So I was wondering...

Multiple sources list Ulster Irish as having the sound(s) [ɤ] and/or [ɯ], back unrounded vowels like those heard in Scottish Gaelic. However, I've never seen exact specifications as to where this applies nor when exactly they occur. I've listened to quite a bit of Ulster Irish recordings, mostly from speakers from the Gaoth Dobhair area, but I never heard any, so I presumed that if they did occur, then it would be in more northern dialects, corresponding to the similarly Scottish feature of using the negative cha. However, just now I discovered the Wikipedia article on Ulster Irish and found that it claims to list the sounds of the Gaoth Dobhair dialect... And it lists [ɤ]!

You can imagine I'm a bit confused now. Is there anyone who knows more?

[ɤ] represents the "u" letter normally, as in "gur", "cur" etc. Actually the sound of the "u" isn't always different from an o sound, many speakers don't make any clear difference (they pronounce "bun" and "bonn" more or less the same way).

[ɯ] represents the "ao" in the eastern part of Gaoth Dobhair. It also exists in Rann na Feirste and I think in Cloich Cheannaola too.

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Go raibh maith agat!

As you are obviously knowledgeable, I hope you will forgive me if I lacerate you with a few more questions:

How is the letter combination ai usually pronounced? I have heard "gaire" being said somewhat like [ˈɡəɪʝə], and "mbaineann" [ˈmʌnʲən] (or something similar), so...?

On a related subject, does slender r always turn into [j/ʝ]?

Finally, what's with word-final depalatalization? Airgead and airgid seem to be pronounced the same, but, for instance, "baint" is still [bəntʲ].

Hi Hallow, Fearthaim fáilte ort 'dtí'n fóram,

You obviously have a great interest in Ulster Irish. Maybe you have seen these before:

http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~oduibhin/

http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~oduibhin/focailnanultach.doc

The first is a website that specialises in Ulster Irish where you'll find great resources and articles. It also has a good section on Scottish Gaelic.

The second is a text document containing Ulster Irish vocabulary and nuances, with examples given.

These are great resources for a dialect that, regrettably, does not get much coverage. Fair play to you for deciding to learn it!

We have a few here who are great authorities of Ulster Irish, especially Lughaidh. I'm sure they'll be able to help you with any questions you may have.

Fáilte ort isteach aríst,

Cian.

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Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

pronouncing intervocalic and final slender r as a y is typical of Gaoth Dobhair (most parts of it anyway).
In GD, intervocalic slender n is pronounced as if it were double:
baineann is either bɑɲən or bwɪɲən (but remember that short vowels can change quite a lot, you might hear bʌɲən, bɔɲən etc etc)
níos sine is [nɪʃ ʃɪɲɪ]



between vowels and at the end of words, as I said, and not in all words (some have a regular slender r, as Éirinn, Éireann, éirigh... but Éire is normally [eːjɪ])



airgead and airgid aren't pronounced the same way, but a sandhi can make a final slender consonant broad. And sometimes people use the nominative instead of the genitive case.
Baint is bɑɲtʲ or bwɪɲtʲ...

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

A Chiain,
Go raibh maith agat as ucht an eolais. Tá na suímheanna thar barr.
Séamus

Ní cuimhin é anso nú ar thánga ortha ós ' bheith ag treabhadh an idirlín ar dtúis?

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Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

I'm necromantizing this thread because it's another question on the same subject.

Aaaaaanyway, unless I have something wrong, Ulster Irish diphthongizes some long final vowels, resulting in such pronunciations as fá [fʷaɪ̯] and caidé [kəˈdʲeɪ̯]. When exactly does this rule apply?

never heard of such diphthongs in Donegal Irish. Those who make dipthongs in long vowels are mainly non-native speakers, who pronounce diphthongs in the contexts they pronounce diphthongs in English...

fá [fɑ] (not long because not stressed)
caidé [gədʲe(ː)]

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

So it turns out I had misheard the one and, apparently, confused fá with faoi