Is there anyone out there who could help with some phoenetic pronunciation of Gaelic? 
I’m trying to learn to sing Siuil a Run, and am having some difficulties pronouncing words in the chorus…
sochair
agus
ciuin
ealaigh
liom
dte
mhuirnin
Any help is greatly appreciated… 
Andrea ~*~
I have no qualifications to answer this so I don’t know why I’m doing it. Also I could be misremembering so I hope someone will put me straight. Pronunciation can vary regionally but this is the way a Northern singer showed me this song once, very roughly, which will give you a start.
sochair = sucker
agus = uh-gus (hard “g”)
ciuin = kyoon (short “oo”)
ealaigh = ay-lee (“ay” as in “ale”)
liom = lum
dte = jay
mhuirnin = voorneen
This song has been recorded by every man, woman and their dog, so why don’t you try to find a recorded version?
Actually, Clannad did this song; if you can find a recording, it should help a lot.
Still, maybe this will get you started (with the caveat that these are approximations):
sochair: sokhir
agus: oggus
ciuin: kyuin (or cue-in)
ealaigh: eylee (ey as in hey)
liom: lum
dte: jay
mhuirnin: wurneen
Hope this helps; it’s a beautiful song.
–N, your one-stop shop for received pronunciation
–!StevieJ! The synchronicity of it all! Replying at the same time w/ virtually identical pronunciation guides, only mine was tardy by 3 min due to the usual chattiness of Moi. OT: what might have happened had we submitted at the same instant? Something apocalyptic, I think…
–N, e-mystic
Which brings up a question to any Irish speakers out there:
A friend of mine who lived in the Cork Gaeltacht for seven years (and thus speaks the Cork dialect) told me that the correct pronunciation for Si Bheag, Si Mhor is:
“She vyug, she vore”
But I’ve heard other Irish speakers pronounce it as “She byug she more,” which would indicate that “si” is masculine rather than feminine (and would thus I guess be spelled Si Beag, Si Mor). I think “si” in this case means “fairy hill,” correct? So is it masculine or feminine?
[ This Message was edited by: bradhurley on 2003-01-13 20:46 ]
Brad,
everybody knows of course that the correct pronounciation of Sí Bheag Sí Mór is CRACK-mintz Volley-DAWN. Most people don’t know the history behind the tune, though.
Wait, you mean it’s not pronounced “Throatwarbler Mangrove?”
Thanks, I do have a few recordings of it…it helps me to have someone “say” it, sans music. Otherwise, I have fears of horribly mispronouncing it and saying something entirely different.
I appreciate the help, all!
Andrea ~*~