Английская Википедия:Irish initial mutations
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:More citations needed Шаблон:IPA-ga notice
Irish, like all modern Celtic languages, is characterized by its initial consonant mutations.[1] These mutations affect the initial consonant of a word under specific morphological and syntactic conditions. The mutations are an important tool in understanding the relationship between two words and can differentiate various meanings.
Irish, like Scottish Gaelic and Manx, features two initial consonant mutations: lenition (Шаблон:Lang-ga Шаблон:IPA-ga) and eclipsis (Шаблон:Lang Шаблон:IPA-ga) (the alternative names, aspiration for lenition and nasalisation for eclipsis, are also used, but those terms are misleading).
Originally these mutations were phonologically governed external sandhi effects: lenition was caused by a consonant being between two vowels, and eclipsis when a nasal preceded an obstruent, including at the beginning of a word.
Irish also features t-prothesis and h-prothesis, related phenomena which affect vowel-initial words.
See Irish phonology for a discussion of the symbols used on this page. Шаблон:TOC limit
Historical development
Lenition
Lenition as an initial mutation originally stems from the historical allophonic lenition of an intervocalic consonant, both word internally and across word boundaries, i.e if a word ended in a vowel and the next word began with a consonant + a vowel, the consonant lenited.
Today, these former final vowels are usually elided, but the lenition of following consonants remains and has been grammaticised. For example, Proto-Celtic *esyo "his" caused the lenition of a following consonant due to its final vowel and its modern form Шаблон:Lang now causes lenition, keeping it distinct from Шаблон:Lang "her" and Шаблон:Lang "their", which cause h-prothesis and eclipsis respectively.
Lenition caused stops and *m to become fricatives, *s to debuccalise to Шаблон:IPA, *f to elide, and the liquids *l, *n, *r to split into fortis and lenis variants. Though by the end of the Middle Irish period lenited *m largely lost its nasal quality, lenited *t debuccalised to Шаблон:IPA, and lenited *d lost its coronal articulation.
Lenition did not only occur word initially, though non-initial lenition was never grammaticised. For example Proto-Celtic *knāmis → Шаблон:Lang → Шаблон:Lang "bone", and *abalnā → Шаблон:Lang → Шаблон:Lang "apple tree".
Prothetic Шаблон:Vr- and Шаблон:Vr-
While it is not initially apparent, the prothesis of Шаблон:Vr and Шаблон:Vr stems from historical lenition combined with vowel reduction.
The prosthetic Шаблон:Vr- of vowel initial words is a fossilised fragment of the Proto-Celtic masculine definite article *sindos. Before vowels, the *s of the ending *-os was lenited to Шаблон:IPA, which (combined with the loss of the *-o-) devoiced the preceding *-d- to *-t.
- i.e. *sindos Шаблон:IPA → Шаблон:Lang → Шаблон:Lang).
The prosthetic Шаблон:Vr of Шаблон:Vr initial words is a fossilised fragment of the d of Proto-Celtic nominative feminine definite article *sindā and masculine genitive definite article *sindī. Since they ended in vowels, a following word initial *s was lenited to Шаблон:IPA which (combined with the loss of the *-ā, *-ī) devoiced the preceding *-d to *-t.
- i.e. *sindā sūli [sindaː huːli] → Шаблон:Lang → Шаблон:Lang)
The prothetic Шаблон:Vr of vowel initial words has two origins, the first being epenthetic to avoid vowel hiatus, and the second being the fossilised remnant of a historic consonant. For example, the *s of Proto-Celtic *esyās "her" was lenited between vowels to Шаблон:IPA. Overtime *esyās was reduced to Шаблон:Lang but the Шаблон:IPA remains when it is followed by a vowel initial word but is now written as part of the following word.
Eclipsis
Eclipsis originally stems from the historical coalescence of consonant clusters beginning with a nasal, both word internally and across word boundaries, i.e if a word ended in a nasal and the next word began with a stop or labial fricative, they would coalesce.
Today, many of the former final nasals have been elided, but still have an effect on the pronunciation of a following consonant, which has been grammaticised. For example, the Proto-Celtic genitive plural of the definite article *sindoisom has lost its final nasal and been reduced to Шаблон:Lang but it now causes the eclipsis of a following consonant or the prothesis of Шаблон:Vr to a vowel.
The cluster reductions involved in eclipsis turned nasal stops followed by a voiced stop into nasal stops, nasal stops followed by a voiceless stop into voiced plosives, nasal stops followed by a voiceless labial fricative into a voiced fricative, and words which have lost there final nasal add an Шаблон:Vr to vowel initial words.
These cluster reduction did not only occur word initially, though non-initial coalescence was never grammaticised. For example, Proto-Celtic *lindos → Шаблон:Lang → Шаблон:Lang "pool", and *kʷenkʷe → Шаблон:Lang → Шаблон:Lang "five".
Summary table
This table shows the orthographical and phonological effects of lenition, eclipsis, h-prothesis, and t-prothesis. Vowels are represented by Шаблон:Vr and Шаблон:IPA. Consonants are broad before Шаблон:Vr and slender before Шаблон:Vr. See also Irish orthography which has a table showing non-initial lenited consonants which elided or vocalised to form diphthongs or long vowels.
* Not all dialects contrast lenited Шаблон:Vr and Шаблон:Vr from their unlenited forms. See Irish Phonology#Fortis and lenis sonorants.
Environments of Lenition
After proclitics
After the definite article
The definite article triggers the lenition of:
- a feminine noun in the nominative singular
- Шаблон:Lang "the woman"
- a masculine noun in the genitive singular
- Шаблон:Lang "of the man" e.g. Шаблон:Lang, the man's car (car of the man)
- a noun in the dative singular, when the article follows one of the prepositions Шаблон:Lang "from", Шаблон:Lang "to" or Шаблон:Lang "in"
- Шаблон:Lang + Шаблон:Lang = Шаблон:Lang: Шаблон:Lang "to the man"
- Шаблон:Lang + Шаблон:Lang = Шаблон:Lang: Шаблон:Lang "from the woman"
- Шаблон:Lang + Шаблон:Lang = Шаблон:Lang: Шаблон:Lang "in the tree"; Шаблон:Lang "in the autumn"
Lenition is blocked when a coronal consonant is preceded by Шаблон:Lang.
- Шаблон:Lang "the drink", although Шаблон:Lang is feminine nominative singular
- Шаблон:Lang "of the house", although Шаблон:Lang is masculine genitive singular
Instead of leniting to Шаблон:IPA, after the definite article, Шаблон:IPA become Шаблон:IPA (written Шаблон:Vr):
- Шаблон:Lang Шаблон:IPA "the eye" (fem. nom. sg.)
- Шаблон:Lang Шаблон:IPA "of the world" (masc. gen. sg.)
After the vocative particle Шаблон:Lang
- Шаблон:Lang "Bríd!"
- Шаблон:Lang "Seán!"
- Шаблон:Lang "my friends!"
After possessive pronouns
The possessive pronouns that trigger lenition are Шаблон:Lang "my", Шаблон:Lang "your (sg.)", Шаблон:Lang "his"
- Шаблон:Lang "my son"
- Шаблон:Lang "your house"
- Шаблон:Lang "his pen"
After certain prepositions
- Шаблон:Lang "out of a tree"
- Шаблон:Lang "under a tree"
- Шаблон:Lang "as a person"
- Шаблон:Lang "from Cork"
- Шаблон:Lang "before morning"
- Шаблон:Lang "through frost and snow"
- Шаблон:Lang "at Easter"
- Шаблон:Lang "both men and women"
- Шаблон:Lang "on a table"
After the preterite/conditional of the copula
- Шаблон:Lang "He was a big person."
- Шаблон:Lang "That was nice of you."
After the preterite preverbal particles
- Шаблон:Lang "He was not a teacher."
- Шаблон:Lang "I didn't give"
- Шаблон:Lang "Was he a priest?"
- Шаблон:Lang "Did he come?"
After certain preverbal particles
- Шаблон:Lang "I don't understand"
- Шаблон:Lang "if he comes"
- Шаблон:Lang "the man who will give it to me"
A verb in the preterite, imperfect or conditional
These were originally preceded by the particle Шаблон:Lang and often still are in Munster.
- Шаблон:Lang "I broke"
- Шаблон:Lang "I used to break"
- Шаблон:Lang "I would break"
In modifier + head constructions
Lenition is blocked in these constructions if two coronals are adjacent.
After certain numbers
The singular form is used after numbers and is lenited in the following cases:
- Шаблон:Lang "one cow"
- Шаблон:Lang "the first year"
- Шаблон:Lang "two houses"
- Шаблон:Lang "two men"
- Шаблон:Lang "three boats"
- Шаблон:Lang "four cows"
- Шаблон:Lang "five pounds"
- Шаблон:Lang "six months"
After preposed adjectives
Constructions of adjective + noun are written as compounds.
- Шаблон:Lang "old woman"
- Шаблон:Lang "bad person"
- Шаблон:Lang "good deed"
- Шаблон:Lang "modern language"
- Шаблон:Lang "stormy sea"
- Шаблон:Lang "true skin"
- Шаблон:Lang "high pressure"
- Шаблон:Lang "young man"
After most prefixes
- Шаблон:Lang "very small"
- Шаблон:Lang "too small"
- Шаблон:Lang "retake"
- Шаблон:Lang "new year"
- Шаблон:Lang "undeniable"
- Шаблон:Lang "saucer"
- Шаблон:Lang "overalls"
- Шаблон:Lang "interconfessional"
- Шаблон:Lang "polygamy"
- Шаблон:Lang "stepmother"
- Шаблон:Lang "unhappy"
- Шаблон:Lang "insomnia"
- Шаблон:Lang "capital city"
- Шаблон:Lang "fragile"
The second part of a compound
- Шаблон:Lang "noun" (lit. "name word")
- Шаблон:Lang "dark blue"
- Шаблон:Lang "national debt"
In head + modifier constructions
In these constructions coronals are lenited even following other
- Шаблон:Lang "rainy weather" (lenition after a feminine singular noun)
- Шаблон:Lang "bottles of juice" (lenition after a plural ending in a slender consonant)
- Шаблон:Lang "Seán's house" (lenition of a definite noun in the genitive)
Postposed adjectives in certain circumstances
- Шаблон:Lang "a pretty woman" (lenition after a feminine singular noun)
- Шаблон:Lang "the big men" (lenition after a plural noun ending in a slender consonant)
- Шаблон:Lang "the name of the small man" (lenition after a masculine singular noun in the genitive)
- Шаблон:Lang "in the big tree" (lenition after a noun lenited by virtue of being in the dative after Шаблон:Lang, Шаблон:Lang, or Шаблон:Lang)
Environments of Eclipsis Шаблон:Anchor
After plural possessive pronouns
The possessive pronouns that trigger eclipsis are Шаблон:Lang "our", Шаблон:Lang "your (pl.)", Шаблон:Lang "their"
- Шаблон:Lang "our friends"
- Шаблон:Lang "your (pl.) children"
- Шаблон:Lang "their boat",
Шаблон:Lang can mean "his", "her" or "their", but these different uses can still be distinguished, since Шаблон:Lang causes lenition when used as "his" (Шаблон:Lang), causes eclipsis when used as "their" (Шаблон:Lang), and neither when used as "her" (Шаблон:Lang).
After certain numbers
The numbers that trigger eclipsis (the noun being in the singular) are:
- Шаблон:Lang "seven horses"
- Шаблон:Lang "eight donkeys"
- Шаблон:Lang "nine cats"
- Шаблон:Lang "ten pens"
After the preposition Шаблон:Lang "in"
Before a vowel Шаблон:Lang is written instead of Шаблон:Lang.
- Шаблон:Lang "in a house"
- Шаблон:Lang "in Ireland"
Genitive plural nouns after the definite article
The genitive plural article Шаблон:Lang eclipses a following noun:
- Шаблон:Lang "of the donkeys"
- Шаблон:Lang "of the words"
Dative singular nouns after the definite article
In western and southern dialects, nouns beginning with a noncoronal consonant are eclipsed after combinations of preposition + article in the singular (except Шаблон:Lang, Шаблон:Lang, and Шаблон:Lang, which trigger lenition)
- Шаблон:Lang "by the man"
- Шаблон:Lang "on the tree"
After certain preverbal particles
- Шаблон:Lang "the hole that the rabbits come out of"
- Шаблон:Lang "Does he come every day?"
- Шаблон:Lang "Where are my glasses?"
- Шаблон:Lang "He said that he would come."
- Шаблон:Lang "if I had known that"
Changes to vowel-initial words
In environments where lenition occurs a vowel initial word remains unchanged:
- Шаблон:Lang "the night" (feminine singular nominative noun after definite article)
- Шаблон:Lang "of the water" (masculine singular genitive noun after definite article)
- Шаблон:Lang "from Scotland" (noun after leniting preposition)
- Шаблон:Lang "grandfather" (noun after preposed adjective: Шаблон:Lang "old" + Шаблон:Lang "father")
Шаблон:AnchorHowever, In environments where neither eclipsis nor lenition is expected, an initial vowel may acquire a prothetic consonant. For example, a vowel-initial masculine singular nominative noun requires a Шаблон:Vr (a voiceless coronal plosive) after the definite article:
- Шаблон:Lang "the water" (masculine singular nominative)
Шаблон:AnchorAdditionally, there is the prothetic Шаблон:Vr (a voiceless glottal fricative), which occurs when both the following conditions are met:
- a proclitic causes neither lenition nor eclipsis of consonants.
- a proclitic itself ends in a vowel.
Examples of h-prothesis:
- Шаблон:Lang "her age" (after possessive pronoun Шаблон:Lang "her"; compare with Шаблон:Lang, "his age" and Шаблон:Lang, "their age" with regular urú)
- Шаблон:Lang "to Ireland" (after preposition Шаблон:Lang "to, towards")
- Шаблон:Lang "with Antaine" (after preposition Шаблон:Lang "with")
- Шаблон:Lang "of the night" (on feminine singular genitive noun after definite article)
- Шаблон:Lang "the birds" (on plural nominative/dative noun after definite article)
- Шаблон:Lang "as high as a castle" (after chomh Шаблон:IPA "as")
- Шаблон:Lang "beautifully" (after adverb-forming particle Шаблон:Lang)
- Шаблон:Lang "Don't leave me!" (after negative imperative particle Шаблон:Lang "don't")
- Шаблон:Lang "the second place" (after an ordinal numeral)
References
