Caoimhín: Contributed by Salaün

2022-08-11T21:13:15Z

Contributed by Salaün

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= distagadur / pronunciation =

== Heñcher-API / IPA guide ==

https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/IPAcharts/inter_chart_2018/IPA_2018.html

== Brezhoneg e tu gwalarn Breizh: North West Breton pronunciation (summary). ==

=== Recall the phonetic signs of Breton ===

* simple: [b] [p] [g] [k] [d] [t] [v] [f] [h] [z] [s] [l] [m] [n] [w] and [i]
* ambiguous: most vowels + the nasals [~] and [ɥ]
* other signs: [ŋ] [ɲ] [χ] [ʎ] [ʃ] [ʒ] [j] [œ] [ø] [ɛ] [r] [ʁ]

Basic rules:
* Long vowel + short consonant = same time as short vowel + long consonant = same length
* long consonant = same length

=== Consonants ===

* Consonant pairs
** [b] and [p]
** [v] and [f]
** [g] and [k]
** [z] and [s]
** [d] and [t]
** [ʒ] and [ʃ]
** [χ] and [h]

* single consonants: [l] [m] and [n], as well as [ʎ] (written ill/ilh) , [ŋ] (e.g. ''frank, rank, ingal -ing/ink''), [ɲ]

=== Vowels ===

Apart from [ə] which is always short, all vowels can be long or short
Pronunciation of simple and complex letters and delicate groupings
(excluding diphthongs)

=== Sounds of the letters ===

* '''a''': [a] or [ɑ] (which is more often long as in bagoù)
* '''b''': [b] or [p] (in absolute finals = end of phrase or pause)
(when there is a "sneaky" couple in common compound sets, like ''pemp *pl(o)as'' instead of ''pemp bloaz'',
''me ga*f*-din'' instead of ''me gav din'' (more like in Leon), ''be' ploas'' instead of ''bep bloaz'',
''ma'-pihan'' instead of ''map bihan'').

* '''d''': [d] or [t] (in absolute finals + phenomenon of "sneaky" couples)
* '''e''': [e] or [ɛ] (in absolute finals)
* '''f''': [f] or [v] by adoussisant mutation: e.g. ''Fouilhez'', ''ar Vouilhe(z)''
* '''g''': [g] or [k] by hardening in the final absolute and during pauses + phenomenon of "sneaky" couples
* '''h''': [h] (most c'h's are pronounced as such) or mute.

* '''i''': [i] or [j]:
** When it is a syllable separated by a vowel that follows (e.g. ''Skïant'' (science), ''alïes'' (often), ''Studïañ'' (study))
** When "i" is after another vowel: If the vowel is unmistakable, the "i" is usually pronounced [j] (half-consonant when counting syllables): ''deiz'' (day) ''kreiz'' (centre) ''eiz'' (eight)<br/>But this is not always the case -> e.g. radicals followed by a suffix: if it's -ig, i -> [i] or [j]. We have ''roit'' ['roit] as well as ['roɛt], pronounced quickly we hear ['rojt].
** If the preceding vowel is a semi-consonant, the "i" can only be a vowel, e.g. ''mui'' (plus) ['mɥi] but the comparative sup. ''muioc'h'' is pronounced either ['mɥiɔχ] or ['myjɔχ] depending on the dialects and individuals as well as the superlative ''muañ'' ("most") and ''peurvuiañ'' ("most")
* '''j''': [ʒ] or [ʃ] depending on the dialect, in absolute final, "sneaky" couple...
* '''k''': [k] or [g] depending on the syllables, the place in the sentence
* '''l''': [l] long or short: pronunciation difference between ''-el'' and ''-ell'' suffixes e.g. ''Mel'' (in French ''miel'') [Me:l] "e" long and "l" short, and in ''Mell'' (French ''ball, mêlée, soule, articulation'') [mɛl'] "e" short and "l" long
** A muffle in final position is optional: [l̼]
* '''m''': always [m]:
** [m] before "a "s are always nasalized, examples: ''Mamm'' (mother) ['mãm:].
** The "o" are half nasalized or not nasalized at all: ''tomm'' (hot)
** The "e's" are not nasalised at all: ''lemm'' (sharp) ['lɛmː].
** e's are always short before "m/mm" ['lɛmː] ['lɛmː]
* '''n''': always [n] except when followed by "k" or "g" where it can be [ŋ]
** [n] note: before a single "n" (i.e. a short "n") the preceding vowel is entirely nasal [ã] or [ã:], [õ] or [õ:], [ẽ] or [ẽ:]
** On the other hand, in front of 2 n ("nn") the nasalization is less advanced -> e.g.: ''kan'' ['kãːn] (song) and ''kann'' [kãnː] (bright white, white glow)
* '''o''': [ɔ] or [o], sometimes [w] and [u] depending on the dialect, preceding and following vowels, consonants.
* '''p''': [p] or [b] by softening mutation, by syllable phenomenon.
* '''r''': often [ʁ] rarely [r] (especially in Leon), sometimes softened in final [ʁ̯] or [r̯].
* '''s''': [s] or [z] by softening mutation
* '''u''': always [y]
* '''w''': [w] [v] in leonard initial, sometimes [o] and [u].
* '''y''': always [y]
* '''z''': [z] or [s] but elided in some dialects
(especially Cornouaillais, Trégorois and Vannetais, and replaced by
an h in writing: e.g. ''neuhe'' instead of ''neuze'', ''behañ'' instead of ''bezañ'')

'''Note:''' This summary is not yet complete and will be updated regularly.

[[Category:Breton]]

Breton/Pronunciation - Revision history

Caoimhín: Contributed by Salaün