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How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 4:00 pm
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).

How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:38 pm
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.

How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:51 pm
by Coventina
Thank you, GunChleoc.

Like this?
Coibheintin /kʰɤivəntʲʰin/
Coibheantan /kʰɤivəntʰan/ (or /...ən/ ?)

How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:06 pm
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?

How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:02 am
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.

How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:57 am
by Coventina
Thank you for your kind help, GunChleoc.

How would you pronounce Coibhean?

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:29 am
by GunChleoc
'S e do bheatha :)