Page:Aids to the Pronunciation of Irish - Christian Brothers.djvu/31

 broad (i.e., “v”), and sometimes they get a sound corresponding to English “w.”

The sounds are treated more fully in Chapter VI.

(a) In the terminations of the future and the conditional of verbs (except the 2nd pers. sing, of the conditional) the is pronounced as an, except the stem of the verb ends in a vowel or silent consonant , in which case it retains its own sound.

For the effect of this h sound on the final consonant of the stem refer to § 136.

(b) in the termination of the 2nd pers. sing, of the conditional, also in the autonomous forms of the future and the conditional (except in Ulster) retains its own sound.

(c) In Munster, in the terminations of the future and conditional, when pronounced as, is usually broad in sound. This is not the case elsewhere.

(d) is sometimes pronounced as besides in the termination of the future and conditional of verbs—e.g.,  is sometimes pronounced ;  (sometimes). Cf. haith instead of faith.

(e) In the following words is prosthetic—(i.e., it did not formerly belong to the words, and its presence is due to false reconstruction, on the analogy of words in which initial becomes silent in aspirable positions).— (or ).

(f) The second in is usually silent;  is pronounced

21. For the production of the broad sounds of and  the tongue is pressed against the upper teeth (the tongue does not touch the gums). The only