Taoiseach ?

Olivier · Post by **Olivier** » 09 Jan 2004 16:10

Now with the Irish presidency of UE I sometimes see on the Internet things like "The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern...", I understand it means Prime Minister but how is it to be pronounced? (with Irish I suspect every second letter is silent

) Thanks in advance!
-- Olivier

Esenthiel · Post by **Esenthiel** » 10 Jan 2004 00:09

My guess is "Tee-sawk". Ask here: http://irishgaelictranslator.com/translation/

Olivier · Post by **Olivier** » 10 Jan 2004 01:24

Thanks; now I have found this page that says it is [ti:s'@x] where symbols have the following meaning (according to their phonology page):
i: = long i (English ee)
@ = schwa (English a in above)
ti: with aspirated initial t like in English, and a velar offglide t@i:
s' = English sh, or rather an alveopalatal fricative like Polish si
x = ch in loch
So with English sounds it would be something like Tee-shoch (ch in loch) or Tee-shah.
Irish is even worse than English as for writing!
-- Olivier

Esenthiel · Post by **Esenthiel** » 10 Jan 2004 02:00

D'oh! I completely forgot about the slender vowels... Tee-shoch is right. Things like that slip your mind from time to time. And as far as "wasted letters" go, Irish is up there with French.