have the letters joined together, so as to be indistinguishable; (2) No contractions should be used, except, perhaps, the very common and well-known one of ⁊ for agus; (3) Plenty of space should be taken, so that the writing may not be crowded. In short, it should always be borne in mind that, at present, Irish to be printed must be written exactly as it is to be printed. Owing to the carelessness of contributors on these points, much of the matter sent to the Journal has to be entirely re-written.
EXAMINATIONS IN IRISH.
We commented in our last issue on the character of the Intermediate examination papers in the Senior, Middle, and Junior Grades. We have to add that, if these papers were worthy of severe censure, the paper set in the Preparatory Grade was atrocious. It has been the custom in the Intermediate examinations, having regard to the want of facilities for making an accurate study of Irish, to make the papers in that subject somewhat less searching than in other subjects. This is only just. The papers for the present year, however, reverse the principle. The Irish paper for the Preparatory Grade is far more difficult than the papers set in other languages. The grammar questions require a knowledge of the most difficult irregularities, and this from children of 12 to 14 years of age! Other questions contain things equally preposterous.
In pleasing contrast to the Intermediate papers are those set by the Commissioners of National Education in the examinations for certificates in Irish for male and female teachers. These papers contain no quips or cranks or catch-questions, and yet they are well calculated to give a fair test of the candidate's knowledge of the subject. We hope, in a subsequent issue, to be able to notice the results of the examinations.
EASY LESSONS IN IRISH.
Part II.
EXERCISE XXXVI.
§ 223. THE SOFTENED OR “ASPIRATED” SOUNDS OF THE CONSONANTS.
We have now spoken of the sounds of the vowels in Irish, and of their peculiar sounds in the Munster and Ulster dialects; we have also spoken of the sounds of the various groups of vowels. We have treated of the broad and slender sounds of consonants, and we have now to speak of the softened, or, as they are generally termed, “aspirated,” sounds of many consonants. We have examples of this softening down of consonantal sounds in other languages. Thus, from the Latin word deliberare are derived the French delivrer, and the English word deliver, where the b of the Latin is softened to v. Again, the Irish words bráṫair and leaṫair correspond to the English brother, leather, but the t is softened in sound (this is denoted by the mark above it, ṫ), and the words are pronounced brau′-hĕr, lah′-ăr.
§ 224. This softening of consonant sounds is usually called ASPIRATION. Aspiration in Irish, therefore, affects consonants only.
§ 225. In studying “aspiration” we have to ascertain (1) how the aspiration of a consonant is marked; (2) the effect of aspiration upon the sound of each consonant; (3) when aspiration takes place.
§ 226. Aspiration is MARKED usually by placing a dot over the consonant aspirated, thus: ḃ, ċ, ḋ, ḟ, ġ, ṁ, ṗ, ṡ, ṫ. The aspiration of l, r, n is not usually marked, and learners may neglect it in the beginning.
§ 227. Aspiration is sometimes indicated by placing a h after the consonant to be aspirated; as, bh, ch, dh, etc.
§ 228. We have now to see what are the SOUNDS of the aspirated consonants.
§ 229. SOUNDS OF l, n, r, ASPIRATED.
The aspirated sounds of l and n are almost like the sounds of the English l, n. The aspirated sound of r is almost the same as that of r slender. As these sounds are not very important, they may be passed over lightly.
§ 230. SOUNDS OF t AND s ASPIRATED.
Aspirated t (i.e., ṫ or th) is pronounced like h.
Aspirated s (i.e., ṡ or sh) is pronounced like h.
§ 231. Words.
| Caṫal (koh′-ăl), Cathal, Charles | [1]Baile an Aṫa (bwal′-ă ăn ah′-ă), Ballina |
| [1]O’Caṫail (ō koh′-ăl), O’Cahill | [1]Baile Aṫa Cliaṫ (bwal′-ă ah′-ă klee-ăh), Dublin |
| [2]caṫaoir (koh′-eer), a chair. | [1]go bráṫ (gŭ brauh), for ever |
| bóṫar (bō′-hăr), a road | leaṫan (lah′-ăn), wide, broad |
| [2]bóiṫrín (bōh′-reen), a little road |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Literally, grandson of Cathal, town of the ford, town of ford of hurdles, until judgment.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Munster, koh-eer′, bōh-reen′.
§ 232. Note—Caṫal is an old Celtic name, but in modern times it has often been translated into Charles. Compare Diarmuid and Jeremiah in § 210.
We will now generally use bóṫar instead of ród. Ród, however, is a pure Irish word, and is found in Irish manuscripts written before the English came to Ireland.
In many places Baile Aṫa Cliaṫ is shortened to B’l’aṫ Cliaṫ (blah klee′-ăh).
§ 233. Atá bóṫar cam ag dul go Baile Aṫa Cliaṫ. Fág stól ag an túirne, agus
