Page:Graimear na Gaedhilge.djvu/20

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4
eái = aa+ĭ caisleáin (kosh-laain) = castles.
iai[1] = eea+ĭ liaiġ (lee-ĭh) = a physician.
uai[2] = oo+ĭ fuair (foo-ĭr) = found.
iui = ew+i ciuin (kew+ĭn) = calm.

The Consonants.

6. The consonants are usually divided into two classes.

(1) The liquids—l, m, n, r.
(2) The mutes—b, c, d, f, g, p, s, t.

The letter h is not given, for h is not usually recognised as an Irish letter. It can be used only as a sign of aspiration, or at the beginning of a word, to separate two vowels sounds.

Some grammarians divide the consonants into labials, dentals, palatals, gutturals, sibilants, &c., according to the organs employed in producing the sound.

7. Every Irish consonant has two natural[3] sounds, according as it is broad or slender.

An Irish consonant is broad whenever it immediately precedes or follows a broad vowel (a, o, u) An Irish consonant is slender whenever it immediately precedes or follows a slender vowel (e, i).

8. The Irish consonants, when broad, have a much

  1. Pronounced like ille in the French word fille.
  2. It cannot be properly represented by any English sound. It is somewhat like oue in the French word ouest.
  3. Other sounds will be treated of under the heading "Aspiration."