Skip to content
  • Register
    • Advertisement
    If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
    Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

    Pronounce Caolán!

    • 17-06-2014 11:10PM
      #1
      KarmaGarda
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,009
      ✭✭✭


      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!


    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Comments

    • #2
      deise08
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,330 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


    • #3
      BelleOfTheBall
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 72 BelleOfTheBall
      ✭✭


      Is that a boys name?


    • #4
      Un Croissant
      Closed Accounts Posts: 3,052 Un Croissant
      ✭✭✭


      BelleOfTheBall wrote: »
      Is that a boys name?

      I hope so :/


    • #5
      KarmaGarda
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,009 KarmaGarda
      ✭✭✭


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


    • #6
      implausible
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,937 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.


    • Advertisement
    • #7
      Renegade Mechanic
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,934 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.


    • #8
      feargale
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,636 feargale
      ✭✭✭


      deise08 wrote: »
      KWAY LAWN

      Correct


    • #9
      therealme
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 221 therealme
      ✭✭


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


    • #10
      feargale
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,636 feargale
      ✭✭✭


      deise08 wrote: »
      KWAY LAWN

      Correct


    • #11
      KarmaGarda
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,009 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.


    • Advertisement
    • #12
      feargale
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,636 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.


    • #13
      Un Croissant
      Closed Accounts Posts: 3,052 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.


    • #14
      dubhthach
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,285 dubhthach
      ✭✭✭


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

      ao-isogloss.png

      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"


    • #15
      craoltoir
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 781 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


    • #16
      Moonbeam
      Moderators, Education Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,021 Moonbeam
      Mod ✭✭✭✭


      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:)


    • #17
      AnLonDubh
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 216 AnLonDubh
      ✭✭


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


    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register
    Advertisement