Ro-ràdh
Vowels
Consonants
Fricatives
Slenderisation
Lenition
Pre-Aspiration
Diphthongs
Helping Vowel
Hiatus
L, N, R
RT& RD
Vowels before
rr, ll, nn

Unstressed Vowels

 

Ro-analachadh - Pre-aspiration

We have already noted that when the consonants t, c, p (broad and slender) are preceded by a vowel, a h sound precedes them. This is referred to as preaspiration. This preaspiration normally takes the form of a voiceless breathing h before each of the consonants t, c, p. However, before c, it is very often realised as ch. Listen carefully to the following examples. You may notice that the preaspiration h is not very audible following long vowels.

Download roanalachadh

ʰt cat, leat, bata, bàta
ʰp map, tapadh, cupa
ʰk / xk mac, soc, leac, aca
ʰtʲ cait, iteag, lite, litir, àite
ʰp cipean, suipear
ʰkʲ / çkʲ mic, aice, faic, lice