Help:IPA/Irish

This is the pronunciation key for IPA transcriptions of Irish on Wikipedia.

It provides a set of symbols to represent the pronunciation of Irish in Wikipedia articles, and example words that illustrate the sounds that correspond to them. Integrity must be maintained between the key and the transcriptions that link here; do not change any symbol or value without establishing consensus on the talk page first.

For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

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The charts below show the way in which the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents Irish-language pronunciations in Wikipedia articles. For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see Template:IPA and Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation § Entering IPA characters.

See Irish phonology and Irish orthography for a more thorough look at the sounds of Irish and how they are represented in writing, respectively.

Key

Consonants^[1]
Broad			Slender
IPA	Example	English approximation	IPA	Example	English approximation
bˠ	bain, scuab	boot	bʲ	béal, cnáib	beautiful
d̪ˠ	dorn, nead	do (but dental), though (Ireland)	dʲ	dearg, cuid	media
fˠ	fós, graf, pholl	fool	fʲ	fíon, stuif, phríosún	fuel
ɡ	gasúr, bog	goose	ɟ	geata, carraig	argue
ɣ	dhorn, ghasúr	Spanish higo	j^[2]^[3]	dhearg, gheata	yellow
h^[4]	Shasana, shean, thaisce, theanga, hata, na héisc	hand	—
k	cáis, mac	cart	c	ceist, mic	cube
l̪ˠ^[5]	labhair, balla	filth	l̠ʲ^[5]	leabhair, goilleadh	million
lˠ^[5]	fhlaith, bealach	pool	lʲ^[5]	fhleasc, goile	leaf
mˠ	mór, am	moot	mʲ	milis, im	mute
n̪ˠ^[6]	naoi, donna	tenth	n̠ʲ^[6]	ní, bainne	inch
nˠ^[6]	dona	noon	nʲ^[6]	bainis	opinion
ŋ	ngasúr	long	ɲ	ngeata	angular
pˠ	poll, stop	poor	pʲ	príosún, truip	pure
ɾˠ	barr, carr	rule (but tapped)	ɾʲ	fhréamh, tirim	real (but tapped)
sˠ	Sasana, tús, speal	soon	ʃ	sean, cáis	sheet
t̪ˠ	taisce, ceart	tool (but dental), thorn (Ireland)	tʲ	tír, beirt	tune (accents without yod dropping)
w^[7]^[3]	bhain, dubh, mhór, léamh, vóta	wood or voodoo	vʲ	bhéal, sibh, mhilis, nimh, veidhlín	view
x	cháis, taoiseach	loch (Scotland)	ç	cheist, deich, theann, theocht, thiúilip, thiocfadh, thiubh	hue (pronounced strongly)

Vowels
IPA	Examples	English approximation	IPA	Examples	English approximation
a	mac	trap	aː	tá	father
ɛ	ceist	best	eː	mé, gael	pay
ɪ	ith, duine	kit	iː	mín, naoi	mean
ɔ	olc, deoch	off	oː	bó, ceol	core
ʊ	dubh, fliuch	good	uː	tú	cool
ə	solas, milis	sofa	—

Diphthongs
IPA	Examples	English Approximation
iə^[8]	bia	idea
uə^[8]	fuar	truant
əi^[8]	saghas	light
əu^[8]	leabhar	about

Suprasegmentals
IPA	Explanation
ˈ	primary stress (placed before the stressed syllable); usually the first syllable except in Munster
ˌ	secondary stress (usually found only in compounds)

Comparison of transcription schemes

Materials published elsewhere use somewhat different conventions from those used at Wikipedia. For example, it is a longstanding tradition to leave velarized ("broad") consonants unmarked and mark palatalized ("slender") consonants with the prime, but that is not standard IPA usage.

This section compares the IPA system used at Wikipedia (which is based on that used by Ailbhe Ní Chasaide in her description of Irish in the Handbook of the International Phonetic Association, ISBN 0-521-63751-1) with the systems used in some other works.

IPA	Ní Chasaide (1999)^[9] (Gweedore)	Quiggin (1906)^[10] (Glenties)	Breatnach (1947)^[11] (Ring)	Ó Sé (2000)^[12] (Dingle Peninsula)	Mhac an Fhailigh (1968)^[13] (Erris)	Ó Siadhail (1988)^[14] (Cois Fharraige)	Foclóir Póca (1993)^[15] (Lárchanúint)
a	a	æ, α	a	a	a	æ:, a:	a
aː	æ	α:	a:	ɑː	a:	ɑ:	a:
bˠ	bˠ	b	b	b	b	b	b
bʲ	bʲ	b′	b′	b′	b′	b′	b′
c	c	k′	k′	k′	k′	k′	k′
ç	ç	ç	ç	x′	ç	x′	x′
d̪ˠ	d̪ˠ	d	d	d	d	d	d
dʲ	d̠ʲ	d′	d′	d′	d′	d′	d′
eː	e	e:	e:	eː	e:	e:	e:
ɛ	ɛ	ɛ, e	e	e	e	e	e
ə	ə	ə	ə	ə, ɪ	ə	ə	ə
əi	—	αi	əi	ai	əi	ai	ai
əu	au	αu	əu	ou	əu	au	au
fˠ	fˠ	f	f	f	f	f	f
fʲ	fʲ	f′	f′	f′	f′	f′	f′
ɡ	ɡ	g	g	ɡ	g	g	g
ɣ	ɣ	ℊ	γ	ɣ	ɣ	ɣ	γ
h	h	h	h, h′	h	h	h	h
iː	i	i:	i:	iː	i:	i:	i:
ɪ	ɪ	ï, i, y	i	i	i	i	i
iə	ia	iə	iə	iːə	iə	i:ə	iə
j	j	j	j	ɣ′	j	ɣ′	γ′
ɟ	ɟ	g′	g′	ɡ′	g′	g′	g′
k	k	k	k	k	k	k	k
l̪ˠ	l̪ˠ	L	l	l	L	L	l
lˠ	l̪ˠ	l	l	l	l	L	l
l̠ʲ	l̠ʲ	L′	l′	l′	L′	L′	l′
lʲ	l	l′	l′	l′	l′	l′	l′
mˠ	mˠ	m	m	m	m	m	m
mʲ	mʲ	m′	m′	m′	m′	m′	m′
n̪ˠ	n̪ˠ	N	n	n	N	N	n
nˠ	n	n	n	n	n	N	n
n̠ʲ	n̠ʲ	N′	n′	n′	N′	N′	n′
nʲ	n̠ʲ	n′	n′	n′	n′	n′	n′
ɲ	ɲ	ɲ	ŋ′	ŋ′	ŋ′	ŋ′	ŋ′
ŋ	ŋ	ŋ	ŋ	ŋ	ŋ	ŋ	ŋ
oː	o	o:, ɔ:	o:	oː	o:	o:	o:
ɔ	ʌ	ɔ, o̤	o	o	o	o	o
pˠ	pˠ	p	p	p	p	p	p
pʲ	pʲ	p′	p′	p′	p′	p′	p′
ɾˠ	ɾˠ	r, R	r	r	r	r	r
ɾʲ	ɾʲ	r′	r′	r′	r′	r′	r′
sˠ	sˠ	s	s	s	s	s	s
ʃ	ɕ	ʃ	ʃ	ʃ	ʃ	s′	s′
t̪ˠ	t̪ˠ	t	t	t	t	t	t
tʲ	t̠ʲ	t′	t′	t′	t′	t′	t′
uː	u	u:	u:	uː	u:	u:	u:
ʊ	ɤ	U	u	u	u	u	u
uə	ua	uə	uə	uːə	uə	u:ə	uə
vʲ	vʲ	v	v′	v′	v′	w′	v′
w	w	w	v	v	w	w	v
x	x	χ	x	x	x	x	x

Notes

^ Irish makes contrasts between velarized ("broad") and palatalized ("slender") consonants. Velarized consonants, denoted in the IPA by a superscript ⟨ˠ⟩ (that is not a capital Y but a Latin letter, based on a Greek lowercase gamma, ⟨γ⟩), are pronounced with the back of the tongue raised toward the velum, which happens to the /l/ in English pill in some accents like RP and General American but not Hiberno-English. In Irish orthography, broad consonants are surrounded by ⟨a⟩, ⟨o⟩, and ⟨u⟩. Slender consonants, denoted in the IPA by a superscript ⟨ʲ⟩, are pronounced with the body of the tongue raised toward the hard palate like the articulation of the [j] sound in yes /jɛs/. In Irish orthography, slender consonants are surrounded by ⟨e⟩ and ⟨i⟩.
^ Also [ʝ] in some positions in some dialects. In Munster word final /j/ is fortified to [ɟ], merging with /ɟ/.
^ ^a ^b Word final /əj/ (⟨(a)idh, (a)igh⟩) and /əw/ (⟨(e)abh, (e)amh⟩ or ⟨bh, mh⟩ after an epenthetic schwa) have merged with with /ə/ in South Connacht. In North Connacht and Ulster they merge with /iː/ and /uː/, respectively. In Munster, the former is realised as [əɟ] and the latter as [əvˠ].
^ /h/ is neither broad nor slender.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Few, if any, modern dialects of Irish distinguish all four types of L sound. Most dialects have merged /l̪ˠ/ and /lˠ/ as [l̪ˠ], and some have also merged /l̠ʲ/ and /lʲ/ as [lʲ]. Still others have merged /lˠ/ and /lʲ/ as [l].
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Few, if any, modern dialects of Irish distinguish all four types of N sound. Most dialects have merged /n̪ˠ/ and /nˠ/ as [n̪ˠ], and some have also merged /n̠ʲ/ and /nʲ/ as [nʲ]. Still others have merged /nˠ/ and /nʲ/ as [n]. In parts of Munster, /n̠ʲ/ has merged with /ɲ/ in non-initial position.
^ [w~βˠ~vˠ] depending on dialect and position.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d All Irish diphthongs have falling sonority; they could therefore more precisely be transliterated as [iə̯, uə̯, əi̯, əu̯].
^ Ní Chasaide, Ailbhe (1999). "Irish" (PDF). Handbook of the International Phonetic Association. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 111–116. ISBN 0-521-63751-1.
^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906). A Dialect of Donegal: Being the Speech of Meenawannia in the Parish of Glenties . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
^ Breatnach, Risteard B. (1947). The Irish of Ring, Co. Waterford. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. ISBN 0-901282-50-2.
^ Ó Sé, Diarmuid (2000). Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne (in Irish). Dublin: Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann. ISBN 0-946452-97-0.
^ Mhac an Fhailigh, Éamonn (1968). The Irish of Erris, Co. Mayo. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. ISBN 0-901282-02-2.
^ Ó Siadhail, Mícheál (1988). Learning Irish: An Introductory Self-tutor. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-04224-8.
^ Foclóir póca: English-Irish/Irish-English dictionary. Dublin: An Gúm. 1993. ISBN 1-85791-047-8.

External links

Irish Phonetic Transcription Converter—Free Online Tool to convert Irish Text to IPA Phonetic Transcription

[1] Irish makes contrasts between velarized ("broad") and palatalized ("slender") consonants. Velarized consonants, denoted in the IPA by a superscript ⟨ˠ⟩ (that is not a capital Y but a Latin letter, based on a Greek lowercase gamma, ⟨γ⟩), are pronounced with the back of the tongue raised toward the velum, which happens to the /l/ in English pill in some accents like RP and General American but not Hiberno-English. In Irish orthography, broad consonants are surrounded by ⟨a⟩, ⟨o⟩, and ⟨u⟩. Slender consonants, denoted in the IPA by a superscript ⟨ʲ⟩, are pronounced with the body of the tongue raised toward the hard palate like the articulation of the [j] sound in yes /jɛs/. In Irish orthography, slender consonants are surrounded by ⟨e⟩ and ⟨i⟩.

[2] Also [ʝ] in some positions in some dialects. In Munster word final /j/ is fortified to [ɟ], merging with /ɟ/.

[wj-3] Word final /əj/ (⟨(a)idh, (a)igh⟩) and /əw/ (⟨(e)abh, (e)amh⟩ or ⟨bh, mh⟩ after an epenthetic schwa) have merged with with /ə/ in South Connacht. In North Connacht and Ulster they merge with /iː/ and /uː/, respectively. In Munster, the former is realised as [əɟ] and the latter as [əvˠ].

[h-4] /h/ is neither broad nor slender.

[l-5] Few, if any, modern dialects of Irish distinguish all four types of L sound. Most dialects have merged /l̪ˠ/ and /lˠ/ as [l̪ˠ], and some have also merged /l̠ʲ/ and /lʲ/ as [lʲ]. Still others have merged /lˠ/ and /lʲ/ as [l].

[n-6] Few, if any, modern dialects of Irish distinguish all four types of N sound. Most dialects have merged /n̪ˠ/ and /nˠ/ as [n̪ˠ], and some have also merged /n̠ʲ/ and /nʲ/ as [nʲ]. Still others have merged /nˠ/ and /nʲ/ as [n]. In parts of Munster, /n̠ʲ/ has merged with /ɲ/ in non-initial position.

[7] [w~βˠ~vˠ] depending on dialect and position.

[diph-8] All Irish diphthongs have falling sonority; they could therefore more precisely be transliterated as [iə̯, uə̯, əi̯, əu̯].

[9] Ní Chasaide, Ailbhe (1999). "Irish" (PDF). Handbook of the International Phonetic Association. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 111–116. ISBN 0-521-63751-1.

[10] Quiggin, E. C. (1906). A Dialect of Donegal: Being the Speech of Meenawannia in the Parish of Glenties . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[11] Breatnach, Risteard B. (1947). The Irish of Ring, Co. Waterford. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. ISBN 0-901282-50-2.

[12] Ó Sé, Diarmuid (2000). Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne (in Irish). Dublin: Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann. ISBN 0-946452-97-0.

[13] Mhac an Fhailigh, Éamonn (1968). The Irish of Erris, Co. Mayo. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. ISBN 0-901282-02-2.

[14] Ó Siadhail, Mícheál (1988). Learning Irish: An Introductory Self-tutor. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-04224-8.

[15] Foclóir póca: English-Irish/Irish-English dictionary. Dublin: An Gúm. 1993. ISBN 1-85791-047-8.

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Key

Comparison of transcription schemes

See also

Notes

External links