I just have to ask this: Broad "dh"

Redwolf · **Posted:** Sun 24 Jan 2016 10:02 pm

Is there any dialect in which "dhá" would be pronounced "yah"? I've got a couple of beginners on a Facebook page claiming that whether broad "dh" is pronounced as "y" depends on region (apparently because a teacher told them that). I've only ever encountered slender "dh" pronounced as "y," but I want to be absolutely certain before I push the issue.

Redwolf

An Lon Dubh · **Joined:** Fri 30 Sep 2011 10:08 pm **Posts:** 1313

Not that I have ever heard of. It has a few pronunciations but none are a "y".

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

In Northwestern Donegal, especially Gaoth Dobhair, we do pronounce "dhá" as "yaa" (almost yeh).
In the phrase "a dhath" (=nothing), the dh is also pronounced y. These are the 2 cases where broad dh is actually pronounced y in the dialect (as far as I can remember, I don't think there are other cases), they are exceptions. In all other words, it's the regular broad dh sound as in other dialects.

Labhrás · **Joined:** Sat 03 May 2014 4:01 pm **Posts:** 1979

Lughaidh wrote:

In Northwestern Donegal, especially Gaoth Dobhair, we do pronounce "dhá" as "yaa" (almost yeh).
In the phrase "a dhath" (=nothing), the dh is also pronounced y. These are the 2 cases where broad dh is actually pronounced y in the dialect (as far as I can remember, I don't think there are other cases), they are exceptions. In all other words, it's the regular broad dh sound as in other dialects.

So, it is rather dheá and a dheath in that dialect, i.e. slender dh in these two words.

Mick · **Joined:** Fri 18 Nov 2011 2:27 pm **Posts:** 622

And adh can be pronounced “eye”, as in words like fadhb and adhmad. That could be what they mean by a “y” sound too.

Redwolf · **Posted:** Mon 25 Jan 2016 6:14 am

Mick wrote:

And adh can be pronounced “eye”, as in words like fadhb and adhmad. That could be what they mean by a “y” sound too.

No...they were specifically asking about "dhá."

Redwolf

KathyM · **Joined:** Wed 19 Nov 2014 10:35 pm **Posts:** 15

Audrey and others,
I seem to recall Máire Ní Choilm from Gaoth Dobhair talking about her father and pronouncing "mo Dhaidí" with a slender "dh." Can that be true? This was a couple of years back, and my memory is (increasingly) imperfect.
--Kathy

Labhrás · **Joined:** Sat 03 May 2014 4:01 pm **Posts:** 1979

KathyM wrote:

Audrey and others,
I seem to recall Máire Ní Choilm from Gaoth Dobhair talking about her father and pronouncing "mo Dhaidí" with a slender "dh." Can that be true? This was a couple of years back, and my memory is (increasingly) imperfect.
--Kathy

Deaidí, mo dheaidí is common at least in Connacht.

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

Aye, the English "d" is perceived as a kind of slender D by Irish speakers, so it may become "Deaidí" in certain dialects, so the lenited form is "Dheaidí"

You can hear it also in the song "An Spealadóir" sung by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, from Gaoth Dobhair (the verse says "Mo Mhamaí 'gus mo Dheaidí 'gus mo chairde uilig go léir", see 0'29 here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9a6fghtGJo )

KathyM · **Joined:** Wed 19 Nov 2014 10:35 pm **Posts:** 15

Thank you, Labhráas and Lughaidh. So not a slender dh but a normally lenited slender d. Interesting!

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