Differences between Cork Irish

Crann na Beatha

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Micilin Muc

Phoenix wrote: »

Where there many differences between the Irish spoken in cork compared to the rest of the country?as a matter of interest when did Irish become less spoken in cork especially in west cork

The Irish of Cork, along with the other dialects in Munster (Waterford and Kerry), tend to have an emphasis on the last syllable of the noun. For example cailín, rather than cailín in the rest of the country.

Also, the first person, singular and plural, tend to use contracted forms of the verb, meaning that in Munster you'll hear "Cheannaíos", instead of "Cheannaigh mé", and "Cheannaíomar" instead of "Cheannaigh muid".

To me, they're the easiest tell-tale signs of Munster Irish.

AnLonDubh

Phoenix wrote: »

Where there many differences between the Irish spoken in cork compared to the rest of the country?as a matter of interest when did Irish become less spoken in cork especially in west cork

Munster Irish had two major sub-dialects: West Munster and Déise Irish.

Déise Irish would have had Southern Waterford, Northern Waterford, Southern Tipperary, Northern Cork, Limerick and eastern Clare as its major subdialects.

Inside West Munster there were a variety of dialects: Corca Dhuibhne Irish, Uíbh Ráthach Irish, Béarra Irish, the Irish of the Southern Cork coast, the Irish of East Cork, the Irish of Cork/Kerry border.

Often the phrase "Cork Irish" refers to the specific sub-dialect of the Cork/Kerry border. The Irish spoken in towns like Cúil Aodha and Baile Bhuirne.

Munster Irish is marked out by the differences Micilin Muc mentioned above, I would also add that Munster eclipses t and d after prepositions + article:

ag an doras (Outside Munster)
ag an ndoras (Munster)

In Munster the stress in words is altered as Muilin Muc said. It is attracted to the first -ach- or long vowel (vowel with fada) in a word, rather than being on the first syllable as in other dialects.

Cork Irish in particular is marked out by:
1. Pronouncing -inn the same as -ing in English, where as Kerry pronounces it as an n.
2. Also in Cork there are dual forms for certain words dhá bhoin = two cows.
3. do/de lenite in Cork but eclipse in Kerry:
don gheata (Cork)
don ngeata (Kerry)
4. Using tar éis = after slightly differently.
5. Having different forms for some of the Irregular verbs.
6. Cork keeps short vowels at the start of many words.
A hug = Barróg (Cork), Bróg (Kerry)

There are several other small differences, but these are the most noticeable at first.

Irish started becoming less spoken in Cork around 1820.

Crann na Beatha

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AnLonDubh

Well I could talk endlessly about this stuff if anybody wants to know more.

GaelMise

AnLonDubh wrote: »

Well I could talk endlessly about this stuff if anybody wants to know more.

Have you any information on the northern Waterford dialect and how it differed from the existing Irish of An Rinn?

AnLonDubh

GaelMise wrote: »

Have you any information on the northern Waterford dialect and how it differed from the existing Irish of An Rinn?

Yes, it preserved the relative form of the verb:

An fear a bhíonn anso (An Rinn)

An fear a bhíonns anso (Northern Waterford)

It also preserved the neuter gender of certain words (which used to eclipse their adjectives in the nominative):

deoch uisce (An Rinn)

deoch n-uisce (Northern Waterford)

GaelMise

AnLonDubh wrote: »

Yes, it preserved the relative form of the verb:

An fear a bhíonn anso (An Rinn)

An fear a bhíonns anso (Northern Waterford)

It also preserved the neuter gender of certain words (which used to eclipse their adjectives in the nominative):

deoch uisce (An Rinn)

deoch n-uisce (Northern Waterford)

Do you know roughly where each dialect was spoken, where was the dividing line?

AnLonDubh

GaelMise wrote: »

Do you know roughly where each dialect was spoken, where was the dividing line?

Around Lemybrien.

In Northern Waterford, there was ansa for anso (anseo in other dialects), ingis for anois and a good few other word variations.

i chuigint instead of ar aon chor.