Re: Pronunciation Guide
Michael the Watcher
michael.kriesch@studentmail.newcastle.edu.au
Fri Dec  3 08:23:56 1999
*br*Greetings Searles, thanks for the pronunciation guide, issues of pronunciation are the most often asked questions I get from fellow students of the old ways. Unfortunately this topic often has detrimental effects on gatherings or workings as a lot of energy is spent in disputes over how you say something. In these cases I attempt*br*to explain that surely the intent of the working, the love and truth of it, are the main focus and that linguistic bickerings serve no beneficial purpose. As with the various pronunciations of your name, surely the Old Ones would not be too concerned with an Australian, a German, or an American's own distinctive pronunciation of certain words. In finishing I would like to mention that there is a brief but functional pronunciation guide in the appendix section of The Sacred Cauldron, (MscCrossan,T.,1991, Llewellyn Publications, ISBN 0-87542-103-2.*br*Love and Light to you and yours, *br*Michael the Watcher and clan.*p**p**p**p**p**p**p**p**p**br*Searles wrote,*br*: Here's a guide to pronunciation that I wrote for The Henge *br*: of Keltria _Book of Ritual_ as well as my own book _Ogham *br*: Divination_.*br*:*br*: A Pronunciation Guide for Irish and Welsh Deity Names*br*:*br*: I was asked to provide pronunciations for the deity names *br*: used in the Keltria Book of Ritual. Realizing that there are *br*: many ways to pronounce these names, I asked a variety of *br*: persons interested in Celtic matters (and fluent in the *br*: Celtic languages) to give me their own ideas and Suggestions *br*: as to the proper pronunciations. I also used their examples *br*: to correct and augment my own approach to these *br*: pronunciations. Alexei Kondratiev, Clinton Moreland- *br*: Stringham (Kinrowan), Ffred Clegg, and Kathryn F. Hinds *br*: graciously provided me with Suggestions, pointers, and *br*: alternative Spellings, as well as their own pronunciations *br*: to use in this effort. Their contributions are respectively *br*: indicated in the text that follows by: (AK), (CM- S), (FC) *br*: and (KF S) . The first Set of names and pronunciations *br*: (presented in boldface type) are my own contributions to the *br*: list. In a few instances, the pronunciation has changed over *br*: the years. The Middle Irish, as well as the Modern Irish *br*: variations are given for each deity name if there is a *br*: difference. I have also included Some very general *br*: guidelines to Modern Irish and Welsh pronunciations.*br*:*br*: The Dagda (an DAGH-dha)*br*: In mediaeval pronunciation, an DAGH-dha, with the “gh” a *br*: voiced guttural aspirant, and ‘dh’ representing the voiced *br*: “th” of “then.”(AK)*br*:*br*: un DAHG-duh (CM- S)*br*: Bridget (BREEJ-it)(Brighid, Bríd) (BREEJ-id, BREEJ)*br*: Mediaeval form “Brigit’ pronounced “BREE-ghij” (or later *br*: “BREE-yij”); modern form ‘Bríd’ pronounced “BREEJ.” (AK)*br*:*br*: Brighid/Bride: BREEJ or BREED (CM- S)*br*:*br*: In Welsh - Ffraid (horrible to relate, it’s probably *br*: pronounced*br*: “fried” in English!) (FC)*br*:*br*: Angus mac n’Og (AHNG-us mak-NOG)(Oenghus, Mac ind Oic) *br*: (ENN-is, MAK en-NOG)*br*: The first vowel of ‘Oengus’ is a Sound that doesn’t exist in *br*: English (the ‘barred i’ of phonetics: basically like “EE” *br*: but with the throat open instead of constricted). The *br*: Anglicized form “Ennis” gives an approximation of the *br*: pronunciation. (AK)*br*:*br*: AHNG-gus MAK ind OK (CM- S)*br*:*br*: Bóann (BO-an)(Bóand, Bóannan) (BO-an, BO-awnan) *br*:*br*: (The pronunciations for Bóann were all very close.)*br*:*br*: Bíle (BEE luh)(Bel, Beli, Belenos) (BELL, BEL-eh, *br*: BELL-eh-noz)*br*: ‘Bile’ is “BEE-luh.” Most people Say “BELL-eh-noz,” but the *br*: real pronunciation was almost certainly “Bell-EH-nos.” (AK)*br*:*br*: Danu (DAHN-oo)*br*: In Welsh Do^n (pronounced as written) (FC)*br*: Don (DOHN) (KFH)*br*: Lugh (LOO)*br*:*br*: In Welsh: Lleu (pronounced “hley” where hl represents the *br*: Welsh “ll”) (FC)*br*:*br*: Lleu Llaw Gyffes (TLAY-ee TLAH-oo GUH-fehs) [some people Say *br*: that the “ll”*br*: is better pronounced by forming the H Sound instead of the T *br*: Sound beforethe L Sound] (KFH)*br*:*br*: The Morrigan (an MOHR-ree-ghan)*br*: Mediaeval: “an MOR-REE-ghan.” Modern: “an MOR-reen.” (AK)*br*:*br*: un MOHR-ee-gahn (CM- S)*br*:*br*: Gobniu (GOHV-noo)*br*: GOV-nyu. (AK)*br*: In Welsh: Gofannon (goVanon) (FC)*br*: Gofannon (goh-VAHN-nohn) (KFH)*br*:*br*: Manannan Mac Lir (MAWN-an-nan mak-LEAR)*br*: InWelsh: Manawydan (as Spelt with an “i” for the “y”) (FC)*br*: Manawydan (mah-nah-OOIH-dahn) (KFH)*br*: Diancecht (dee-an-KEKHT, je-an-KEKHT)*br*: Modern: Jee-an KYEKHT. (AK)*br*:*br*: DYAN-kext (x being the ‘ch’ in loch), JAN-kext (CM- S)*br*:*br*: Nuada (NOO-ahda)*br*:*br*: Mediaeval: NOO-a-dha (soft th). Modern: NOO-a or NOO-agh. *br*: (AK)*br*:*br*: Ogma (OG-ma)*br*: Oghma (OWE-ma)*br*:*br*: (Everyone generally agreed on these pronunciations for Ogma)*br*:  *br*: Some Tips on Pronouncing Names in Irish *br*: (by Searles O’Dubhain)*br*:*br*: The letter C is always pronounced as a hard “K” Sound *br*: (especially before “broad” vowels like a, o, u). When it *br*: precedes a “slender” vowel like i and e, it Sometimes takes *br*: on a KY Sound. The letter T Sounds like English Soft “ch” *br*: when it precedes a Slender vowel (the word for fire is tine, *br*: pronounced “chini”). When T precedes a broad vowel, it *br*: Sounds exactly like English “t.” If T is aspirated (has an h *br*: following it), it Sounds like an English “h” (Tomás is *br*: pronounced Thomas but “a Thomáis” is pronounced “a Homish”). *br*: The letter D is Similar to T in its variations. D before *br*: broad vowels is just like English “d” but D before a Slender *br*: vowel takes on a “j” Sound (see Diancecht above). If D is *br*: aspirated, it can also take on a “y” Sound. In older times, *br*: these variations of T and D were not present but are *br*: definitely the modern (and common) usage. *br*:*br*: Combinations of consonants (such as BH and MH) Sometimes *br*: Sound like English “w” or “v” depending on the dialect. My *br*: own name of O’Dubhain can be pronounced O DUH-van or O DOO *br*: -wan depending on the regional dialect. Another good example *br*: of this is the name Samhain, which can be pronounced as *br*: SOW-in or SAHV-in. GH can take on a very “breathy” Sound *br*: when aspirated and PH Sounds more like English “f.”*br*:*br*: L can Sound like English “l” when preceding a broad vowel *br*: like “o” or it can Sound like a “y” if preceding a Slender *br*: vowel (especially at the beginning of a word). LL Sounds *br*: very much like the “ll” in million. R is fairly well *br*: behaved, though it can rumble a bit, especially when *br*: doubled. N is also pretty much like English “n” except when *br*: doubled. It then can Sound like it has a “ya” Sound appended *br*: to it. (Brúgh na Bóinne is pronounced “BREW na BO-in-yeh). *br*: This is especially true for cases where “n” precedes a *br*: Slender vowel.*br*:*br*: The vowels in Irish follow the Standard European practice *br*: and can be both Short and long (even while “broad” or *br*: “slender”). A is like the English Short “a” when Short in *br*: Irish, but more like English “aw” when it is long. O *br*: generally Sounds like an English “o” in most cases. U is *br*: like English “u” when Short but more like “oo” (as in moon) *br*: when long. E is pronounced like English “ay” when long. The *br*: letter I is Similar to “ee” (as in See). The lengthening of *br*: vowels is accomplished with an accent mark called a “fada.” *br*: This usually means that their Sounds are Stretched out in *br*: pronouncing a word. If in doubt about an ending in Irish *br*: involving the letter e and a consonant, I always use an “eh” *br*: or “uh” Sound. Remember, there are many ways to pronounce *br*: Irish and Somewhere, Sometime, your way may just have been *br*: the correct way! *br*:*br*: I have also included Kathyrn F. Hinds’s list of additional *br*: Welsh deity names, as well as her brief guideline to Welsh *br*: pronunciation in the following paragraphs for those of you *br*: that wish to use Cymreig in your rituals.*br*:*br*: Additional Welsh Deity Names*br*: (furnished by Kathryn F. Hinds)*br*:*br*: Amaethon (ah-MY-thohn)*br*: Arawn (AH-rown)*br*: Arianrhod (ah-ree-AHN-rhohd)*br*: Blodeuwedd (blo-DOY-wedh) [dh=th as in “them”]*br*: Bran (BRAHN)*br*: Branwen (BRAHN-ooen)*br*: Ceridwen (keh-RID-ooen)*br*: Cigfa (KIG-vah)*br*: Dylan (DIH-lahn) [the y Sound is actually between “ih” and *br*: “uh”—think one and Say the other, and you’ll usually get the *br*: Sound right]*br*: Goewin (goh-AY-win)*br*: Gwawl (GOOAWL)*br*: Gwydion (gooih-DEE-uhn)*br*: Gwyn ap Nudd (GOOIN ap NEEDH)*br*: Hafgan (HAHV-gahn)*br*: Lludd Llaw Ereint (TLEEDH TLAH-oo EH-raint) [the diphthong *br*: in that last Syllable is Sort of a cross between long A and *br*: long I]*br*: Llyr (TLIR)*br*: Math ap Mathonwy (MAHTH ap mah-THOHN-ooee)*br*: Pryderi (prih-DEH-ree)*br*: Pwyll (POOITH)*br*: Rhiannon (rhee-AHN-nohn)*br*: Taliesin (tal-ee-AY-sin)*br*:*br*: Tips on Welsh Pronunciations(from Kathryn F. Hinds)*br*:*br*: I’m afraid that Some of the above pronunciations are very *br*: approximate—difficult to write them accurately without using *br*: a phonetic alphabet—but they Should give a pretty good idea. *br*: Remember that R (unless followed by H) is always rolled or *br*: trilled and that all vowel Sounds are pure (as in Latin or, *br*: I believe, Italian)--that is, pronounced without diphthongs; *br*: diphthongs are always written out. W is a vowel, pronounced *br*: “oo,” but when it precedes another vowel as part of a *br*: diphthong it usually ends up Sounding pretty much like a *br*: conventional English W. DD is always pronounced like TH in *br*: “them”; TH is always pronounced as in “thin”; F is always *br*: pronounced V (but FF is pronounced F); C is always *br*: pronounced K; CH is always pronounced as in Bach (the *br*: composer); and S is never pronounced Z.*br*:*br*: Hope you’ll find this of use; on matters Cymreig, I’m always *br*: glad to be of whatever Service I can.*br*:*br*: Bendithion helaeth,*br*:*br*: Kathryn F. Hinds*br*
Pronunciation Guide
Searles
557
Wed Dec  1 11:57:02 1999