#gaelic #gàidhlig
Tha mi airson a dhol don bhùth-chungaidhean. Translated means I am for going to the pharmacy or I want to go to the Pharmacy.
Tha mi (I am)
"Tha" is pronounced "ha."
"mi" is pronounced "mee."
airson (for/in order to)
"airson" is pronounced "AIR-son."
a dhol (to go)
"a" is pronounced "uh."
"dhol" is pronounced "gawl" (the "dh" is like a soft "g" sound, and the "o" is pronounced as in "not").
don (to the)
"don" is pronounced "don" (rhymes with "gone").
bhùth-chungaidhean (pharmacy)
"bhùth" is pronounced "voo" (the "bh" is a soft "v" sound, and the "ù" is pronounced like "oo" in "moon").
"chungaidhean" is pronounced "KHOON-gay-yen" (the "ch" is a guttural sound, like the "ch" in "loch"; "u" as in "moon"; "ng" as in "sing"; "aidh" as "gay"; "ean" as "yen").
So, putting it all together, the pronunciation is:
"Ha mee AIR-son uh gawl don voo-KHOON-gay-yen"
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What is Lenition?
Lenition is a phonological process common in Gaelic languages, including Scots Gaelic and Irish, where certain consonants change their pronunciation and are often softened. This change is usually indicated in writing by adding an "h" after the consonant. For example, in Scots Gaelic, "b" can become "bh," "c" can become "ch," and "d" can become "dh."
Purpose of Lenition
Lenition serves several grammatical and phonetic purposes in Gaelic:
Grammatical Functions:
Gender Agreement: Lenition can indicate the gender of nouns. For example, a feminine noun following the definite article "an" will often undergo lenition.
Case Indication: It can signal different grammatical cases, such as the genitive or vocative.
Possession and Adjectives: Lenition often occurs in possessive constructions and when adjectives follow nouns.
Phonetic Smoothness:
Euphony: Lenition makes the language sound more fluid and melodic by softening the consonants.
Ease of Pronunciation: It helps in the ease of pronunciation, making the transition between words smoother.
Examples of Lenition
Here are some common examples in Scots Gaelic:
Feminine Noun Lenition after the Definite Article:
an cat (the cat, masculine) vs. a' chat (the cat, feminine)
Possessive Constructions:
mo bhràthair (my brother) where mo causes lenition of bràthair (brother) to bhràthair.
do charaid (your friend) where do causes lenition of caraid (friend) to charaid.
Adjectives Following Nouns:
bean bhòidheach (beautiful woman), where the adjective bòidheach (beautiful) is lenited after the noun bean (woman).
Usage Contexts
Lenition after Articles: As seen with a' chat and an doras.
Vocative Case: When addressing someone directly, such as a Mhàiri (O Mary).
Possessive Pronouns: Examples include mo bhràthair (my brother), do charaid (your friend).
Conclusion
Lenition in Gaelic is a critical feature that not only alters the pronunciation of words but also serves various grammatical functions, enhancing the language's richness and expressiveness. Understanding lenition helps in grasping the subtleties of Gaelic grammar and pronunciation.