Rules for Epenthetic Vowels in Munster

Séamus O'Neill · **Posted:** Tue 17 Sep 2024 12:37 am

This topic is somewhat confusing to me, not only because epenthetic vowels are used much more in Munster that in other provinces, but also because in Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne, Ó Sé writes: There is some instability in regards to the fullness of syllables in words that have plosive, fricative, or m being followed by n, l, r in their centers (paraphrased, § 19)

But he then later gives the transcription of fonəvər for fonnmhar, which doesn't conform to the patterns he gives above. Perhaps the extra vowel could be due to the word being a compound word (fonn + -mhar, although this doesn't actually originate from two separate words, as far as I know, just a word + an affix)?

beepbopboop · **Joined:** Sat 25 Feb 2023 1:24 pm **Posts:** 39

I’m not super versed in GCD, although I do own it (god I wish there was an English version of this). But there’s good context in Teach Yourself Irish on page 10:

Quote:

When l, n or r is followed by b, bh, ch, g (not after n), m or mh, and preceded by a short stressed vowel, an additional vowel is heard between them: balbh “dumb” is pronounced [bɑlәv], bolg “stomach” [bolәg], borb “rude” [borәb], garbh “rough” [gɑrәv], dorcha “dark” [dorәxә], fearg “anger” [f′arәg], gorm “blue” [gorәm], seanchai “storyteller” [∫anәl xi:], ainm “name” [an′im′], ainmhi “animal”
[an′il v′i:]. You need not memorise this rule, as the pronunciation of each word is given in the vocabulary, but you will want to refer to it when puzzled by the simplified spelling. For a fuller treatment of the additional vowel, see Ó Cuív, pp. 105-6.

This should cover your example. If you have The Irish of West Muskerry (Ó Cuív above) you could check out the section there. If not and you’re curious I can fish out my copy tomorrow and see if it gives much more info, let me know.

beepbopboop · **Joined:** Sat 25 Feb 2023 1:24 pm **Posts:** 39

Oh wait, you paraphrased this from Irish? Could there have been a mix up? You saying “followed by” = “preceded by”?

Séamus O'Neill · **Posted:** Tue 17 Sep 2024 9:21 pm

beepbopboop wrote:

I’m not super versed in GCD, although I do own it (god I wish there was an English version of this). But there’s good context in Teach Yourself Irish on page 10:

Quote:

When l, n or r is followed by b, bh, ch, g (not after n), m or mh, and preceded by a short stressed vowel, an additional vowel is heard between them: balbh “dumb” is pronounced [bɑlәv], bolg “stomach” [bolәg], borb “rude” [borәb], garbh “rough” [gɑrәv], dorcha “dark” [dorәxә], fearg “anger” [f′arәg], gorm “blue” [gorәm], seanchai “storyteller” [∫anәl xi:], ainm “name” [an′im′], ainmhi “animal”
[an′il v′i:]. You need not memorise this rule, as the pronunciation of each word is given in the vocabulary, but you will want to refer to it when puzzled by the simplified spelling. For a fuller treatment of the additional vowel, see Ó Cuív, pp. 105-6.

This should cover your example. If you have The Irish of West Muskerry (Ó Cuív above) you could check out the section there. If not and you’re curious I can fish out my copy tomorrow and see if it gives much more info, let me know.

Wow! I had no idea that Teach Yourself Irish was so comprehensive. What version is that from. I know that the 1961 version is more specific to the Munster dialect. That would definitely explain the extra vowel there.

beepbopboop wrote:

Oh wait, you paraphrased this from Irish? Could there have been a mix up? You saying “followed by” = “preceded by”?

I don't have the book with me at the moment, but I should be able to provide the original sentence in a short while. I don't believe that my translation is completely inaccurate, as he gives such examples as eagla.

djwebb2021 · **Joined:** Thu 27 May 2021 3:22 am **Posts:** 1261

There is primary epenthesis (Mícheál Ó Siadhail's term), common to all dialects: an additional vowel that follows a resonant (l, n or r) after a short vowel, eg in "orm". See also fillum as the Irish pronunciation of "film" in English. A long preceding vowel or diphthong prevent this, so órga and dualgas have no additional vowels.
2. Then there is secondary epenthesis, before a resonant (and it makes no difference if the preceding syllable is long or short), but it is mainly found in Munster. Examples are: eagla (eagala), aistriú (aistiriú), abraidh (abaraig). As Ó Sé states, there is more variation in secondary epenthesis.

My article on epenthesis goes into this in detail.

djwebb2021 · **Joined:** Thu 27 May 2021 3:22 am **Posts:** 1261

Séamus O'Neill wrote:

In Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne, Ó Sé writes: There is some instability in regards to the fullness of syllables in words that have plosive, fricative, or m being followed by n, l, r in their centers (paraphrased, § 19)

Ó Sé says:

Quote:

tá guagacht áirithe ag baint le líon na siollaí i bhfocail a bhfuil pléascach, cuimilteach nó m á leanúint ag l, n, r ina lár, leithéidí bréagnú, eagla, achrann, seomra

Líon na siollaí does not mean "the fullness of syllables". It means "the number of the syllables".

Ó Sé should have written:

Quote:

tá guagacht áirithe a' baint le líon na siollaí i bhfoclaibh go bhfuil pléascach, cimiltheach nú m á leanúint ag l, n, r, 'na lár, leithéidí bréagnú, eagla, achrann, seómra.

Séamus O'Neill · **Posted:** Tue 17 Sep 2024 11:26 pm

djwebb2021 wrote:

Séamus O'Neill wrote:

In Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne, Ó Sé writes: There is some instability in regards to the fullness of syllables in words that have plosive, fricative, or m being followed by n, l, r in their centers (paraphrased, § 19)

Ó Sé says:

Quote:

tá guagacht áirithe ag baint le líon na siollaí i bhfocail a bhfuil pléascach, cuimilteach nó m á leanúint ag l, n, r ina lár, leithéidí bréagnú, eagla, achrann, seomra

Líon na siollaí does not mean "the fullness of syllables". It means "the number of the syllables".

Ó Sé should have written:

Quote:

tá guagacht áirithe a' baint le líon na siollaí i bhfoclaibh go bhfuil pléascach, cimiltheach nú m á leanúint ag l, n, r, 'na lár, leithéidí bréagnú, eagla, achrann, seómra.

Go díreaċ é. Go roiḃ maiṫ agat. Ba ċeart dom úsáid 'líon' 'o ṫiscint 's a' ḟrása san.

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