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ortho.htm
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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<link href="stíl.css" rel="stylesheet">
<link rel="icon" href="favicon.ico">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="Author" content="Lars Bräsicke">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="me fein"><title>Irish Orthography</title></head><body alink="#ff0000" background="bg524f.jpg" bgcolor="#ffcc99" link="#0000ee" text="#000000" vlink="#551a8b">
<table bgcolor="#ffcc99" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td>
<h1 id="oben"><span class="red">Caibidil a Seacht Déag</span></h1>
<h1 class="red">Irish Orthography (Litriú na Gaeilge)</h1>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<hr>
<table bgcolor="#ffffcc" border="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td> <a href="#aibitir">the alphabet</a> <br>
<a href="#caollecaol">caol le caol</a>
<br>
<a href="#weit">pronunciation and spelling</a> <br>
<a href="#dubailte">double consonants</a> <br>
<a href="#schwa">the schwa</a> <br>
<a href="#cunta">the auxilliary vowel</a> <br>
<a href="#uru">tongue twisters like mb, gc, nd, bhf, dt, ...</a> <br>
<a href="#seimhiu">all those Hs</a> <br>
<a href="#kG">small letters in front of uppercase</a> <br>
<a href="#fremd">foreign words</a> <br>
<a href="#reform">the spelling reform</a> </td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>The orthography of Irish is at first a bit confusing. <br>
In addition, the pronunciation and written Irish are not identical, especially
the pronunciation varies from dialect to dialect. <br>
Although, the order in which letters appear is not random, but follows specific
rules. <br>
One can just as well develop a feeling for how a written word is to be pronounced,
spelling and pronunciation are certainly closer knit as in English or French.
</p><h2 id="aibitir"><i><span class="lightgreen">the
alphabet (an Aibítir)</span></i></h2>
<img alt="Clógael" src="/web/20230326031917im_/http://www.nualeargais.ie/gnag/ortho_files/clogael.gif" height="47" width="538">
<p>The names of the letters resemble those from the German: <br>
á, bé, cé, dé, é, eif, gé, héis, í, jé, cá (k), eil, eim, ein, ó, pé, cú (q), ear, eas, té, ú, vé, wae, ex, yé, zae
</p><p>Old tree names were once the alphabet,as taken over from the Ogham Alphabet:
<br>
a (ailm = white fir), b (beith = birch), c (coll = hazel), d (dair = oak), e
(edad/eabhadh = poplar), f (fern/fearn = alder), g (gath/gort = ivy), h (uath
= hawthorn), i (idad/íodhadh = yew), l (luis = rowan), m (muin = vine),
n (nin/nion = ash), o (onn = gorse), p (peith = dwarf alder), r (ruis = holander),
s (sail = willow), t (tinne/teithne = holly), u (úr = heather)
</p><p>The Irish Alphabet consists of:
</p><ul>
<li> <b><span class="red">vowels (<i>gutaí</i>)</span> a, e, i, o,
u</b> <br>
with an <b>acute accent (<i>sineadh fada</i>) </b>shows the length
of the vowel: <b>á, é, í, ó, ú</b> <br>
Although some vowels without accent be pronounced as long.</li>
<li><b><span class="red">consonants <i>(consain)</i></span> b, c, d, f, g,
h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t</b> <br>
The <b>consonant h</b> serves as a notation <a href="lenition.htm">lenition</a>
(bh, ch, dh, fh, gh, mh, ph, sh, th) and as the <a href="thnd.htm#h">h-prefix</a>
(ha, he, hi, ho, hu), otherwise only to be found in foreign words. <br>
The <b>consonants j, q, v, w, x, y, z</b> appear only in a few foreign words:
. There isn't a <b>k</b> (even the name of k is written with c : cá)</li>
</ul>
<p>In old script there are also certain abbreviations in use, taken from tironic
notes, a medieval short hand. Especially common is the symbol for agus (and):
<br>
<br>
<img alt="agus" src="/web/20230326031917im_/http://www.nualeargais.ie/gnag/ortho_files/agus.gif" height="60" width="280">
<br>
<br>
In modern writings, this is replaced by a 7 (e.g. 7rl. = agus araile = and so
on). <br>
Still common is <b>.i.</b> the sign for id est, in English i.e.. Written out
it would be in Irish: <i>eadhon = es (is)</i> (an emphatic form of <i>ea</i>)
</p><h2 id="caollecaol"><i class="lightgreen">Caol le caol agus leathan le leathan</i></h2>
In English <b>"<i>slender with slender and broad with broad</i>"</b> <br>
This is the most important rule in Irish spelling. <br>
It is also to be found in Scottish Gaelic.
<p> <b class="red">e, é, i, í</b> are termed in
Irish as <b><span class="red">slender vowels (<i>gutaí caola</i>)</span></b><br>
<b class="red">a, á, o, ó, u, ú</b> and
also the ligature <b class="red">ae</b> are termed as <b><font color="#ff0000">broad
vowels (<i>gutaí leathana</i>)</font></b>
</p><p> Those "slender" vowels are accompanied by consonants which are <b><font color="#ff0000">slender
(<i>consain chaola</i>)</font></b> <br>
And "broad" vowels are accompanied by consonants which are <b><font color="#ff0000">broad
(<i>consain leathana</i>)</font></b>
</p><p> In German a slender consonant can be preceded by a slender vowel then follows
by a broad one, differences in the pronunciation of the consonants are hardly
noticed and are unimportant for the meaning. <br>
Still, such differences are there: (i.e. im <i>ch</i> in <i>ich</i> and
<i>ach</i>). In Irish, these differences are much more evident.
</p><p> In Irish, it goes like this:
</p><p>
</p><table bgcolor="#ffcc99" width="100%">
<tbody><tr><td><br>
<b>preceding <i>and</i> directly following<span class="red">broad</span>
consonants <i>only </i>a <span class="red">broad</span> vowel is allowed.
<br>
preceding <i>and</i> directly following <span class="red">slender</span>
consonants <i>only</i> a <span class="red">slender</span> vowel is allowed.</b><br>
<br></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>With that, it becomes very clear if the consonant is to be pronounced slender
or broad. <br>
i.e. combinations like <i>abe</i> or <i>abi</i> are next to impossible in Irish.
<br>
Possible is only e.g. <i>aba, abo, abu, abae</i> (broad b) or <i>ebi, ebe, ibi,
ibe</i> (slender b)
</p><p> <b>What's the point?</b> <br>
While in German, one has consonants that automatically fit to the accompanying
vowels (think "ich" and "ach"), in Irish a broad consonant can directly follow
a slender vowel and vice versa; the consonants are independent of the vowels.
<br>
This is only true of the <i>spoken</i> language. <br>
In the written language, there would be no clarity as to if a consonant is broad
or slender, if it were not for this rule. <br>
This clarity is very much needed and is made possible in writing through the
use of vowels. It is for this reason that broad consonants may only be framed
by broad vowels, and slender consonants only by slender vowels. <br>
Many written vowels serve only as a marker of the "broadness" or "slenderness"
of the neighbouring consonants. I.e. vowels are inserted, which are <i>not to
be spoken</i>!
</p><p><b>examples</b>
</p><ul>
<li>between a broad vowel and slender consonant an <b>i</b> is inserted. <br>
e.g.: <i>bá<b>i</b>d = boats</i></li>
<li>between í and broad consonant an <b>o</b> is inserted. <br>
e.g.: <i>bí<b>o</b>dh = it shall be</i></li>
<li>between é and broad consonant an <b>a </b> is inserted. <br>
e.g.: <i>fé<b>a</b>r = grass</i></li>
<li>between a slender consonant and a an <b>e</b> is inserted. <br>
e.g.: <i>f<b>e</b>ar = man , f<b>e</b>arr = better</i></li>
<li>between a slender consonant and o an <b>e</b> is inserted. <br>
e.g.: <i>t<b>e</b>o = warmer</i></li>
<li>instead of ó after slender consonants you write <b>eo</b>.<br>
e.g.: <i>éir<b>eo</b>idh mé = I will rise</i></li>
<li>between a slender consonant and u an <b>i</b> is inserted. <br>
e.g.: <i>fl<b>i</b>uch = wet</i>
</li></ul>
<br>
Depending if a broad or slender consonant is used, <i>words differ</i> often in
their <b>meaning, number or case:</b> <br>
<br><b>examples:</b>
<blockquote> e.g.<i> bád = a boat, bá<b>i</b>d = boats, of a boat(gen.)</i>
<br>
the i in <i>bá<b>i</b>d </i> only serves to mark d as slender, it is
not spoken [ba:d'] <br>
e.g. <i>bí<b>o</b>dh = it shall be</i> <br>
the o in <i>bí<b>o</b>dh</i> denotes the dh as broad, and is not spoken
[b'i:x] </blockquote>
It is through this that many vowels appear in written Irish. <br>
This rule is practised consequently. <br>
In compound words this rule is not put in use (e.g. neamhbheo = neamh + beo).
Also with adverbs like <i>arís, ansin, anseo, ansiúd, aneas, aniar</i>
a.o. as well as prepositinoal pronouns like <i>ina, lena</i> are originally also
contractions, so that the rule does not take effect. There are hardly any other
exceptions, and if so, then well substantiated. e.g.: ospidéal (s in sp-
always is broad, therefore a broad vowel preceding sp, a slender vowel following)
<h2 id="weit" class="lightgreen"><i>Pronunciation and Spelling (Fuaimniú agus Litriú)</i></h2>
<p>About the usage of vowels as a marker of the broadness or slenderness of consonants
see above. <br>
For information on Irish phonetics see <a href="phonol.htm">Phonology</a> <br>
The following are only suggestions of the whole, without wanting to or being
able to explain the pronunciation in full (due to the great variation in the
dialects)
</p><p><b class="red">ao</b>: ao is spoken like a long e [e:] (in
Munster) or like a long i [i:] (in Connacht, Ulster, Standard). Despite the
pronunciation it counts as broad, and is also framed by broad consonants. Should
a slender consonant follow, one writes <b class="red">aoi</b>.
This is always pronounced [i:]. <br>
<i>ao</i> used to be, and partially still is pronounced in Donegal as an unrounded
[ü]. <br>
<b class="red">ae:</b> this is a long e [e:] (most <i>not</i>
[æ:]). While and despite the appearance of an e, it is considered broad!
It is treated almost as one single letter. (prior to the spelling reform it
was written "aedhea" e.g. in <i>Gaedheal > Gael</i>). <br>
So, an i must follow if the next consonant is slender: <b class="red">aei</b>.
(e.g.: <i>Gaeilge</i> earlier <i>Gaedhilge</i>) <br>
<b class="red">ei, éi</b>: Even though e is a slender
vowel, it's followed by a (voiceless) i preceding slender consonants: (<i>éire
= Ireland</i> [e:r'@]) <br>
<b class="red">ea</b>: the e actually serves only to the slenderness
of a possible preceding consonant, so in the standard [a] following slender
consonants (<i>fear</i> [f'ar]) Although in Connacht it's spoken like the German
"ä" [æ (<i>fear</i> [f'æ]) <br>
Etymologically, it was often the case that e was the spoken part, the later
a served the broadness of the following consonant (old ir.: <i>fer = Mann</i>,
new ir.: <i>fear</i>) <br>
<b class="red">ai</b>: also often as "ä" [æ <br>
<b class="red">eo</b>: almost always a long o [o:]. In a few
words as a short o [o]: <i>deoch, seo</i>. <br>
"eo" takes the place of "ó" after slender consonants. <br>
<b class="red">abh, odh, ogh</b>: at the beginning or within
a word often like German "au"(ow!) [au] (e.g. umlabht = Umlaut) <br>
<b class="red">amh</b>: at the beginning or within a word in
Cois Fhairrge also "au" [au], in remaining Connemara more like[av]. <br>
<b class="red">adh, agh, eidh</b>: at the beginning or within
a word often like the German "ai"(aye) [ai] <br>
<b class="red">aidh, aigh</b>: at the beginning or within a
word like the German "ai" [ai] <br>
<b class="red">omh(a)</b>: long o [o:] <br>
<b class="red">umh(a)</b>: long u [u:] <br>
<b class="red">-th-</b>: actually [h],but in Cois Fhairrge
the inital h is mostly omitted, neighbouring vowels fuse and become long: <i>athair</i>
[ah@r'] or [æ:r'] <br>
<b class="red">-ch-</b>: slender ch [x'] as an initial often
pronounced [h] and treated like th: <i>fiche</i> [fih@] or [fi:]
</p><p><b>pronunciation of the suffix <span class="red">-(a)idh, -(a)igh</span></b>
<br>
-(a)igh appears as a verb root and imperative (e.g. <i>éirigh = climb!</i>)
and as the preterite of the 2nd conjugation (e.g. <i>d'éirigh sé
= he climbed</i>) but also as the genitive of the noun -(e)ach: (e.g. <i>an
mharcaigh = of the rider</i>). <br>
-(a)idh takes its place next to genitive forms of the noun -adh (<i>an tsamhraidh
= of summer</i>) and in prepositional pronouns of the 3rd person masc (<i>uaidh
= from him</i>) as well as in verbal suffixes (e.g. <i>ólfaidh sé
= he will drink</i>)
</p><p></p><table bgcolor="#ffffcc">
<tbody><tr><td><b>p.o.s.</b></td><td><b>Munster</b></td><td><b>Connemara</b></td><td><b>Donegal</b></td><td><b>Lárchanúint</b></td><td><b>example</b></td></tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">all </td>
<td>[ig']</td><td>[@]</td><td>[i]/[@]</td><td>[i:]</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap"><i>shalaigh sé na bróga = he soiled the shoes</i></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>In Ulster, this suffix is spoken [@] in the case of verbs preceding pronouns
(mé, tú, sé, etc.) otherwise [i].
</p><p>The future verb suffix <b class="red">-óidh</b> is
pronounced in Munster [o:ig], in Connemara only [o:] and in the Lárchanúint
[o:i:]. <br>
In Ulster the old suffix <i>-ochaidh</i> is used instead (pronunciation [ahi]/[ah@]
or [ohi]/[oh@])
</p><p><b id="adh">pronunciation of the suffix <span class="red">-(e)adh</span></b>
<br>
This suffix performs many functions, not only as verbal noun suffix, but also
as a suffix of the analyt. verb form in the imperfect tense (as well as the
conditional and imperative) and last but not least as the autonomous form in
the preterite. <br>
This is why it is pronounced differently in the dialects, also depending on
the function. <br>
The original pronunciation according to the written [að, later [aγ].
It is no longer pronounced like this in any of the Gaeltachts (da [γ]
only at the beginning of a word).
</p><p></p><table bgcolor="#ffffcc">
<tbody><tr><td><b>p.o.s.</b></td><td><b>Munster</b></td><td><b>Connemara</b></td><td><b>Donegal</b></td><td><b>example</b></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>Imperfect preceding noun</td>
<td>[@x]</td><td>[@x]</td><td>[u]</td>
<td><i>ghlanadh an fear = the man cleaned (habit.)</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Imperfect preceding sé/sí/sinn/sibh/siad</td>
<td>[@x]</td><td>[@t']</td><td>[@t']</td>
<td><i>ghlanadh sé = he cleaned (habit.)</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>autonomous form preterite</td>
<td>[@g]*</td><td>[u:]</td><td>[u]</td>
<td><i>glanadh an bord = one cleaned the table</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>verbal noun</td>
<td>[@]</td><td>[@]</td><td>[u]</td>
<td><i>Tá sé ag glanadh = he is cleaning (now)</i></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>*same in Muskerry and Ring, but in Kerry (Dingle) [@x], in Southwest-Cork (Cléire)
[@v] <br>
The Lárchanúint form is comparable to that of Connemara. <br>
The Donegal forms apply also to Mayo (autonomous form in Mayo also [@f]) <br>
The verb suffix <b class="red">-íodh</b> is similar,
but with a preceding [i:] (in Munster [i:x], in Connemara [i:@x])
</p><p><b>pronunciation of the suffix <span class="red">-(e)abh, -(e)amh</span></b>
<br>
This is purely a noun suffix, that appears often in many verbal nouns.
</p><p></p><table bgcolor="#ffffcc">
<tbody><tr><td><b>p.o.s.</b></td><td><b>Munster</b></td><td><b>Connemara</b></td><td><b>Donegal</b></td><td><b>Lárchanúint</b></td><td><b>example</b></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>noun </td>
<td>[@v]</td><td>[@]</td><td>[u]</td><td>[@v]</td>
<td><i>talamh = ground, ollamh = professor, seasamh = sitting</i></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p><b>pronunciation of the suffix <span class="red">-(a)ibh, -(a)imh</span></b>
<br>
The suffix <i>-(a)ibh</i> is the old dative plural suffix of nouns, <i>-(a)imh</i>
is a noun suffix.
</p><p></p><table bgcolor="#ffffcc">
<tbody><tr><td><b>p.o.s.</b></td><td><b>Munster</b></td><td><b>Connacht </b></td><td><b>Donegal</b></td><td><b>Lárchanúint</b></td><td><b>example</b></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>noun </td>
<td>[iv']</td><td>[@], [i:]</td><td>[iv']</td><td>[iv']</td>
<td><i>do na fearaibh = for the men, Gaillimh = Galway</i></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>The pronunciation [i:] in Nord-Connacht (Mayo) and Ulster is (outside of Donegal,
now extinct, there also[u:]) commonplace. <br>
In Connemara rather [@] (<i>Gaillimh = Galway</i> [gaL'@]) <br>
The genitive form <b class="red">-(a)imhe</b> is universally
pronounced [iv'@] (<i>Contae na Gaillimhe = County Galway</i> [koNde: n@ gaL'iv'@])
</p><p><br>
</p><h4 id="dubailte"><b><font color="#cc0000">Double consonants (<i>consain
dhúbailte</i>)</font></b></h4>
O<i>nly</i> <b class="red">l, n, r</b> may be written double:
<b class="red">ll, nn, rr</b> (only between vowels, next to other
consonants only l, n, r) <br>
This affects the pronunciation. So werden e.g. in many dialects vowels in monosyllabic
words preceding ll, nn, rr are spoken mostly long or diphthongised. (as opposed
to German, where only short vowels precede double consonants) <br>
e.g. <i>donn [daun] = brown; barr [ba:r] = tip, fearr [f'aur] = better</i> <br>
On the other hand, ll, nn, rr in are in some dialects rather elongated ("stretched")
(e.g. <i>donn</i> [doN]), but also both (e.g. <i>donn</i> [dauN]). <br>
In Munster there is no stretching phenomenon for double consonants, nn is however
pronounced (e.g. Waterford) [ng] (e.g. the name of the Gaeltacht found there:
<i>An Rinn</i> [@ Ri:ng'], engl. <i>ring</i>)
<p>Other consonants appear only once. <br>
Should by compound words or after presyllables it come to pass that other identical
consonants follow, this must be prevented with a hyphen.(e.g. <i>mo chos-sa
= my feet</i>). The hyphen has no effect on the pronunciation: e.g. [m@ xos@]
</p><p> Also <b class="red">-rd, -rl, -rn, -m. -ng, </b> at the end
of a word will have a similar effect on preceding vowels as do <i>-ll, -nn,
-rr</i>. Also in this case, the vowels are lengthened or diphthongised: <i>cam</i>
[kaum], <i>ard</i> [a:rd], etc.
</p><p><b id="schwa" class="red">the Neutral- or Schwa-vowel</b>
</p><p>This vowel is in many languages the most common, and certainly is in Irish.
<br>
In only a few languages have meade the effort to transcribe this vowel, and
so it is lacking in Irish as well. <br>
In German the "e" does the most of the dirty work (like e in Blume [blu:m@],
the so-called "mumbly e"). <br>
In Welsh it's a non-terminalsyllabic "y", that's why there are so many Ys in
Welsh. <br>
In Irish is can be an a, e, i, o, or u, and in many dialects close to every
short vowel in an unstressed syllable. <br>
e.g. consain leathana = [cons@n' l'æ@n@]
</p><h4 id="cunta"><font color="#cc0000">the Auxilliary Vowel <b><i>(an
guta cúnta)</i></b></font></h4>
<p><b class="red">l, n, r</b> are not just any old consonants,
but <i>liquids</i> and have noch so manche Besonderheit. Here, an important one:
<br>
Between l, n, r, following vowels and preceding b, bh, ch, g, m, mh, <br>
(so in combinations like: <i>lb, nb, rb, lbh, nbh, rbh, lch, nch, rch, lg, ng*,
rg, lm, nm, rm, lmh, nmh, rmh, rn</i>) one speaks an [@] (spoken wie e in Blume)
, but it is never written. <br>
This is the <b> auxilliary vowel</b> <i>(cúnamh = help)</i> It is also
called the <b>epenthetic vowel<i> </i></b><i>(epenthetic = inserted)</i>. </p>
<p>*: The consonant cluster <i>ng</i> are mostly to denote the velar nasal (like
English<i>"ng"</i>), then no aux. vowel is needed. <br>
only in a few cases would one pronounce <i>n</i> and <i>g</i> separately and
only then is an aux. vowel inserted. (e.g. <i>tháinig > thangamair =
we came</i> [han@g@m@r'])
</p><p><b>examples:</b> <i>gorm</i> [gor@m] <i>= blue; dearg</i> [d'ar@g]<i> = red;
leanbh </i>[l'an@bh]<i> = child; ainm </i>[an'@m']<i> = name; Colm</i> [Col@m];
<i>dorcha</i> [dor@cha] <i>= dark</i> <br>
If this aux. vowel was to be written, then most likely as "a" or "i": e.g.:
*goram, *dearag, *leanabh, *ainim, *Colam, *doracha. But it is not done. <br>
Today the writing of the aux. vowel is only following a double-l,n,r, e.g. <i>farraige
= sea</i> (earlier <i>fairrge</i>)
</p><p>The aux. vowel allows for easier pronunciation. It is necessary due to the
shortness of Irish vowels. <br>
(very different from German: e.g. dt."Holm" is easy to pronounce without help,
but the dt. o in Holm is much longer as the Irish o in Colm)
</p><p>In Munster, by cases of e.g. <i>cn, mn, gn</i>, also those at the beginning
of a word (mná, gnó, cnámh)[ <a href="#fn1" id="fnverweis1">1</a>
] and other connections with l,n,r, an aux. vowel is inserted.
</p><h4 id="uru"><b class="red">Tongue Twisters like mb, gc, nd, bhf,
bp, dt....</b></h4>
such combinations come up due to <a href="eklipse.htm">eclipsis</a> (<i>urú</i>).
only the 1st consonant is spoken (so m, g, n, bh, b, d in the example)
<h4 id="seimhiu"><b class="red">All
those Hs...</b></h4>
The h serves as a notation of <a href="lenition.htm">lenition</a> (<i>séimhiú</i>):
<b class="red">bh, ch, dh, fh, gh, mh, ph, sh, th</b> <br>
It took the place of the earlier system of [ <a href="#fn2" id="fnverweis2">2</a>
] the old script; a dot (<i>ponc séimhithe</i>) above the consonants (much
clearer)
<p><img alt="Lenition" src="/web/20230326031917im_/http://www.nualeargais.ie/gnag/ortho_files/leni.jpg" height="78" width="420">
<br>
Here, a <a href="ortho1.htm">sample text</a> (the Lord's Prayer)
<!-- <br>Hier diese gesamte Grammatik in alter Schrift <a href="http://63.249.88.129/cgi-bin/mksc.r?url=http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.braesicke/gramadac.htm">Gramadach na Gaeilge</a> (offenbar ein lustiges Programm eines mir unbekannten Menschen) -->
</p><p>Other usage as the <a href="thnd.htm#h">h-prefix</a>: hA, ha, hE, he, hI, hi,
hO, ho, hU, hu <br>
Within a word, or the lone h is only common in foreign-/borrowed words (e.g.
hata = hat)
</p><h4 id="kG"><b class="red">small letters in front of uppercase...</b></h4>
e.g.: nA, nE, tS, tA, tE, nD, nG, mB, bhF, bP, hA etc.
<p>In cases of <a href="eklipse.htm">eclipsis</a> and <a href="thnd.htm">t-,h-,n-prefixes</a>
of capital letters (e.g. in titles) the added consonant is written small directly
followed be the capital letter. <br>
e.g. Poblacht na héireann = Republic of Ireland; Tir na nóg =
Land of Youth, Dún na nGall = Donegal <br>
Sometimes in compound words the 2nd part is written large: e.g.: an tSeanGhaeilge
= Old Irish
</p><h4 id="fremd"><b class="red">Foreign words</b></h4>
<p>Foreign words are tailored to meet the rules of Irish pronunciation and spelling.
In this way they become almost impossible to recognise. <br>
The flood of foreign words comes mostly via English, and their pronunciation
of Latin words e.g. is often taken on and then set in writing. <br>
When possible, Irish suffixes or. word stems are used<br>
e.g. teilifísean = television, síceolaíocht = Psychology
(<i>síc</i> from the Greek <i>psych</i> + Irish. <i>eolaí</i>
= sage+ Irish <i>-cht</i> as noun suffix) </p>
<h4 id="reform">
<b class="red">the spelling reform</b></h4>
<p>In the 40s, a spelling reform took place, in which relatively thoroughly the
written word was matched up with the pronunciation. The problems arising in
the dialectical differences, making the necessity of a central "middle
of the road" dialect. <br>
With this, the written Irish became more similar to the pronunciation, but a
complete congruence is not the case. The artificial <i>Lárchanúint
(central dialect)</i> came into being as a result of this reform; in which the
written Irish mirrors the pronunciation the most. <br>
In the spelling reform, one omitted many of the letters that were voicelss in
the majority of dialects, e.g. <i>-óchaidh > -óidh, -uchadh >
-ú, -aedhea- > -ae-, -amhail > -úil,-ighe > í, -idhe
> í</i>, etc. In addition to this, there were conventions of spelling,
whose roots are in the pronunciation: , <i>-ighea > ío</i>, <i>ln/nl/dl
> ll</i>, <i>dn/nd > nn</i>, etc. <br>
Parallel to the spelling reform one switched from the Gaelic script (<a href="ortho1.htm">sample
text </a>) to the modern script.
</p><p>
</p><hr width="100%">
<center><a href="#oben" title="nach oben">suas</a>
<br>
<br>
<a href=".">Gramadach na Gaeilge</a>
<br>
<br>
<hr width="100%">
<br><font size="-2"> Lars Bräsicke 2000</font></center>
<br><br><br>
<p>[ <a href="#fnverweis1" id="fn1">1</a> ] <font size="-1"> in the North
(Connacht, Ulster) this is spoken<i> [kr, mr, gr]</i> </font> <br>
[ <a href="#fnverweis2" id="fn2">2</a> ] <font size="-1"> In <b>Old
Irish</b> only the lenited letters <b>f</b> and <b>s</b> were noted with a dot
(the dot was generally used as a sign of deletion, <i>punctum delens</i>. Since
a lenited f loses its voice, and a lenited s is spoken as h, they were, quasi,
"deleted"). <br>
lenited <b>c, p, t</b> were denoted with an h (<b>ch, ph, th</b>) , as "ch",
"ph", "th" were known from the Latin (or from the Greek). <br>
lenited <b>b, d, g, m</b> were completely without notation, because letter combinations
like "bh", "dh", "gh" and "mh" were unknown to Latin speaking scholars.
<br>
First later, in Classical Irish became the dot over all lenited consonants the
rule. Now, in the age of modern script, the h in its place (supposedly because
typewriters had no key for dotted letters) <br>
The letters <b>l, n</b> are lenitable in spoken Irish, but in the written form
they remain unlenited. </font>
</p><a href="https://github.com/cuplamilefocal/gnag">view on github</a>
<a href="https://braesicke.de/ortho.htm">view original German</a></body></html>