Difference between revisions of "Lenition"
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| '''''p'''aileat'' <br> ['''pʰ'''aiʎəʰt̪] <br> 'a pilot' | | '''''p'''aileat'' <br> ['''pʰ'''aiʎəʰt̪] <br> 'a pilot' | ||
| − | | ''aig a' '''ph'''aileat'' <br> [ | + | | ''aig a' '''ph'''aileat'' <br> [ɛg̊ʲ ə '''f'''aiʎəʰt̪] <br> 'at the pilot' |
|- | |- | ||
| [b̊] | | [b̊] | ||
Revision as of 21:58, 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| [pʰ] | [f] | paileat [pʰaiʎəʰt̪] 'a pilot' |
aig a' phaileat [ɛg̊ʲ ə faiʎəʰt̪] 'at the pilot' |
| [b̊] | [v] | bodach [b̊ɔd̪̊ax] 'an old man' |
a bhodaich [ə vɔd̪̊ɪç] 'old man (voc.)' |
| [t̪ʰ] | [h] | tuathanach [t̪ʰuəhənax] 'a farmer' |
a thuathanaich [ə huəhənɪç] 'farmer (voc.)' |
| [tʲʰ] | [h] | teachdaire [tʲʰɛxg̊ɪɾʲə] 'a messenger' |
a theachdaire [ə hɛxg̊ɪɾʲə] 'messenger (voc.)' |
| [d̪̊] | [ɣ] | duine [d̪̊uɲə] 'a man' |
a dhuine [ə ɣuɲə] 'man (voc.)' |
| [d̊ʲ] | [ʝ] | Diùrachh [d̊ʲuːɾax] 'a Jura-man' |
a Dhiùraich [ə ʝuːɾɪç] 'Jura-man (voc.)' |
| [kʰ] | [x] | cailleach [kʰaʎax] 'an old woman' |
aig a' chailleach [ɛg̊ʲ ə xaʎax] 'at the old woman' |
| [kʲʰ] | [ç] | ceannaiche [kʲʰan̪ˠɪçə] 'a salesman' |
a cheannaiche [ə çan̪ˠɪçə] 'salesman (voc.)' |
| [g̊] | [ɣ] | gobha [g̊o.ə] 'a smith' |
a ghobha [ə ɣo.ə] 'smith (voc.)' |
| [g̊ʲ] | [ʝ] | gille [g̊ʲiʎə] boy' |
a ghille [ə ʝiʎə] 'boy (voc.)' |
Fricatives
| Radical | Lenited | Example (radical) | Example (lenited) |
|---|---|---|---|
| [f] | null | Frangach [fɾaŋgax] 'a Frenchman' |
a Fhrangaich [ə ɾaŋgɪç] 'Frenchman (voc.)' |
| [s̪] | [h] | suipear [s̪uʰpəɾ] 'supper' |
do shuipear [d̪ə huʰpəɾ] 'your (sg.) supper' |
| [ʃ] | [h] | seòladair [ʃɔːɫ̪əd̪̊ɪɾʲ] 'a sailor' |
a sheòladair [ə hɔːɫ̪əd̪̊ɪɾʲ] 'sailor (voc.)' |
Sonorants
| Radical | Lenited | Example (radical) | Example (lenited) |
|---|---|---|---|
| [m] | [ṽ] | math [ma] 'good (masc.)' |
mhath [ṽa] 'good (fem.)' |
| [n̪ˠ] | [n] | nasg [n̪ˠasg̊] 'a link' |
a nasg [ə nasg̊] 'his link' |
| [ɲ] | [n] | nighean [ɲiː.an] 'a daughter' |
a nighean [ə niː.an] 'his daughter' |
| [ɫ̪] | [l] | latha [ɫ̪a.a] 'a day' |
a latha [ə la.a] 'day (voc.)' |
| [ʎ] | [l] | leabhar [ʎɔːɾ] 'a book' |
a leabhair [ə lɔːɾʲ] 'book (voc.)' |
| [rˠ] | [r] | ruith [rˠuç] 'run (imperative)' |
ruith [ɾuç] 'ran' |
Initial <sp>, <st>, <sg>, and sometimes <sn> (depending upon the dialect) do not undergo lenition.
Lenition Triggers
- certain articles:
- intensifiers: glè, ro
