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Sorcha pronunciation.

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  • 11-08-2011 12:12pm
    #1
    FTGFOP
    Registered Users Posts: 2,389 ✭✭✭


    Is Sor(i)cha a vaid pronunciation of Sorcha?

    I just realised I say it that way. (I was taught Munster Irish in school if that makes a difference.)


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    #2
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    I always took it as (phonetically) Sore-sha.


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    #3
    dambarude
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 2,503 Mod ✭✭✭✭dambarude


    Sur - i - ka (except it's not really 'ka' but 'cha', not pronounced as it is in Charlie).


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    #4
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    dambarude wrote: »
    Sur - i - ka (except it's not really 'ka' but 'cha', not pronounced as it is in Charlie).

    First example on this site is very like that.

    http://www.forvo.com/word/sorcha/

    (Just hit the play button beside the link).


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    #5
    An gal gréine
    Registered Users Posts: 941 ✭✭✭An gal gréine


    Same with the name Donncha and words like airgead and táirge.
    Native speakers are often heard to say "ar-i-ms" for the the English word "arms".


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    #6
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,481 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    chin_grin wrote: »
    I always took it as (phonetically) Sore-sha.
    That would be a closer pronounciation for Seoirse.

    Sor-ick-ah

    The " vowel" sound in the centre is known as a guta cúnta.


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    #7
    Enkidu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,005 ✭✭✭Enkidu


    byhookorbycrook wrote: »
    That would be a closer pronounciation for Seoirse.

    Sor-ick-ah

    The " vowel" sound in the centre is known as a guta cúnta.
    Maybe I'm being silly, but I thought the emphasis would be:
    Sori-xa

    Sor and the guta cúnta being pronounced close together, followed by the "throat-clearing" cha sound. Like the first guy in chin_grin's post.


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    #8
    FTGFOP
    Registered Users Posts: 2,389 ✭✭✭FTGFOP


    Thanks for all the responses! I am happy that I wasn't imagining the three-syllable pronunciation!

    On the -ch- portion, I'd pronounce it as it it is in 'loch', myself -or as in the German 'Ich'.


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    #9
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    FTGFOP wrote: »
    Thanks for all the responses! I am happy that I wasn't imagining the three-syllable pronunciation!

    On the -ch- portion, I'd pronounce it as it it is in 'loch', myself -or as in the German 'Ich'.

    It's more of a two-and-a-half-syllable pronunciation: the guta cúnta (in English, known as a schwa) has less value than a normal syllable.

    I think you have the right sound in mind for the "ch".


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    #10
    Baile an Locha
    Registered Users Posts: 215 ✭✭Baile an Locha


    I've heard in pronounced,
    Sar-ah-ha
    Sin Gaeilge na hUladh though! Just to add to the confusion.


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    #11
    Rhedyn
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭Rhedyn


    chin_grin wrote: »
    First example on this site is very like that.

    http://www.forvo.com/word/sorcha/

    I would say it just like Breandán there too.


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    #12
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    chin_grin wrote: »
    I always took it as (phonetically) Sore-sha.

    Is this not Seoirse (George)?


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    #13
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    deemark wrote: »
    Is this not Seoirse (George)?

    No.


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    #14
    ArtSmart
    Registered Users Posts: 5,614 ✭✭✭ArtSmart


    deemark wrote: »
    Is this not Seoirse (George)?
    no, that's sayer-sha.

    In england I've heard Sorcha pronounced sore-sha. here sewer-ka.

    3 syllables? dunno. but then, i actually dont know, 'sept what i've actually heard.

    mind you i've heard Guinness pronounced 'your round', so what do i know...


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    #15
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    ArtSmart wrote: »
    no, that's sayer-sha.

    In england I've heard Sorcha pronounced sore-sha. here sewer-ka.

    3 syllables? dunno. but then, i actually dont know, 'sept what i've actually heard.

    mind you i've heard Guinness pronounced 'your round', so what do i know...

    I think you're confusing the boy's name Seoirse (Sore sha) and the girl's name Saoirse ('Sayr sha' or 'Seer sha' depending on area). The Sorchas I know pronounce their names Sor ick a.


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    #16
    deirdremf
    Registered Users Posts: 1,880 ✭✭✭deirdremf


    FTGFOP wrote: »
    Is Sor(i)cha a vaid pronunciation of Sorcha?

    I just realised I say it that way. (I was taught Munster Irish in school if that makes a difference.)

    Do you know the (nonsense) rhyme about Sorcha?

    Sorcha, Sorcha
    poillín dorcha
    chaith sí urchar
    is mharaigh sí éan!

    Just for your information, there is an umwritten syllable in each of the 3 words, Sorcha, dorcha, urchar!


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    #17
    pmcb
    Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭pmcb


    Sar-ah-ha


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    #18
    dubhthach
    Registered Users Posts: 3,284 ✭✭✭dubhthach


    The Forvo pronunciation from the Connemara Gaeilgór is what I've always heard as the proper pronunciation.

    The "i" that people are talking about before the ch is actually a schwa /ə/ -- it's called an "Epenthetic vowel" there is a description of it here:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_orthography#Epenthetic_vowel

    I should add it's the same process that gives us "Fillum" for Film in Hiberno-English, of course that like most Hiberno-English features originating in the Irish language are frowned upon as "bad english"


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