Difference between revisions of "Lenition"
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For most letters, lenition is indicated by putting an <h> after the first consonant in the word. For example, when the word ''caora'' "sheep" follows the [[Feminine (definition)|feminine]] [[Article|article]] '' a' '', it is lenited and is written '' a' chaora''. | For most letters, lenition is indicated by putting an <h> after the first consonant in the word. For example, when the word ''caora'' "sheep" follows the [[Feminine (definition)|feminine]] [[Article|article]] '' a' '', it is lenited and is written '' a' chaora''. | ||
| − | l,n,r which are subject to lenition phonologically (see below) show no orthographic change. | + | The consonants written l,n,r which are subject to lenition phonologically (see below) show no orthographic change. |
| + | ==Phonological Changes== | ||
| − | == | + | ===Stops=== |
| + | |||
| + | {| class="wikitable" border="1" | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | ! Radical | ||
| + | ! Lenited | ||
| + | ! Example (radical) | ||
| + | ! Example (lenited) | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /p/ | ||
| + | | /f/ | ||
| + | | '''''p'''aileat'' <br> /'''p'''ailʲət̪/ <br> 'a pilot' | ||
| + | | ''aig a' '''ph'''aileat'' <br> /ɛgʲ ə '''f'''ailʲət̪/ <br> 'at the pilot' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /b/ | ||
| + | | /v/ | ||
| + | | '''''b'''odach'' <br> /'''b'''ɔd̪ax/ <br> 'an old man' | ||
| + | | ''a '''bh'''odaich'' <br> /ə '''v'''ɔd̪ɪç/ <br> 'old man (voc.)' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /t̪/ | ||
| + | | /h/ | ||
| + | | '''''t'''aileat'' <br> /'''t̪'''uəhənax/ <br> 'a farmer' | ||
| + | | ''a '''th'''uathanaich'' <br> /ə '''h'''uəhənɪç/ <br> 'farmer (voc.)' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /ʧ/ | ||
| + | | /h/ | ||
| + | | '''''t'''eachdaire'' <br> /'''ʧ'''ɛxkɪɾʲə/ / <br> 'a messenger' | ||
| + | | ''a '''th'''eachdaire'' <br> //ə '''h'''ɛxkɪɾʲə/ <br> 'messenger (voc.)' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /d̪/ | ||
| + | | /ɣ/ | ||
| + | | '''''d'''uine'' <br> /d̪unʲə/ <br> 'a man' | ||
| + | | ''a '''dh'''uine'' <br> /ə '''ɣ'''unʲə/ <br> 'man (voc.)' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /ʤ/ | ||
| + | | /j/ | ||
| + | | '''''Di'''ùrachh'' <br> /'''ʤ'''uːɾax/ <br> 'a Jura-man' | ||
| + | | ''a '''Dh'''iùraich'' <br> /ə '''j'''uːɾɪç/ <br> 'Jura-man (voc.)' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /k/ | ||
| + | | /x/ | ||
| + | | '''''c'''ailleach'' <br> /'''k'''alʲax/ <br> 'an old woman' | ||
| + | | ''aig a' '''ch'''ailleach'' <br> /ɛgʲ ə '''x'''alʲax/ <br> 'at the old woman' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /kʲ/ | ||
| + | | /ç/ | ||
| + | | '''''c'''eannaiche'' <br> /'''kʲ'''an̪ˠɪçə/ <br> 'a salesman' | ||
| + | | ''a '''ch'''eannaiche'' <br> /ə '''ç'''an̪ˠɪçə/ <br> 'salesman (voc.)' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /g/ | ||
| + | | /ɣ/ | ||
| + | | '''''g'''obha'' <br> /'''g'''oːə/ <br> 'a smith' | ||
| + | | ''a '''gh'''obha'' <br> /ə '''ɣ'''oːə/ <br> 'smith (voc.)' | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | /gʲ/ | ||
| + | | /j/ | ||
| + | | '''''g'''ille'' <br> /'''gʲ'''ɪlʲə/ <br> boy' | ||
| + | | ''a '''gh'''ille'' <br> /ə '''j'''ɪlʲə/ <br> 'boy (voc.)' | ||
| + | |} | ||
Revision as of 13:33, 21 September 2009
Lenition is an Initial Consonant Mutation which "softens" the sound of the first consonant in a word. It is used to mark certain morphological contrasts and to mark |inflection. It also inaccurately known as aspiration (which is the term used for a phonological phenomenon involving a burst of air). we will use the more correct term here.
Contents
Basic phenomenon
Orthographic Changes
For most letters, lenition is indicated by putting an <h> after the first consonant in the word. For example, when the word caora "sheep" follows the feminine article a' , it is lenited and is written a' chaora.
The consonants written l,n,r which are subject to lenition phonologically (see below) show no orthographic change.
Phonological Changes
Stops
| Radical | Lenited | Example (radical) | Example (lenited) |
|---|---|---|---|
| /p/ | /f/ | paileat /pailʲət̪/ 'a pilot' |
aig a' phaileat /ɛgʲ ə failʲət̪/ 'at the pilot' |
| /b/ | /v/ | bodach /bɔd̪ax/ 'an old man' |
a bhodaich /ə vɔd̪ɪç/ 'old man (voc.)' |
| /t̪/ | /h/ | taileat /t̪uəhənax/ 'a farmer' |
a thuathanaich /ə huəhənɪç/ 'farmer (voc.)' |
| /ʧ/ | /h/ | teachdaire /ʧɛxkɪɾʲə/ / 'a messenger' |
a theachdaire //ə hɛxkɪɾʲə/ 'messenger (voc.)' |
| /d̪/ | /ɣ/ | duine /d̪unʲə/ 'a man' |
a dhuine /ə ɣunʲə/ 'man (voc.)' |
| /ʤ/ | /j/ | Diùrachh /ʤuːɾax/ 'a Jura-man' |
a Dhiùraich /ə juːɾɪç/ 'Jura-man (voc.)' |
| /k/ | /x/ | cailleach /kalʲax/ 'an old woman' |
aig a' chailleach /ɛgʲ ə xalʲax/ 'at the old woman' |
| /kʲ/ | /ç/ | ceannaiche /kʲan̪ˠɪçə/ 'a salesman' |
a cheannaiche /ə çan̪ˠɪçə/ 'salesman (voc.)' |
| /g/ | /ɣ/ | gobha /goːə/ 'a smith' |
a ghobha /ə ɣoːə/ 'smith (voc.)' |
| /gʲ/ | /j/ | gille /gʲɪlʲə/ boy' |
a ghille /ə jɪlʲə/ 'boy (voc.)' |
Initial <sp>, <st>, <sg>, and sometimes <sn> (depending upon the dialect) do not undergo lenition.
Lenition Triggers
- certain articles:
- intensifiers: glè, ro
