1.2 Features of the Language

Question 1

What are the 7 features of the Irish language?

Answer 1

1. the elongating accent (an síneadh fada)
2. broad and slender vowels
3. séimhiú + urú
4. short and long vowels
5. verb - subject - object agreement
6. masculine and feminine nouns
7. word stress

Question 2

Where is the elongating accent used?
How is it pronounced?

Answer 2

The accent is used on vowels

á /aw/ ( grá)
ó /oh/ (bó)
ú /oo/ (sú)
í /ee/ (rís)
é /ay/ (mé)

Question 3

What are the broad vowels?

Answer 3

A, O, U

Examples: buachaill , leahbhar, Séamus, grianmhar

Question 4

What is the rule for broad and slender vowels?

Answer 4

leatha le leathan, caol le caol
“broad with broad, slender with slender”

Same type vowels will appear before and after consonant groups in a word

Question 5

What are the slender vowels?

Answer 5

I, E

Examples: cailín, Máire, ispíní, saoirse, dinnéar

Question 6

What is the “h” lentition called?

Answer 6

Séimhiú

Question 7

What letters get a séimhiú?

What are they never on?

Answer 7

bh, ch, dh, fh, gh, mh, ph, sh, th

Never on:
L,N,R (“Eleanor”)

H, SC, SM, SP, ST (SCallions SMell Spicy in STew

Question 8

What is the nasalisation eclipse called?

Answer 8

urú

Question 9

What consonants get an urú and what is it?
What is the mnemonic for urú use on consonants?

Answer 9

mB, gC, nD, dT, nG, bP, bhF

my Brother
got Caught
not Doing
dishes Tonight
nobody Gets
blueberry Pie
before he Finishes