16. Aspiration is usually marked by placing a dot over the consonant aspirated thus—ḃ, ċ, ḋ. However, it is sometimes marked by an h after the consonant to be aspirated. This is the method usually adopted when Irish is written or printed in English characters.
17. In writing Irish only nine of the consonants, viz., b, c, d, f, g, m, p, s, and t, are aspirated; but in the spoken language all the consonants are aspirated.
The Aspiration of l, n, r.
18. The aspiration of the three letters l, n, r, is not marked by any sign in writing, as is the aspiration of the other consonants (ḃ or bh); but yet they are aspirated in the spoken language. An example will best illustrate this point. The student has already learned that the word leaḃar, a book, is pronounced lyou-ar. Mo, my, aspirates an ordinary consonant, as mo ḃó, my cow; but it also aspirates l, n, r, for mo leaḃar, my book, is pronounced mŭ low-ar (i.e. the sound of y after l disappears).
| a leaḃar, his book, | is pronounced | ă low-ar. |
| a leaḃar, her book, | " | ă lyou-ar. |
| a leaḃar, their book, | " | ă lyow-ar. |
| a neart, his strength, | " | ă narth. |
| a neart, her strength, | " | ă nyarth. |
19. When l broad begins a word it has a much thicker sound than in English. In sounding the English l the point of the tongue touches the palate just above the teeth; but to get the thick sound of the Irish l we must press the tongue firmly against the upper teeth (or we may protrude it between the teeth). Now, when such an l is aspirated it loses this thick sound, and is pronounced just as the English l.
20. It is not easy to show by an example the aspirated sound of r; however, it is aspirated in the spoken language, and a slightly softer sound is produced.
