Pronounce Caolán!

KarmaGarda

So, I have a wee leanbh on the way and shortlisting names. One is Caolán. Now I'm originally from west of Ireland (Sligo to be accurate) and my pronunciation of this name seems to be different than some other peoples from the north or from other dialects. So I'm wondering if this name is one of those that is dependant on dialect?

I'd pronounce it closer to "Kway-lawn". But other people have varied from:

Kay-lan
Kwee-lawn
Kee-lan

I like Kway-lawn best, but I'm now doubting my pronunciation? How would you pronounce it? Or is this one of those dialect things?

Go raibh math agaibh!

deise08

KarmaGarda wrote: »

So, I have a wee leanbh on the way and shortlisting names. One is Caolán. Now I'm originally from west of Ireland (Sligo to be accurate) and my pronunciation of this name seems to be different than some other peoples from the north or from other dialects. So I'm wondering if this name is one of those that is dependant on dialect?

I'd pronounce it closer to "Kway-lahn". But other people have varied from:

Kay-lan
Kwee-lahn
Kee-lan

I like Kway-lahn best, but I'm now doubting my pronunciation? How would you pronounce it? Or is this one of those dialect things?

Go raibh math agaibh!

KWAY LAWN

BelleOfTheBall

Is that a boys name?

Un Croissant

BelleOfTheBall wrote: »

Is that a boys name?

I hope so

KarmaGarda

Yeah it's a boys name. Look up Caolán Mooney, Aussie rules player. He pronounces it something like Kay-lan

implausible

Up in Donegal I've only come across the Kee-lan pronunciation and quite a few kids with the name spelt the Anglicised way - Keelan. In Monaghan/Cavan it's often Kay-lawn. I would have Connacht Irish and it'd be Kway-lawn to me.

At the end of the day, however, if your child will be reared where you live, the name will be pronounced in the local way, so I wouldn't worry too much about pronunciations elsewhere.

The area of Irish names can be a bit of a minefield and you'll find plenty of discussion on the baby names thread.

Renegade Mechanic

KarmaGarda wrote: »

So, I have a wee leanbh on the way and shortlisting names. One is Caolán. Now I'm originally from west of Ireland (Sligo to be accurate) and my pronunciation of this name seems to be different than some other peoples from the north or from other dialects. So I'm wondering if this name is one of those that is dependant on dialect?

I'd pronounce it closer to "Kway-lawn". But other people have varied from:

Kay-lan
Kwee-lawn
Kee-lan

I like Kway-lahn best, but I'm now doubting my pronunciation? How would you pronounce it? Or is this one of those dialect things?

Go raibh math agaibh!

Definitely cant be Kee-lan anyway. That sounds awful and rather naff tbh. Your own pronunciation seems right to me at least.

feargale

deise08 wrote: »

KWAY LAWN

Correct

therealme

K-lawn or K.way-lawn. A fada makes an "awe" sound.

feargale

deise08 wrote: »

KWAY LAWN

Correct

KarmaGarda

Good stuff, sounds like most pronounce it the same as myself.

I agree with the "Kee-lan" pronunciation seeming incorrect as the á needs to be elongated to make an "awn" sound.

feargale

Correct if spelt Caolàn. I knew a girl called Keelin, at least that's how she pronounced it in English. Don't know what the Irish version of that was or if it's the same name.

Un Croissant

feargale wrote: »

Correct if spelt Caolàn. I knew a girl called Keelin, at least that's how she pronounced it in English. Don't know what the Irish version of that was or if it's the same name.

Caoillfhinn.

dubhthach

There's an important isogloss in Irish with regards to prononunication of "ao"



In Connacht and Ulster Irish "ao" is prononunced identically to "aoi" (long i eg. í --- ee for english speakers). In Munster it's pronounced as long e (eg. é/ae --- "ay" for english speakers).

Due to emphasis often placed on Munster Irish historically in education system you get result that many non-native speakers will use munster pronunciation even though they are from areas that never historically did use it. Good example is pronunciation of "naomh"

craoltoir

You can try out Gaoth Dobhair/Connacht pronunciation of words here:

http://www.abair.tcd.ie/?synth=gd&lang=gle&page=synthesis&submit=true&view=listen&xpos=0&ypos=255&speed=Gn%C3%A1thluas&pitch=1.0&input=caol%C3%A1n&xmlfile=20140618_122326.xml&colors=default

Moonbeam

Caoilfhionn - qwee linn
Caolán - qway lawn

It is my sons name,himself loves the 2 names but I only let him use one of them:)

AnLonDubh

In the original dialect of county Sligo it would have been pronounced KWEE-lawn, with stress on the initial syllable.