Irish/The Article

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Introduction here

Declension and Mutation

Forms of the article[1]
Masc. Sg. Fem. Sg. Plural
Nom. an[note 1] anL naH
Gen. anL naH naN

Pronunciation

  • na is always pronounced as /nə/.
  • At the beginning of a sentence or where the previous word ended with a consonant:
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a broad consonant,[note 2] an is pronounced as /ə/ with the nasal component dropped.
      • e.g. an bóthar /ə boːhər/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a slender consonant,[note 2] an is pronounced as /ɪ/ with the nasal component dropped.
      • e.g. an ceann /ɪ k´au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a vowel in a broad environment,[note 3] an is pronounced as /ən/.
      • e.g. an abhainn /ən ə̯uŋ´/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a vowel in a slender environment,[note 3] an is pronounced as /ɪn´/.
      • e.g. an eaglais /ɪn´ agəliʃ/
  • Where the previous word ended with a vowel:
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a vowel in a broad environment,[note 3] an is pronounced as /n/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an abhainn ann /taːn ə̯uŋ´ au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a vowel in a slender environment,[note 3] an is pronounced as /n´/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an eaglais ann /taːn´ agəliʃ au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a broad coronal consonant,[note 2] an is pronounced as /n/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an t-uisce ann /taːn tiʃk´ɪ au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a slender coronal consonant,[note 2] an is pronounced as /n´/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an t-iasc ann /taːn´ t´iə̯sk au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a broad labial consonant, an is pronounced as /m/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an bóthar ann /taːm boːhər au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a slender labial consonant, an is pronounced as /m´/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an peann ann /taːm´ p´au̯n au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a broad dorsal consonant, an is pronounced as /ŋ/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an garsún ann /taːŋ garˈsuːn au̯n/
    • if the qualifying noun begins with a slender dorsal consonant, an is pronounced as /ŋ´/ with the vowel component having been elided by the previous vowel.
      • e.g. tá an ceann ann /taːŋ´ k´au̯n au̯n/

Prepositional Forms of the Article

As in the forms above, the nasal component of the singular article assimilates to the phonological environment following it, giving one of the following forms: /n/; /n´/; /m/; /m´/; /ŋ/; /ŋ´/. The vowel component of the singular article is elided by the preceding vowel of the preposition.

  • do + an = don; do + na = dosna
  • de + an = den; de + na = desna
  • ag + an = aigen; ag + na = aigesna
  • le + an = leis an; le + na = leisna
  • ó + an = ón; ó + na = ósna
  • + an = fén; + na = fésna
  • i + an = insan;[note 4] i + na = insna[note 5]

Notes

  1. In the nominative singular, masculine nouns with word initial vowels take t-prothesis, e.g. an t-uisce
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Including masculine nominative singular nouns with t-prothesis.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Not including masculine nominative singular nouns where t-prothesis would be applied.
  4. Often reduced to sa before a consonant or san before a vowel.
  5. Often reduced to sna.

References

  1. Concept for the table borrowed from An Loingseach's YouTube video on Pronunciation & History of the Definite Article ("The") in Irish/Gaelic/Goidelic