Elements of Gaelic Grammar Part 2

2. Like (1) _e_, long: as, dean _do_; short, as, fear _a man_, bean _a woman_.

3. Like (2) _e_, long: as, easlan _sick_; short, as, fead _whistle_.

After a Lingual or a Palatal, not quiescent, the _e_ loses its sound, and only qualifies that of the preceding consonant; hence,

4. Like (1) _a_, long: as, ceard _an artificer_; short, as, geal _white_.

5. Like (3) _a_, short: as, itheadh _eating_, coireach _faulty_.

EI.

The sound of _ei_ is either made up of the sounds of both the vowels, or like that of _e_ alone.

1. Made up of (1) _e_ and (1) _i_: _e_ long, _i_ short, as, sgeimh _beauty_; _e_ short, as, meidh _a balance_.

2. Made up of (2) _e_ and (1) _i_: _e_ long, _i_ short, as, feidh _deer_; _e_ short, as, greigh _a herd_, _stud_.

Before a Lingual or a Palatal, not quiescent, the _i_ loses its sound, and only qualifies that of the following consonant; hence,

3. Like (1) _e_ alone: long, as, meise _of a plate_.

4. Like (2) _e_ alone: long, as, eigin _necessity_; short, as, eich _horses_.

EO.

The sound of _eo_ is either made up of the sounds of both vowels, or like that of _o_ alone. {7}

1. Made up of (2) _e_ and (1) _o_: _e_ very short, _o_ long, as, beo _alive_, eolas _knowledge_; _o_ short, as, beothail _lively_.

After a Lingual or a Palatal, not quiescent, the _e_ loses its sound, and only qualifies that of the preceding consonant; hence,

2. Like (1) _o_: long, as, leomhann _a lion_; short, as, deoch _drink_.

EU.

The sound of _eu_ is like (2) _e_ alone: long, as, teum _to bite_, gleus _trim, entertainment_.

One of the most marked variations of dialect occurs in the p.r.o.nunciation of the diphthong _eu_, which, instead of being p.r.o.nounced like long _e_, is over all the North Highlands commonly p.r.o.nounced like _ia_; as, nial, ian, fiar, for neul, eun, feur.

IA.

The sound of _ia_ is made up of the sounds of both the vowels.

1. Made up of (1) _i_ and (1) _a_: both of equal length, as, fial _liberal_, iar _west_.

2. Made up of (1) _i_ and (2) _a_: of equal length, as, fiadh _a deer_, ciall _common sense_.

In cia _which?_ iad _they_, _ia_ is often found like (1) _e_.

IO.

The sound of _io_ is either made up of the sounds of both the vowels, or like one of them alone.

1. Made up of (1) _i_ and (3) _o_: _i_ long, _o_ short, as, diol _to pay_, fior _true_; _i_ short, as, iolach _a shout_, ionnsuidh _an attack_.

Before a Lingual or Palatal, not quiescent, the _o_ sometimes loses its sound, and only qualifies that of the following consonant; hence,

2. Like (1) _i_: long, as, iodhol _an idol_; short, as, crios _a girdle_, biorach _pointed_.

After a Lingual or a Palatal, not quiescent, the _i_ {8} sometimes loses its sound, and only qualifies that of the preceding consonant; hence,

3. Like _u_ in _fun_, short and obscure: as, cionta _guilt_, tiondadh _to turn_.

IU.

The sound of _iu_ is either made up of the sound of both the vowels, or like _u_ alone.

1. Made up of (1) _i_ and (1) _u_: _i_ short, _u_ long, as, fiu _worthy_; _u_ short, as, iuchair _a key_.

After a Lingual or a Palatal, not quiescent, the _i_ loses its sound, and only qualifies that of the preceding consonant; hence,

2. Like (1) _u_: long, as, diu _worst part, refuse_; short, as, tiugh _thick_, giuthas _fir_.

OI.

The sound of _oi_ is either made up of the sounds of both the vowels, or like that of _o_ alone.

1. Made up of (1) _o_ and (1) _i_: _o_ long, _i_ short, as, igh _a virgin_; _o_ short, as, troidh _a foot_.

2. Made up of (3) _o_ and (1) _i_: _o_ long, _i_ short, as, oidhche _night_.

Before a Lingual or a Palatal, not quiescent, the _i_ loses its sound, and only qualifies that of the following consonant; hence,

3. Like (1) _o_ long: as, mid _more_; short, as, toic _wealth_.

4. Like (2) _o_ long: as, fid _a turf_; short, as, fois _rest_.

5. Like (3) _o_ short; as, coileach _a c.o.c.k_, doire _a wood_.

UA.

The sound of _ua_ is made up of the sounds of both the vowels.

1. Made up of (1) _u_ and (1) _a_, equally long; as, cuan _the sea_, fuar _cold_.

2. Made up of (1) _u_ and (2) _a_; as, tuadh _a hatchet_, sluagh _people_.

{9}

UI.