Irish Lesson 12

The letter pair "eo" usually represents the sound "oh". Hold it somewhat longer than if it were in an English word, and do not add the short (oo) sound in English (oh). Examples of "eo" beginning a word: eolas (OH-luhs), knowledge; eorna (OHR-nuh), barley.

If a consonant comes before the "eo", the consonant gets its slender sound, and there is often an audible (y) sound, between consonant and "eo". Examples, with slender consonants you learned to pronounce in Lessons 1 and 2: ceo (kyoh), mist; deo (dyoh), end; geoin (GYOH-in), hum; teo (tyoh), warmth. Other examples: beo (byoh), living; feoil (FYOH-il), meat; meon (myohn), mind; neodrach (NYOH-druhk*), neutral.

If an "s" comes before the "eo", no (y) sound is heard, only the (sh) of slender "s". Examples: seoid (SHOH-id), jewel; seomra (SHOHM-ruh), room; seó(shoh), show. Do not confuse "seó" with "seo" (shuh), meaning "this". "Seo" is an exception to the general (oh) pronunciation for "eo". "Deoch" (dyuhk*), a drink, is also an exception.

The word "seomra" is another exception in parts of Ireland, where it is pronounced (SHUHM-ruh). In general, the (oh) sound in "seomra" is not held as long as in most "eo" examples.

GRAMMAR

To say that a person or object is not in some general class, use these forms:

Nídochtúir mé(nee dohk*-TOO-ir may*), I am not a doctor.

Nídochtúir tú(nee dohk*-TOO-ir too), You are not a doctor.

Nídochtúiré(nee dohk*-TOO-ir ay*), He is not a doctor.

Nídochtúirí(nee dohk*-TOO-ir ee), She is not a doctor.

Nídochtúir sinn (nee dohk*-TOO-ir shin), We are not doctors.

Nídochtúirísibh (nee dohk*-TOO-ree shiv), You (plural) are not doctors.

Nídochtúiríiad (nee dohk*-TOO-ree EE-uhd), They are not doctors.

The questions connected with this are:

An dochtúir mé? (un dohk*-TOO-ir may*) Am I a doctor?, etc., and: Nach dochtúir mé? (nahk* dohk*-TOO-ir may*), Am I not a doctor? Etc.

To answer these questions , the forms are:

Is dochtúir mé, or:

Is ea (sha), It is so, I am.

The negative answer is:

Níhea (nee HA), It is not so, I am not. A longer answer is: Níhea, ach múinteoir (nee HA, ahk* moo-inTYOHR), I am not, but I am a teacher.

VOCABULARY

Masculine nouns

páiste (PAW*SH-te), child

páistí(PAW*SH-tee), children

Éireannaigh (AY*R-uh-nee), Irish persons

Meiriceánaigh (mer-uh-KAW*-nee), Americans

dlíodóir (dlee-uh-DOH-ir), lawyer

dlíodóirí(dlee-uh-DOH-i-ree), lawyers

feirmeoir (fer-im-OH-ir) farmer

feirmeoirí(fer-im-OH-i-ree) farmers

Feminine nouns

banaltra, an bhanaltra (BAHN-uhl-truh, un VAHN-uhl-truh), nurse, the nurse

banaltraí(BAHN-uhl-tree), nurses

buatais, an bhuatais (BOO-tish, un VOO-tish), boot, the boot

buataisí(BOO-ti-shee), boots

garbh (GAHR-ruhv), rough

dona (DUH-nuh), bad; (as weather)

go leor (goh lohr), enough

ar dtús (er DOOS), at first, first

trom (truhm), heavy

DRILL

Go through "is", substituting all the nouns above except "buatais", in the following pattern: An páiste mé?, Níhea, achÉireannach. An páiste tú? Níhea, ach Meiriceánach. An páisteé? Níhea, ach dlíodóir. Etc. Continue to: An páistíiad? Níhea, ach Meirceánaigh.

Then change to: AnÉireannach mé? Níhea, ach Meirceánach. Etc. In each sentence, make sure that you use the proper number, either singular or plural.

CONVERSATION

Pádraigín (PAW*-dri-geen): Dia daoibh, a mham agus a dhaid (DEE-uh-geev, uh vwahm AH-guhs uh gahd). Hello mom and dad.

Máirín (maw*-REEN): Dia duit, a stór (DEE-uh git, uh stohr). Conas tátú? (KUN-uhs taw* too) Hello, dear. How are you?

Pádraigín: Támégo maith (taw* may* goh mah). Lágarbh sa scoil inniú(law* GAHR-ruhv suh skuhl in-YOO). Céardésin ar an mbord? (kay*rd ay* shin er un mohrd) I'm well. Rough time in school today. What's that on the table?

Máirín: Is subhí, ach bain diot an cóta agus na bróga, ar dtús (is soov ee, ahk* bwin DEE-uht un KOH-tuh AH-guhs nuh BROHG-uh er DOOS). Tádo chosa fliuch (taw* duh K*UH-suh flyuk*). It's jam, but take off the coat and shoes first. Your feet are wet.

Pádraigín: Táan aimsir dona go leor (taw* un EYEM-sheer DUH-nuh goh lohr), The weather's bad enough.

Dónall (DOH-nuhl): Suas an staighre leat, agus nábíag piocadh ar an arán (SOO-uhs un STEYE-ruh lat, AH-guhs naw* bee uh PIK-uh er un uh-RAW*N). Up the stairs with you, and don't be picking at the bread.

Máirín: Cábhfuair méan páiste sin? (kaw* VOO-ir may* un PAW*SH-te shin) Where did I get that child?

Note: In the word "aimsir", the first syllable approximately rhymes with the English word "chime" not with the phrase "buy 'em".