How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Ciamar a chanas mi.... / How do I say...
Coventina
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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Unread post by Coventina »

If these were Scottish Gaelic names – I know they aren't, but let's assume they were – how would you pronounce the names Coibean and Coibheantìn. With the help of Wikipedia, I constructed the following pronunciations. Are they correct?

Coibhean /kʰovən/
Coibheantìn /kʰovəntʲʰi:n/

I'm especially unsure whether the <oi> will be pronounced open /ɔ/ or closed /o/, whether the <ea> is pronounced mid-front /ɛ/ or mid-central /ə/, and whether the <t> is aspirated and where (pre- or postaspirated).


GunChleoc
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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Unread post by GunChleoc »

You're pretty close, but the answer is "neither". I'd for /ɤi/

Coibhean /kʰɤivən/
Coibheantìn /kʰɤivənˈtʲʰi:n/

The second name violates the spelling rule, and also Gaelic stress which is always on the first syllable (unlike Irish). you could go for Coibheintin or Coibheantan instead.
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Coventina
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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Unread post by Coventina »

Thank you, GunChleoc.

Like this?
Coibheintin /kʰɤivəntʲʰin/
Coibheantan /kʰɤivəntʰan/ (or /...ən/ ?)
Coventina
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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Unread post by Coventina »

Oh, and how would I spell the name if I wanted it to be pronounced /kʰovən/? Cobhan? But that would be pronounced /kʰo.an/, wouldn't it?
GunChleoc
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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Unread post by GunChleoc »

Transcriptions are correct. The bh used to be pronounced historically (which is why "Inbhir Nis" is "Inverness" as pronounced by English speakers, with a v), but in the modern dialects, it gets dropped.
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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Unread post by Coventina »

Thank you for your kind help, GunChleoc.
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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Unread post by GunChleoc »

'S e do bheatha :)
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