Pronounce Irish place names

CPB · Post by **CPB** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:57 am

My friend is very appreciative of all the help. Would it be possible to render these pronunciations in the International Phonetic Alphabet? Since she is a professional singer and professor of voice, this would be the surest way for her to reproduce these sounds accurately.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:09 am

I'm sorry...I don't know IPA, and wouldn't have the font to render it if I did.

If your friend's American, what we've given here should be adequate...especially if she's already listened to the songs.

Redwolf

alurker · Post by **alurker** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:34 pm

CPB wrote: Would it be possible to render these pronunciations in the International Phonetic Alphabet?

I'm sure it would.

All you would need is someone who speaks Irish, knows the IPA and has plenty of time on their hands.

I, at best, only half-satisfy 2 out of the 3 criteria.

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:52 am

alurker wrote:
Roger O'Keeffe wrote:KilCORmack: cor rather than core, and it's the stressed syllable the mack is the same neutral vowel as above
Locally the 'core' version is used. Same with Duncormick.

I sit corrected.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:44 am

alurker wrote:
CPB wrote: Would it be possible to render these pronunciations in the International Phonetic Alphabet?
I'm sure it would.

All you would need is someone who speaks Irish, knows the IPA and has plenty of time on their hands.

I, at best, only half-satisfy 2 out of the 3 criteria.

Most of the words aren't Irish, so that first criterium probably isn't necessary.

Redwolf

pancelticpiper · Post by **pancelticpiper** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:17 am

What I find very interesting is the usual Anlgicised spelling in old books "mauverneen" for mo mhuirnin, because as you point out in Irish it would be "muh-wur-neen". "Mauverneen" is much closer to the way mo mhuirnin would be pronounced in Scottish gaelic, with the "o" in "mo" pronounced almost like an "a" and the "mh" pronounced as "v". Perhaps "mauverneen" in the old books preserves an Irish dialect closer to Scottish gaelic???

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:28 pm

pancelticpiper wrote:What I find very interesting is the usual Anlgicised spelling in old books "mauverneen" for mo mhuirnin, because as you point out in Irish it would be "muh-wur-neen". "Mauverneen" is much closer to the way mo mhuirnin would be pronounced in Scottish gaelic, with the "o" in "mo" pronounced almost like an "a" and the "mh" pronounced as "v". Perhaps "mauverneen" in the old books preserves an Irish dialect closer to Scottish gaelic???

What books are you referring to? I've only ever seen it spelt Mavourneen, though don't ask me where.

TheSpoonMan · Post by **TheSpoonMan** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:53 pm

Roger O'Keeffe wrote:
pancelticpiper wrote:What I find very interesting is the usual Anlgicised spelling in old books "mauverneen" for mo mhuirnin, because as you point out in Irish it would be "muh-wur-neen". "Mauverneen" is much closer to the way mo mhuirnin would be pronounced in Scottish gaelic, with the "o" in "mo" pronounced almost like an "a" and the "mh" pronounced as "v". Perhaps "mauverneen" in the old books preserves an Irish dialect closer to Scottish gaelic???
What books are you referring to? I've only ever seen it spelt Mavourneen, though don't ask me where.

That spelling would raise the same issue, tho...

pancelticpiper · Post by **pancelticpiper** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:19 am

Sure you are probably right. But still, it shows the mh sounding v regardless of whether it's broad or slender which is what you see in Scottish gaelic, and the o sounding like a ("ah") in many cases.