Irish Translation Forum

FLI-thash
i as in "it", not as in "ice"
th as in "this", not as in "think"

FL(y)U-@sh
(y)U as in "mule," which I'd transcribe as M(y)UL

Aibigéal wrote:FLI-thash
i as in "it", not as in "ice"
th as in "this", not as in "think"

FL(y)U-@sh
(y)U as in "mule," which I'd transcribe as M(y)UL

Is this a case where Flidais is pronounced differently, depending on the Irish dialect?

What was the source of the above pronunciations?

How is "@sh" pronounced?

When there are multiple dialectual pronunciations, is there an official or standard pronunciation? Seems a similar question was asked a bit ago. I will monitor that one too.

- Peter

This is weird, I met a girl in the pub the other week and when telling her I did Irish she asked me how to pronounce Flidais. My initial thinking was 'Flee-a-dish' but I said to her that it wasn't a typical Irish spelling and the '~ais' ending would only be there in the genitive. But alas I was acting smart thinking I know it all!

PeterM wrote:

Aibigéal wrote:FLI-thash
i as in "it", not as in "ice"
th as in "this", not as in "think"

FL(y)U-@sh
(y)U as in "mule," which I'd transcribe as M(y)UL

Is this a case where Flidais is pronounced differently, depending on the Irish dialect?

What was the source of the above pronunciations?

How is "@sh" pronounced?

When there are multiple dialectual pronunciations, is there an official or standard pronunciation? Seems a similar question was asked a bit ago. I will monitor that one too.

- Peter

What language are you looking for?

Is it Old Irish or Irish? They are as different as Anglo-Saxon and English or Latin and Italian.

If it's Irish you want, I already gave you a full answer yesterday.

Seán a'Chóta wrote:What language are you looking for?

Is it Old Irish or Irish? They are as different as Anglo-Saxon and English or Latin and Italian.

If it's Irish you want, I already gave you a full answer yesterday.

I am sorry if I offended you. I think it is pretty obvious that I am new here. Although there are disclaimers from non-experts, you and others don't list any credentials. Being as new as I am, I don't know who to believe when I get all of these conflicting pronunciations. I was looking for some consensus on the preferred and/or proper Irish pronunciation of Flidais. I want to name my lurcher pup by that name and wanted to know what to say when someone asked "What is her name?". I would think that the pronunciation of an Irish goddess' name would be well known by most Irish speakers. It appears not to be.

Once again, I meant no disrespect. I am brand new to this site, and I don't know you from anyone else that is posting replies to my query.

Also, you have not answered my query as to how to pronounce "flyu" as it doesn't appear to me as an English phoenetic syllable. I also asked on which syllable the accent went on your pronunciation, also unanswered.

All I want to know is how to call my new lurcher pup that I want to name Flidais, after the Irish goddess of that name. I am not particular whether Old Irish or Modern Irish or ? Whichever sounds better. I just want to avoid butchering the Irish language and do justice to my mother's Irish heritage!

- Peter

PeterM wrote:

Aibigéal wrote:FLI-thash
i as in "it", not as in "ice"
th as in "this", not as in "think"

FL(y)U-@sh
(y)U as in "mule," which I'd transcribe as M(y)UL

Is this a case where Flidais is pronounced differently, depending on the Irish dialect?

What was the source of the above pronunciations?

How is "@sh" pronounced?

When there are multiple dialectual pronunciations, is there an official or standard pronunciation? Seems a similar question was asked a bit ago. I will monitor that one too.

- Peter

Sorry, I should have made that clear. What I've done is try to represent both the Old Irish and Modern Irish pronunciations, respectively, in a way that I felt might clarify them for you a bit. They're the same sounds Seán and Riadach gave you, but transcribed a little differently.

And "@" is the schwa, (a in "around", i in "pencil", etc.)

Dialect really doesn't come into it here - but if it did: no, there's no standard pronunciation. There's an official standard for the written language, but not for the spoken. (Buíochas le Dia!)

Note that if the pup hasn't learned to read or write her name yet, you'll want to change the spelling to "Fliodhais" if you're going with Modern Irish.

Aibigéal

Aibigéal -

Thank you for your information. Spoken Irish does seem to be the hurdle here. As an American, even the English is different:

th as in "this", not as in "think" -- same sound to me.
And "@" is the schwa, (a in "around", i in "pencil", etc.) -- different sounds to me.

Also, using Google a bit more intelligently, I find that the spelling Flidhais is used about 1/4th the time as Flidais. The spelling Flidas was rarely used (about 200 hits), and the modern spelling Fliodhais having 1/10 of that (27 hits). There were two apparent mis-spellings using "Fliodais".

Got me thinking about going back to Ireland again, and possibly to one of the Aran island schools to learn Irish.

- Peter

PeterM wrote:I am sorry if I offended you.

I'm not offended in the least. I was simply trying to clarify what language you are interested in.

As I pointed out in my first message, "Fliodhais" is modern Irish. If you are wedded to "Flidais", you should disregard my message.

Conversely, if you want a modern spelling and pronunciation, you should disregard "Flidais" and all reconstructions of how it may have been pronounced more than a thousand years ago when Old Irish was a spoken language.

As for the pronunciation of "Fliodhais", I suggested "flyu-ish" as an anglicised spelling. That is two syllables, from which it can be deduced that the "y" must a consonant and not a vowel. I failed to specify the stress, but both Redwold and Abigail have since done so (first syllable stressed, second syllable unstressed).

PeterM wrote:Aibigéal -

Thank you for your information. Spoken Irish does seem to be the hurdle here. As an American, even the English is different:

th as in "this", not as in "think" -- same sound to me.
And "@" is the schwa, (a in "around", i in "pencil", etc.) -- different sounds to me.

Also, using Google a bit more intelligently, I find that the spelling Flidhais is used about 1/4th the time as Flidais. The spelling Flidas was rarely used (about 200 hits), and the modern spelling Fliodhais having 1/10 of that (27 hits). There were two apparent mis-spellings using "Fliodais".

Got me thinking about going back to Ireland again, and possibly to one of the Aran island schools to learn Irish.

- Peter

I'm an American as well (as is Abigail), and I can't see how you would think that the "th" in "think" and the "th" in "this" or "that" is the same sound. I'm sure you don't pronounce them the same. The "th" in "this" or "that" is voiced...you make a sound with your vocal chords when you say it. The "th" in "think" is voiceless...you just place your tongue against the bottom of your teeth and huff air through it. Totally different sounds.

Try it this way. First say "thin" (as in skinny). Next say "then" (as in not now). Say them several times. See how the initial consonant sound is different? The "th" in "thin" is voiceless...if you said it in the same way as the "th" in "then" you'd sound like someone saying "then" with a strong Texas accent!

Redwolf

Redwolf wrote:Try it this way. First say "thin" (as in skinny). Next say "then" (as in not now). Say them several times. See how the initial consonant sound is different? The "th" in "thin" is voiceless...if you said it in the same way as the "th" in "then" you'd sound like someone saying "then" with a strong Texas accent!

I am from the Pacific NW, and never been accused of a Texas accent! I always pronounce the "th" in thin or think, and as far as I can remember, everyone else does that I can think of. Can't remember if there is any difference in New England or the Deep South.

Thanks for your help! Much appreciated.

- Peter