Pre-aspiration
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We have already noted that when the consonants t c p (broad and slender) are preceded by a vowel, a h sound precedes them. This is referred to as pre-aspiration. This pre-aspiration normally takes the form of a voiceless breathing h before each of the consonants t c p. However, before c, it is very often realised as ch. Listen carefully to the following examples. You may notice that the pre-aspiration h is not very audible following long vowels.
[hd] | [kahd] | cat | cat |
[lahd] | leat | with you | |
[bahdə] | bata | stick (n.) | |
[ʰd] | [baːʰdə] | bàta | boat |
[hb] | [mahb] | map | map (n.) |
[tahbə] | tapadh | cleverness | |
[kuhbə] | cupa | cup (n.) | |
[xg] | [maxg] | mac | son |
[sɔxg] | soc | snout | |
[Lʲaxg] | leac | flagstone | |
[axgə] | aca | at them | |
[hdʲ] | [kahdʲ] | cait | cats |
[ihdʲag] | iteag | feather | |
[Lʲihdʲə] | lite | porridge | |
[Lʲihdʲɪrʲ] | litir | letter | |
[ʰdʲ] | [aːʰdʲə] | àite | place |
[çb] | [kʲiçban] | cipean | stake (n.) |
[suçbər] | suipear | supper | |
[çgʲ] | [miçgʲ] | mic | sons |
[açgʲə] | aice | at her | |
[fɛçgʲ] | faic | see! | |
[Lʲiçgʲə] | lice | flagstone (genitive) |
Fuaimean na Gàidhlig | ||||||||||||
᚛ Vowels - Consonants - Fricatives - Slenderisation - Pre-aspiration - Lenition - Helping vowel - Diphthongs ᚜ ᚛ Hiatus - l n r - rt & rd - Vowels before rr ll nn - Unstressed vowels ᚜ |