNCE IRISH FOR BEGINNERS
Toward the end of this column, you'll see links to video files which will enable you to memorize a fundamental set of Irish phonetics. Master these and you'll be well on your way to mastering Irish pronunciation. But first, read this entire column.
Introduction
First, a word of encouragement. Let's face it - the only thing humans are really good at is talking. We're not faster than the cheetah, stronger than the elephant, or smarter than dolphins (who long ago decided to bio-engineer technological wonders like sonar). We used to try to claim that we're the only tool-users, but chimpanzees make straws to sip up ants, and seagulls open clams by dropping them onto highways which they somehow trick us into building for them. We used to claim that we're the only ones who can put our thumb and forefinger together, but how many lobsters really actually have a problem with that?
So, the only thing we're really good at, and what we naturally, instinctively, inexorably can't stop ourselves from doing, is talking and learning more about how to talk. Yak, yak, yak, every day you learn new names, new words, new people, new things, new pronunciations, new accents, new dialects - no matter how old you are, you're great at it, and there's nothing you can do to stop yourself. Millions of years of human development have seen to that. So, if you practice what is provided below, you will not fail to learn it.
The Irish Phonetic System Is Different
The Irish Gaelic phonetic system is very different from the phonetic systems of other languages, with the single exception of Scottish Gaelic. Therefore, for most students who set out to learn Irish, "How do you pronounce that?" is the biggest and most frequent question. Once fully answered, students discover that Irish grammar is extremely well-ordered (unlike English), almost like a computer program, having been nearly perfected by our poets when they basically took on the task of creating Early Modern Irish in the 12th century. In fact, a computerized Irish language dictionary developed with the help of our friend Barra Ó Donnabháin (beannacht Dé ar a anam) in the mid-1990s in the U.S. was able to save extensive amounts of memory because it incorporated the extrapolation of Irish grammatical rules.
A Note About Dialect
Just as in English pronunciation, you'll run into variations in Irish pronunciation. Imagine for a moment all the different ways an American can say a simple word like 'Boston' - Bahstin, Bawstin, Bohstin, etc. Every human naturally pronounces every word and sound slightly differently than every other human, unless they're making a living as an Elvis impersonator. In other words, every human has his/her own dialect. So don't worry if you don't sound exactly like anyone else. You're not supposed to. Also, if you've memorized this system and somebody says to you "Your pronunciation is wrong, it should be said this way...," don't worry about it. That person is just demonstrating pride in his/her own dialect. So just say "Thank you", use their pronunciation, and keep going.
The Set of Phonetics We Teach
In years past, we taught just about all the variations in Irish phonetics you might hear. We've concluded that that approach was too much, it drove our students crazy. So, beginning with our 2013-2014 school year, we began teaching one simplified, standardized set of phonetics based on the Cois Fharraige dialect of Connemara, Connacht, Ireland. It's understood throughout Ireland (and by Irish speakers worldwide). This is basically the set of phonetics used by Buntús Cainte and our sound files for Progress In Irish. As you advance in the language you'll hear, learn, and perhaps use other pronunciations, just as you did growing up in your native language.
Now Start Memorizing
Immediately below you'll see links to vowels, 'vowel surprises' (diphthongs), other vowel combinations, consonants, and more. Start with vowels, memorize their pronunciation, and then proceed through the rest one by one. Since I created this back in 2004, many have posted videos about Irish pronunciation on Youtube. All good material, no doubt. But to avoid going crazy with all the variations, I suggest you stick to my videos for starters and learn other dialects / pronunciations over time.
1.A. How to Pronounce the Vowels
1.B. How to Put Accent Marks on Vowels
2. How to Pronounce the Diphthongs
3. Short, Long, Broad, and Slender Vowels
4. How to Pronounce the Consonants
5. The Last Few Pronunciation Rules
Críoch / End
Well, that's it. Once you go through these pages and memorize their contents, you'll know a good set of phonetics which will make you understood by Irish speakers around the world. There are variations, just as in any living language, but you'll pick those up over time. For now, the best thing to do is to memorize these, and then proceed through our beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses in order to learn Irish!
Buíochas / Thanks
Mo bhuíochas le Séamas Ó Neachtain, Réamonn Ó Cléirigh, Stan Ó Faoláin, Pádraig Ó Clúmháin, Rita Bowden, Cathal Mertens, Séamus Ó Maoláin, Barra Ó Donnabháin, Brian Ó Mealláin, Ken Nilsen, Gail Ní Dheághaidh, Conor Ó Ceallaigh, Máire Ní Cheallaigh, William A. Kelly, agus Rosalie Marie Kelly dá gcabhair thar na blianta chun an clár seo a chur le chéile. Ar ndóigh, is liomsa aon bhotúin atá ann. - Gearóid Ó Ceallaigh
