Eclipsis

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If you are looking for information on the nasalization of vowels see NasalVowel nasal vowels//

Nasalization is a morphophonological change triggered by certain function words (such as ar "our"). In words beginning with a vowel, this involves prefixing an orthographic <n-> in front of the word (e.g. ar n-athair, "our father"). In many (but not all) dialects the words that trigger nasalization also involves a change in the pronunciation of words beginning with InitialConsonantMutation initial consonants:

  • words beginning with the voiced orthographic stops (actually unaspirated stops):
    • <nowiki></wiki> (IPA [p]) is pronounced as if it was actually written <m> (IPA [m])) e.g. (ar bean is pronounced [ar mʲan])
    • <d> (IPA [t]) is pronounced as if it was actually written <n> (IPA [n]))

~-<g> (IPA[k]) is pronounced as if it was actually written<ng> (IPA [ŋ]) respectively.

  • words beginning with certain voiceless (actually unaspirated) sounds:
    • (IPA [pʰ]) is pronounced as if was actually written <b> (IPA [p])

    • <t> (IPA [tʰ]) is pronounced as if was actually written <d> (IPA [t])
    • <c> (IPA [kʰ]) is pronounced as if was actually written <g> (IPA [k])
    • <f> (IPA [f]) is pronounced as if was actually written <bh> (IPA [v])

In the Gaelic Grammar Wiki, words that trigger nasalization are marked with a superscript ""N"". This ""N"" is not pronounced. It is there to mark the effect on the following word. So if you see ur""N"", this would be pronounced as if it were <ur> in isolation, but the following word would show the effects of nasalization.

In the closely related language of Irish nasalization is called eclipsis and is orthographically respresented.