man to prove that no one should learn the language, full of such strange sounds. The sentence was specially constructed for the purpose. It means, “a black ox ate a raw egg in heaven!”
§ 281. Na cuir do láṁ in mo ṗóca, atá mo ṗóca follaṁ anois. Ḃí an naoṁ ar an oileán, agus táinig an long do’n áit, agus ní ḟaca an naoṁ an long. Atá an talaṁ daor. Ní raiḃ cíos ar biṫ ar an talaṁ. Cuir an cliaḃ ar an asal.
§ 282. Put your hand in your pocket. My hand is small. There is a heavy rent on the place, and the land is not good. Con is not fair-haired, he is black-haired. The bag is not full, the bag is empty. Do not leave the basket of turf at the door.
EXERCISE XLVI.
§ 283. SOUNDS OF ḃ AND ṁ CONTINUED.
As we have seen, ḃ and ṁ at the end of words are sounded as v, as láṁ (Lauv), the hand; naoṁ (Naev), a saint. When a termination is added to such words the v sound remains, láṁa (Lauv′-ă), hands; naoṁṫa (Naev′-hă), sanctified.
§ 284. But, as a rule, ḃ and ṁ broad, anywhere except at the end of words, are sounded like w.
§ 285. This w sound unites with the previous vowel sound; thus, aḃ, aṁ are sounded like (ou) in our phonetic key; oḃ, oṁ, like (ō); uḃ, uṁ are like (oo); eaḃ, eaṁ like (ou).
Aḃ, aṁ in Ulster=ō, in parts of Munster=oo.
§ 286.
| Aḃainn (ou′-in), a river | Gaḃar (gou′-ăr), a goat. |
| Caḃair (kou′-ir), help | leaḃar (lou′-ăr), a book |
| Dóṁnall (dhōn′-ăL), Donal, Daniel | Siuḃal (shoo′-ăl), walking |
| Uḃall (oo′-ăL), an apple | |
| Gaḃa (gou′-ă), a blacksmith | |
| Róṁat (rō-ăth) before the, used in ceud míle fáilte róṁat, 100,000 welcomes before thee. | |
| Muilionn (mwil′-iN), a mill. | |
| Gan (gon), without. | |
§ 287. Ḃí muilionn ar an aḃainn, agus ḃí Dóṁnall ag obair ins an muilionn. Fuair Dóṁnall uḃall ins an eorna,ins an muilionn ar an aḃainn. Atá iasgaire ag siuḃal síos do’n aḃaínn anois. Atá an gaḃa ag obair ins an muilionn. Cuir do leaḃar in do ṗóca. Ṫug Diarmuid an leaḃar do Niall. Ní ḟuair sé leaḃar ar biṫ uaim. Fosgail an leaḃar mór. Ní raiḃ an muilionn ag obair, ḃí an aḃainn gan uisge.
§ 288. There is a large salmon below in the river. Donal did not get a salmon in the river, he got a little trout from the fisherman. There is an apple growing above at the door. There are a cow and a goat below in the meadow. I have not a book in my bag, my book is in the barn. A thousand welcomes to (before) you! There is not any blacksmith (gaḃa ar biṫ) in the place. The blacksmith gave no help to Niall. The story is not in the book.
EXERCISE XLVII.
§ 289. ḃ AND ṁ CONTINUED.
In the beginning of words ḃ and ṁ if slender are pronounced like v, if broad are pronounced somewhat like w.
§ 290. In Munster ḃ and ṁ broad, followed by a LONG VOWEL, á, ó, ú, are pronounced v.
§ 291. Thus—mo ṁáṫair, my mother (mŭ wauh′-er), is in Munster (mŭ vauh′-ĕr). This sound we shall mark by a capital W.
Examples—
| a ḃád | ă Waudh, | his boat |
| a ḃróg | „ Wrōg, | „ shoe |
| a ḃó | „ Wō, | „ cow |
| a ṁáṫair | „ Wauh′-ĕr, | „ mother |
| a ṁála | „ Waul′-ă | „ bag |
| a ṁúirnín | „ Woor′-neen, | O darling |
| mo ḃrón | mŭ Wrōn | my sorrow |
Mac an Ḃáird (mok ăn Waurd), son of the bard, Ward.
a Ṁuire (ă Waur′-ĕ O Mary.
a Ṁúire (ă Wirr′-ĕ), O Mary, the Blessed Virgin. (Hence, wirra-wirra = O Mary, Mary.
aṫair (ah′-ĕr), father.
§ 292. Níl iasg ar biṫ in mo ḃád anois, atá mo ḃád follaṁ. Cuir an sgilling in mo ṁála. Atá mo ḃróg duḃ. Fuair mé bróg úr ins an siopa. Fuair m’aṫair bás ins an oileán úr. Ní raiḃ uisge ins an aḃainn, ḃí an aimsear tirim. Ní raiḃ túirne aig mó ṁáṫair.
§ 293. My boat is heavy, your (do) boat is empty. I found your boat on the land. My mother is not alive now, she died in Ireland. Daniel Ward came to Ireland and died. My mother got a pound from my father and she gave the pound to Niall.
