Scottish Gaelic orthography has evolved over many centuries and is heavily etymologizing in its modern form. This means the orthography tends to preserve historical components rather than operating on the principles of a phonemic orthography where the graphemes correspond directly to phonemes. This allows the same written form in Scottish Gaelic to result in a multitude of pronunciations, depending on the spoken variant of Scottish Gaelic. For example, the word Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: coimhead ('watching') may result in in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /ˈkʰõ.ət̪/, in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /ˈkʰɔ̃jət̪/, in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /ˈkʰɤi.ət̪/, or in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /ˈkʰɛ̃.ət̪/. Conversely, it allows the sometimes highly divergent phonetic forms to be covered by a single written form, rather than requiring multiple written forms.
The alphabet (Scottish Gaelic: Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aibidil, formerly Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Beith Luis Nuin from the first three letters of the Ogham alphabet) now used for writing Scottish Gaelic consists of the following Latin script letters, whether written in Roman type or Gaelic type:
Vowels may be accented with a grave accent but accented letters are not considered distinct letters. Prior the 1981 Gaelic Orthographic Convention (GOC), Scottish Gaelic traditionally used acute accents on to denote close-mid long vowels, clearly graphemically distinguishing pronounced as //ɛː// and pronounced as //eː//, and pronounced as //ɔː// and pronounced as //oː//. However, since the 1981 GOC and its 2005 and 2009 revisions, standard orthography only uses the grave accent.[2] Since the 1980s, the acute accent has not been used in Scottish high school examination papers, and many publishers have adopted the Scottish Qualifications Authority's orthographic conventions for their books.[3] Despite this, traditional spelling is still used by some writers and publishers, although not always intentionally.[4] In Nova Scotia, the 2009 Gaelic language curriculum guidelines follow the 2005 GOC orthography, but do not change the traditional spelling of words and phrases common to Nova Scotia or in pre–spelling-reform literature.[5]
The early Medieval treatise Irish, Old (to 900);: [[Auraicept na n-Éces]] ('The Scholars' Primer') describes the origin of alphabets from the Tower of Babel. It assigns plant names and meanings to the Ogham alphabet, to a lesser extent to Norse Younger Futhark runes, and by extension to Latin letters when used to write Gaelic. Robert Graves' book The White Goddess has been a major influence on assigning divinatory meanings to the tree symbolism. (See also Bríatharogam.) Some of the names differ from their modern equivalents (e.g. dair > darach, suil > seileach).
| Letter | Name(s) (meaning) | |
|---|---|---|
| Aa | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Ailm (elm) | |
| Bb | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Beith (silver birch) | |
| Cc | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Coll (hazel) | |
| Dd | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Dair (oak) | |
| Ee | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Eadha (aspen) | |
| Ff | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Feàrn (alder) | |
| Gg | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Gort (ivy) | |
| Hh | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Uath (hawthorn) | |
| Ii | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Iogh (yew) | |
| Ll | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Luis (rowan) | |
| Mm | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Muin (vine) | |
| Nn | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Nuin (ash) | |
| Oo | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Onn (furze) | |
| Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Oir (spindle) | ||
| Pp | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Peith (downy birch) | |
| Rr | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Ruis (elder) | |
| Ss | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Suil (willow) | |
| Tt | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Teine (furze) | |
| Uu | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Ura (heather) |
The consonant letters generally correspond to the consonant phonemes as shown in this table. See Scottish Gaelic phonology for an explanation of the symbols used. Consonants are "broad" (velarised) when the nearest vowel letter is one of and "slender" (palatalised) when the nearest vowel letter is one of . A back vowel is one of the following; pronounced as /[o(ː) ɔ(ː) ɤ(ː) u(ː) ɯ(ː) a(ː) au]/; a front vowel is any other kind of vowel.
| Letter(s) | Phoneme(s) | Examples | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b | broad | pronounced as //p// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bàta pronounced as //paːʰt̪ə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: borb pronounced as //pɔrɔp// | |
| slender | before front vowel, or finally | pronounced as //p// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bean pronounced as //pɛn//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caibe pronounced as //kʰapə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: guib pronounced as //kɤp// | |
| before back vowel | pronounced as //pj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: beò pronounced as //pjɔː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bealltainn pronounced as //pjaul̪ˠt̪ɪɲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bealach pronounced as //pjal̪ˠəx// | ||
| bh | between vowels, sometimes | pronounced as //.// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: siubhal pronounced as //ʃu.əl̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: iubhar pronounced as //ju.əɾ// | |
| finally, sometimes | none | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dubh pronounced as //t̪u//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ubh pronounced as //u// | ||
| usually | broad | pronounced as //v// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cabhag pronounced as //kʰavak//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sàbh pronounced as //s̪aːv// | |
| slender, before front vowel | pronounced as //v// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dhuibh pronounced as //ɣɯiv//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dibhe pronounced as //tʲivə// | ||
| slender, before back vowel | pronounced as //vj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ro bheò pronounced as //rɔ vjɔː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dà bhealltainn pronounced as //t̪aː vjaul̪ˠt̪ɪɲ// | ||
| see below for when they precede consonants | ||||
| c | broad | initially, or non-finally after consonant | pronounced as //kʰ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cas pronounced as //kʰas̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cam pronounced as //kʰaum// |
| between vowels | pronounced as //ʰk// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bacadh pronounced as //paʰkəɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mucan pronounced as //muʰkən// | ||
| finally after vowel | pronounced as //ʰk// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mac pronounced as //maʰk// | ||
| finally after consonant | pronounced as //k// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: corc pronounced as //kʰɔrʰkʲ// | ||
| slender | initially or after consonant | pronounced as //kʰʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ceòl pronounced as //kʰʲɔːl̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ceum pronounced as //kʰʲeːm// | |
| between vowels | pronounced as //ʰkʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lice pronounced as //ʎiʰkʲə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: brice pronounced as //prʲiʰkʲə// | ||
| finally after vowel | pronounced as //ʰkʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mic pronounced as //miʰkʲ// | ||
| finally after consonant | pronounced as //kʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuilc pronounced as //kʰulʰkʲ// | ||
| ch | broad | pronounced as //x// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: loch pronounced as //l̪ˠɔx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dòchas pronounced as //t̪ɔːxəs̪// | |
| slender | pronounced as //ç// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: deich pronounced as //tʲeç//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dìcheall pronounced as //tʲiːçəl̪ˠ// | ||
| chd | pronounced as //xk// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lionntachd pronounced as //ʎuːn̪ˠt̪əxk//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: doimhneachd pronounced as //t̪ɔiɲəxk// | ||
| cn | pronounced as //kr// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cneap pronounced as //krɛʰp//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cneasta pronounced as //krʲes̪t̪ə// | ||
| d | broad | pronounced as //t̪// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cadal pronounced as //kʰat̪al̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fada pronounced as //fat̪ə// | |
| slender | pronounced as //tʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: diùid pronounced as //tʲuːtʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dearg pronounced as //tʲɛrak// | ||
| dh | in final - | none | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: pòsaidh pronounced as //pʰɔːs̪ɪ// | |
| broad | between vowels | pronounced as //.// pronounced as //ɣ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: odhar pronounced as //o.ər//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cladhadh pronounced as //kʰl̪ˠɤ.əɣ// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: modhail pronounced as //mɔɣal// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ɣ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dhà pronounced as //ɣaː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: modh pronounced as //mɔɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tumadh pronounced as //t̪ʰuməɣ// | ||
| slender | between vowels | pronounced as //.// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Gàidheal pronounced as //kɛː.əl̪ˠ// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ʝ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dhìth pronounced as //ʝiː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dhìol pronounced as //ʝiəl̪ˠ// | ||
| see below for when they precede consonants | ||||
| f | broad | pronounced as //f// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fathan pronounced as //fahan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: gafann pronounced as //kafən̪ˠ// | |
| slender | before front vowel | pronounced as //f// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fios pronounced as //fis̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: féill pronounced as //feːʎ// | |
| before back vowel | pronounced as //fj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fiùran pronounced as //fjuːran//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: feòl pronounced as //fjɔːl̪ˠ// | ||
| fh | usual | none | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fhios pronounced as //is̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: a fharadh pronounced as //arəɣ// | |
| exceptionally | pronounced as //h// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fhathast pronounced as //ha.əs̪t̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fhèin pronounced as //heːn//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fhuair pronounced as //huəɾʲ// | ||
| g | broad | pronounced as //k// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: gad pronounced as //kat̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ugan pronounced as //ukən// | |
| slender | pronounced as //kʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: gille pronounced as //kʲiʎə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leig pronounced as //ʎekʲ// | ||
| gh | finally, sometimes | none* | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: an-diugh pronounced as //əɲˈtʲu//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: nigh pronounced as //ɲiː// | |
| between vowels | pronounced as //.//
| Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aghaidh pronounced as //ɤː.ɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fiughar pronounced as //fju.əɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: nigheann pronounced as //ɲiː.an̪ˠ// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: laghail pronounced as //l̪ˠɤɣal// | ||
| elsewhere | broad | pronounced as //ɣ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mo ghoc pronounced as //mə ɣɔʰk//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lagh pronounced as //l̪ˠɤɣ// | |
| slender | pronounced as //ʝ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mo ghille pronounced as //mə ʝiʎə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: do thaigh pronounced as //t̪ə hɤj// | ||
| see below for lengthened when preceding another consonant | ||||
| gn | pronounced as //kr// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: gnè pronounced as //krɛː// | ||
| h | pronounced as //h// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: a h-athair pronounced as //ə hahɪɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Hearach pronounced as //hɛɾəx// | ||
| l | broad | pronounced as //l̪ˠ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lachan pronounced as //l̪ˠaxan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: a laoidh pronounced as //ə l̪ˠɯj//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: balach pronounced as //pal̪ˠəx// | |
| slender | initially, unlenited | pronounced as //ʎ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leabaidh pronounced as //ʎepɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leum pronounced as //ʎeːm// | |
| initially, lenited | pronounced as //l// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dà leabaidh pronounced as //t̪aː lepɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bho leac pronounced as //vɔ lɛʰk// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //l// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuilean pronounced as //kʰulan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sùil pronounced as //s̪uːl// | ||
| ll | broad | pronounced as //l̪ˠ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: balla pronounced as //pal̪ˠə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ciall pronounced as //kʰʲial̪ˠ// | |
| slender | pronounced as //ʎ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cailleach pronounced as //kʰaʎəx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mill pronounced as //miːʎ// | ||
| m | broad | pronounced as //m// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: maol pronounced as //mɯːl̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: màla pronounced as //maːl̪ˠə// | |
| slender | before front vowel | pronounced as //m// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: milis pronounced as //milɪʃ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tìm pronounced as //tʰʲiːm// | |
| before back vowel | pronounced as //mj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: meall pronounced as //mjaul̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: meòg pronounced as //mjɔːk// | ||
| mh | between vowels, sometimes | pronounced as //.// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: comhairle pronounced as //kʰo.əɾlə// | |
| broad | pronounced as //v// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: àmhainn pronounced as //aːvɪɲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caomh pronounced as //kʰɯːv// | ||
| slender | before front vowel | pronounced as //v// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caoimhin pronounced as //kʰɯːvɪɲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: làimh pronounced as //l̪ˠaiv// | |
| before back vowel | pronounced as //vj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: do mhealladh pronounced as //t̪ɔ vjal̪ˠəɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dà mheall pronounced as //t̪aː vjaul̪ˠ// | ||
| see below for when they precede consonants | ||||
| n | broad | initially, unlenited | pronounced as //n̪ˠ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: nàbaidh pronounced as //n̪ˠaːpi//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: norrag pronounced as //n̪ˠɔrˠak// |
| initially, lenited | pronounced as //n// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mo nàire pronounced as //mɔ naːɾʲɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bho nàbaidh pronounced as //vɔ naːpɪ// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //n// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dona pronounced as //t̪ɔnə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sean pronounced as //ʃɛn// | ||
| slender | initially, unlenited | pronounced as //ɲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: neul pronounced as //ɲial̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: neart pronounced as //ɲɛɾʃt̪// | |
| initially, lenited | pronounced as //n// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mo nighean pronounced as //mɔ ni.an//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dà nead pronounced as //t̪aː nɛt̪// | ||
| elsewhere, after back vowel | pronounced as //ɲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: duine pronounced as //t̪ɯɲɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: càineadh pronounced as //kʰaːɲəɣ// | ||
| elsewhere, after front vowel | pronounced as //n// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cana pronounced as //kʰanə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: teine pronounced as //tʰʲenɪ// | ||
| ng | broad | pronounced as //ŋɡ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: teanga pronounced as //tʰʲɛŋɡə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fulang pronounced as //ful̪ˠəŋɡ// | |
| slender | pronounced as //ŋʲɡʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aingeal pronounced as //aiŋʲɡʲəl̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: farsaing pronounced as //faɾs̪ɪŋʲɡʲ// | ||
| nn | broad | pronounced as //n̪ˠ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ceannaich pronounced as //kʰʲan̪ˠɪç//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ann pronounced as //aun̪ˠ// | |
| slender | pronounced as //ɲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bainne pronounced as //paɲɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tinn pronounced as //tʰʲiːɲ// | ||
| p | broad slender not before back vowel | initially or after consonant | pronounced as //pʰ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: post pronounced as //pʰɔs̪t̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: campa pronounced as //kʰaumpə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: peasair pronounced as //pʰes̪ɪɾʲ//, |
| between vowels | pronounced as //ʰp// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cupa pronounced as //kʰuʰpə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cipean pronounced as //kʰʲiʰpan// | ||
| finally after vowel | pronounced as //ʰp// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuip pronounced as //kʰuiʰp// | ||
| finally after consonant | pronounced as //p// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ailp pronounced as //alp// | ||
| slender before back vowel | after consonant, or initially | pronounced as //pj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: piuthar pronounced as //pju.əɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: peall pronounced as //pjaul̪ˠ// | |
| ph | broad | pronounced as //f// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sa phost pronounced as //s̪ə fɔs̪t̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bho phàiste pronounced as //vɔ faːʃtʲə// | |
| slender | before front vowel | pronounced as //f// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dà pheasair pronounced as //t̪aː fes̪ɪɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mo pheata pronounced as //mɔ fɛʰt̪ə// | |
| before back vowel | pronounced as //fj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mo phiuthar pronounced as //mɔ fju.əɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sa pheann pronounced as //s̪ə fjaun̪ˠ// | ||
| r | initially, unlenited | pronounced as //rˠ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ràmh pronounced as //rˠaːv//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: rionnag pronounced as //rˠun̪ˠak// | |
| initially, lenited | pronounced as //ɾ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: do rùn pronounced as //tɔ ɾuːn//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bho réic pronounced as //vɔ ɾeːʰkʲ// | ||
| elsewhere | broad | pronounced as //ɾ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caran pronounced as //kʰaɾan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mura pronounced as //muɾə// | |
| slender | pronounced as //ɾʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cìr pronounced as //kʰʲiːɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuireadh pronounced as //kʰuɾʲəɣ// | ||
| rr | pronounced as //rˠ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cearr pronounced as //kʰʲaːrˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: barra pronounced as //parˠə// | ||
| -rt, -rd | pronounced as //ɾʃt̪// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: neart pronounced as //ɲɛɾʃt̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bord pronounced as //pɔːɾʃt̪// | ||
| s | broad | pronounced as //s̪// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sàr pronounced as //s̪aːɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: casan pronounced as //kʰas̪ən// | |
| slender | pronounced as //ʃ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: siùcair pronounced as //ʃuːʰkɪɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: càise pronounced as //kʰaːʃɪ// | ||
| sh | broad | pronounced as //h// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ro shalach pronounced as //ɾɔ hal̪ˠəx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: glé shoilleir pronounced as //kleː hɤʎɪɾʲ// | |
| slender | before front vowel | pronounced as //h// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dà shìl pronounced as //t̪aː hiːʎ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: glé shean pronounced as //kleː hɛn// | |
| before back vowel | pronounced as //hj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: de shiùcair pronounced as //tʲe hjuːʰkɪɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: a sheòladh pronounced as //ə hjɔːl̪ˠəɣ// | ||
| sr, str | pronounced as //s̪t̪ɾ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sràc pronounced as //s̪t̪ɾaːʰk//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: strì pronounced as //s̪t̪ɾiː// | ||
| t | broad | initially, or non-finally after consonant | pronounced as //t̪ʰ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tasdan pronounced as //t̪ʰas̪t̪an//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: molta pronounced as //mɔl̪ˠt̪ə// |
| between vowels | pronounced as //ʰt̪// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bàta pronounced as //paːʰt̪ə// | ||
| finally, after vowel | pronounced as //ʰt̪// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: put pronounced as //pʰuʰt̪// | ||
| finally, after consonant | pronounced as //t// | |||
| slender | initially, or non-finally after consonant | pronounced as //tʰʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tiugh pronounced as //tʰʲu//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caillte pronounced as //kʰaiʎtʲə// | |
| between vowels | pronounced as //ʰtʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: litir pronounced as //ʎiʰtʲɪɾʲ// | ||
| finally, after vowel | pronounced as //ʰtʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cait pronounced as //kʰɛʰtʲ// | ||
| finally, after consonant | pronounced as //tʲ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ailt pronounced as //altʲ// | ||
| th | finally | none | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: teth pronounced as //tʰʲe//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leth pronounced as //ʎe//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: strath pronounced as //s̪t̪ɾa// | |
| between vowels | pronounced as //.// pronounced as //h// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leotha pronounced as //lɔ.ə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: piuthar pronounced as //pju.əɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cnòthan pronounced as //kɾɔː.ən// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: beatha pronounced as //pɛhə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fathan pronounced as //fahan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: a mhàthair pronounced as //ə vaːhɪɾʲ// | ||
| initially | broad | pronounced as //h// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mo thòn pronounced as //mɔ hɔːn//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: do thaigh pronounced as //t̪ɔ hɤʝ// | |
| slender, before front vowel | pronounced as //h// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: thig pronounced as //hikʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ro thinn pronounced as //rˠɔ hiːɲ// | ||
| slender, before back vowel | pronounced as //hj// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: do theaghlach pronounced as //t̪ɔ hjɔːl̪ˠəx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: glé thiugh pronounced as //kleː hju// | ||
Many of the rules in this section only apply in stressed syllables. In unstressed syllables, the range of vowels is highly restricted, with mainly /ə/, /ɪ/ or /a/ appearing and on occasion /ɔ/. Only certain vowel graphs appear in unstressed syllables: and very infrequently .
| Letter(s) | Phoneme(s) | Examples | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | unstressed | in - in - (when not plural) | pronounced as //a// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cnèatag pronounced as //kʰriaʰt̪ʰak//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: luchag pronounced as //l̪ˠuxak// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lochan pronounced as //l̪ˠɔxan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: beagan pronounced as //pekan// |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ə// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: balach pronounced as //pal̪ˠəx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: balla pronounced as //pal̪ˠə// | ||
| stressed | before + vowel or word finally | pronounced as //ɤ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dragh pronounced as //t̪ɾɤɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: laghail pronounced as //l̪ˠɤɣal// | |
| before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //au// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bann pronounced as //paun̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: calltainn pronounced as //kʰaul̪ˠt̪ɪɲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: campa pronounced as //kʰaumpə// | ||
| before + consonant or word finally before | pronounced as //aː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: barr pronounced as //paːrˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: carnadh pronounced as //kʰaːɾnəɣ// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //a// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: acras pronounced as //aʰkɾəs̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: gealladh pronounced as //kʲal̪ˠəɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: barra pronounced as //parˠə// | ||
| See below for when they precede consonants | ||||
| ai | unstressed | in - | pronounced as //a// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: modhail pronounced as //mɔɣal//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: eudail pronounced as //eːt̪al// |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ɪ// pronounced as //e// pronounced as //ə// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caraich pronounced as //kʰaɾɪç//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mholainn pronounced as //vɔl̪ˠɪɲ// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: air an fhéill pronounced as //eɾʲəˈɲeːʎ// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: comhairle pronounced as //kʰo.əɾlɪ// | ||
| stressed | before + consonant or word finally before + consonant | pronounced as //ai// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caill pronounced as //kʰaiʎ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cainnt pronounced as //kʰaiɲtʲ// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aibhne pronounced as //aivɲə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aimhreid pronounced as //aivɾʲɪtʲ// | |
| before + consonant or word finally before | pronounced as //aː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aird pronounced as //aːɾʃt̪// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //a// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: baile pronounced as //palɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lainnir pronounced as //l̪ˠaɲɪɾʲ// | ||
| See below for, when they precede consonants | ||||
| à | pronounced as //aː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: àlainn pronounced as //aːl̪ˠɪɲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bràmar pronounced as //praːməɾ// | ||
| ài | pronounced as //aː// pronounced as //ɛː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: àite pronounced as //aːʰtʲɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: càil pronounced as //kʰaːl// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Gàidheal pronounced as //kɛː.əl̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: pàipear pronounced as //pʰɛːʰpəɾ// | ||
| ao | pronounced as //ɯː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: maol pronounced as //mɯːl̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caomh pronounced as //kʰɯːv// | ||
| aoi | before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //ɯi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aoibhneas pronounced as //ɯivɲəs̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caoimhneas pronounced as //kʰɯivɲəs̪// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ɯː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: faoileag pronounced as //fɯːlak//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: caoimhin pronounced as //kʰɯːvɪɲ// | ||
| e | unstressed | pronounced as //ə// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: maise pronounced as //maʃə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuine pronounced as //kʰuɲə// | |
| stressed | pronounced as //e// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: teth pronounced as //tʰʲe//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: le pronounced as //le// | ||
| ea | unstressed | in - | pronounced as //a// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: faoileag pronounced as //fɯːlak//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: uiseag pronounced as //ɯʃak// |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ə// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: rinnear pronounced as //ɾiɲəɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mìltean pronounced as //miːltʲən// | ||
| stressed | before finally | pronounced as //ɤ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: feadh pronounced as //fjɤɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: seagh pronounced as //ʃɤɣ// | |
| before | pronounced as //e// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: eadar pronounced as //et̪əɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: creagan pronounced as //kʰɾekən// | ||
| before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //au// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: peann pronounced as //pʰjaun̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: teannta pronounced as //t̪ʰʲaun̪ˠt̪ə// | ||
| before + consonant or word finally before | pronounced as //aː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fearna pronounced as //fjaːɾnə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dearrsadh pronounced as //t̪ʲaːrˠs̪əɣ// | ||
| before + vowel, initially | pronounced as //ja// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: eallach pronounced as //jal̪ˠəx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: earrach pronounced as //jarˠəx// | ||
| before + vowel, elsewhere | pronounced as //a// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ceannard pronounced as //kʰʲan̪ˠaɾʃt̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: gealladh pronounced as //kʲal̪ˠəɣ// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ɛ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fear pronounced as //fɛɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: earrann pronounced as //ɛrˠən̪ˠ// | ||
| See below for when they precede consonants | ||||
| èa | pronounced as //ia// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dèan pronounced as //tʲian//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cnèatag pronounced as //kʰɾiaʰt̪ak// | ||
| ei | unstressed | pronounced as //ɪ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: aimhreid pronounced as //aivɾʲɪtʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bigein pronounced as //pikʲɪɲ// | |
| stressed | before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //ei// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: greim pronounced as //kɾeim//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: peinnsean pronounced as //pʰeiɲʃan// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //e// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ceist pronounced as //kʰʲeʃtʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: seinneadair pronounced as //ʃeɲət̪ɪɾʲ// | ||
| è, èi | pronounced as //ɛː// pronounced as //eː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: crè pronounced as //kʰrɛː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sèimh pronounced as //ʃɛːv// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dè pronounced as //tʲeː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cèile pronounced as //kʰʲeːlə// | ||
| eo | pronounced as //ɔ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: deoch pronounced as //tʲɔx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leotha pronounced as //lɔ.ə// | ||
| eò, eòi | initially | pronounced as //jɔː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: eòlas pronounced as //jɔːl̪ˠəs̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: eòin pronounced as //jɔːɲ// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ɔː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: seòl pronounced as //ʃɔːl̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: meòir pronounced as //mjɔːɾʲ// | ||
| eu | before | pronounced as //eː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Seumas pronounced as //ʃeːməs̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leum pronounced as //ʎeːm// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ia// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ceud pronounced as //kʰʲiat̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: feur pronounced as //fiaɾ// | ||
| i | unstressed | pronounced as //ɪ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: litir pronounced as //ʎiʰtʰʲɪɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fuirich pronounced as //fuɾʲɪç// | |
| stressed | before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //iː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: till pronounced as //tʰʲiːʎ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sinnsear pronounced as //ʃiːɲʃəɾ// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //i// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: thig pronounced as //hikʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tinneas pronounced as //tʰʲiɲəs̪// | ||
| ì | pronounced as //iː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cìr pronounced as //kʰʲiːɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: rìbhinn pronounced as //rˠiːvɪɲ// | ||
| ia | pronounced as //iə// pronounced as //ia// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: liath pronounced as //ʎiə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: iarraidh pronounced as //iərˠɪ// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sgian pronounced as //s̪kʲian//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dia pronounced as //tʲia// | ||
| io | before + consonant or word finally | initially | pronounced as //ju// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ionnsaich pronounced as //juːn̪ˠsɪç// |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //uː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lionn pronounced as //ʎuːn̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fionntach pronounced as //fjuːn̪ˠt̪əx// | ||
| before + vowel | pronounced as //u// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fionnar pronounced as //fjun̪ˠəɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sionnach pronounced as //ʃun̪ˠəx// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //i// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fios pronounced as //fis̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: lios pronounced as //ʎis̪// | ||
| See below for when they precedes consonants | ||||
| ìo | pronounced as //iə// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mìos pronounced as //miəs̪//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cìoch pronounced as //kʰʲiəx// | ||
| iu | initially | pronounced as //ju// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: iubhar pronounced as //ju.əɾ// | |
| before | pronounced as //uː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ciurr pronounced as //kʰʲuːrˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: siursach pronounced as //ʃuːɾs̪əx// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //u// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: fliuch pronounced as //flux//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: siubhal pronounced as //ʃu.əl̪ˠ// | ||
| iù, iùi | pronounced as //uː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: diù pronounced as //tʲuː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ciùil pronounced as //kʰʲuːl// | ||
| o | before | pronounced as //o// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: gob pronounced as //kop//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bogha pronounced as //po.ə// | |
| before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //ɔu// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tom pronounced as //t̪ʰɔum//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tolltach pronounced as //t̪ʰɔul̪ˠt̪əx// | ||
| before + consonant or word finally before | pronounced as //ɔː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: torr pronounced as //t̪ʰɔːrˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dornan pronounced as //t̪ɔːɾnan// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ɔ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: loch pronounced as //l̪ˠɔx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: follais pronounced as //fɔl̪ˠɪʃ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dorra pronounced as //t̪ɔrˠə// | ||
| See below for when it comes before consonants | ||||
| oi | before | pronounced as //o// | ||
| before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //əi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: broinn pronounced as //pɾəiɲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: oillt pronounced as //əiʎʲtʲ// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //ɤ// pronounced as //ɔ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: goid pronounced as //kɤtʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: doirbh pronounced as //t̪ɤɾʲɤv//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: coileach pronounced as //kʰɤləx// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: toil pronounced as //t̪ʰɔl//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: coire pronounced as //kʰɔɾʲə// | ||
| See below for when they precede consonants | ||||
| ò, òi | pronounced as //oː// pronounced as //ɔː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bò pronounced as //poː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: còig pronounced as //kʰoːkʲ// Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: òir pronounced as //ɔːɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bòid pronounced as //pɔːtʲ// | ||
| u | before + consonant or word finally before | pronounced as //uː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cum pronounced as //kʰuːm//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sunndach pronounced as //s̪uːn̪ˠt̪əx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: murn pronounced as //muːɾn// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //u// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dubh pronounced as //t̪u//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cumail pronounced as //kʰumal// | ||
| ua, uai | before | pronounced as //ua// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuan pronounced as //kʰuan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: uaine pronounced as //uaɲə// | |
| elsewhere | pronounced as //uə// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tuagh pronounced as //t̪ʰuəɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: duais pronounced as //t̪uəʃ// | ||
| ui | before | pronounced as //ɯ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: uisge pronounced as //ɯʃkʲə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: duine pronounced as //t̪ɯɲə// | |
| before | pronounced as //ɯi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: buidhe pronounced as //pɯi.ə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: suidhe pronounced as //s̪ɯi.ə// | ||
| before + consonant or word finally | pronounced as //ɯi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: druim pronounced as //t̪ɾɯim//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: muinntir pronounced as //mɯiɲtʲɪɾʲ// | ||
| before + vowel | pronounced as //ɯ// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cluinneadh pronounced as //kl̪ˠɯɲəɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tuilleadh pronounced as //t̪ʰɯʎəɣ// | ||
| elsewhere | pronounced as //u// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuir pronounced as //kʰuɾʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tuit pronounced as //t̪ʰuʰtʲ// | ||
| See below for when it precedes consonants | ||||
| ù, ùi | pronounced as //uː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sùil pronounced as //s̪uːl//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cùis pronounced as //kʰuːʃ// | ||
are commonly pronounced as vowels or are deleted if they are followed by a consonant. For example, in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cabhag the is usually /v/ but in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cabhlach the has turned into an /u/ vowel, yielding /au/ rather than /av/ in the first syllable.
| Letters | Phoneme(s) | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| abh, amh | pronounced as //au// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cabhlach pronounced as //kʰaul̪ˠəx//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: samhradh pronounced as //s̪auɾəɣ// |
| adh, agh | pronounced as //ɤː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: adhbran pronounced as //ɤːpɾan//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ladhran pronounced as //l̪ˠɤːɾan// |
| aidh | pronounced as //ai// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: snaidhm pronounced as //s̪n̪ˠaim// |
| aigh | pronounced as //ɤi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: saighdear pronounced as //s̪ɤitʲəɾ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: maighdean pronounced as //mɤitʲən// |
| eagh | pronounced as //ɤː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: do theaghlach pronounced as //t̪ə hjɤːl̪ˠəx// |
| eamh | pronounced as //ɛu// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: geamhradh pronounced as //kʲɛuɾəɣ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: leamhrag pronounced as //ʎɛuɾak// |
| iodh, iogh | pronounced as //iə// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tìodhlaic pronounced as //tʰʲiəl̪ˠɪʰkʰʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ioghnadh pronounced as //iənəɣ// |
| ogh | pronounced as //oː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: foghnaidh pronounced as //foːnɪ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: roghnaich pronounced as //rˠoːnɪç// |
| oibh | pronounced as //ɤi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: goibhle pronounced as //kɤilə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: goibhnean pronounced as //kɤinən// |
| oigh | pronounced as //ɤi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: oighre pronounced as //ɤiɾʲə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: sloighre pronounced as //s̪l̪ˠɤiɾʲə// |
| oimh | pronounced as //ɔi// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: doimhne pronounced as //t̪ɔiɲə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: doimhneachd pronounced as //t̪ɔiɲəxk// |
| uimh | pronounced as //ui// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuimhne pronounced as //kʰuiɲə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cuimhneachadh pronounced as //kʰuiɲəxəɣ// |
Where an is followed (or in the case of, preceded) by a, an epenthetic vowel is inserted between the two. This is usually a copy of the vowel that preceded the . Examples; Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Alba pronounced as //al̪ˠapə//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: marbh pronounced as //maɾav//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: tilg pronounced as //tʰʲilikʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: arm pronounced as //aɾam//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: iomradh pronounced as //imiɾəɣ//.
If this process would lead to the sound sequence pronounced as //ɛɾɛ//, the epenthetic vowel is an pronounced as //a// in many dialects, e.g Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: dearg pronounced as //tʲɛɾak//.
The acute accent is no longer used in standard Scottish Gaelic orthography, although it may be encountered in late 20th century writings, and occasionally in contemporary writings, especially in Canadian Gaelic.
| Letter(s) | Phoneme(s) | Examples | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| á | pronounced as //a// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: ás pronounced as //as// | ||
| é, éi | pronounced as //eː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Éideann pronounced as //dun ˈeːtʲən̪ˠ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: éirigh pronounced as //eːɾʲɪ// | ||
| ó, ói | pronounced as //oː// | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: bó pronounced as //poː//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: cóig pronounced as //kʰoːkʲ//, Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: mór pronounced as //moːɾ// | ||
Certain spellings have also been regularised where they violate pronunciation rules. "Tigh" in particular can still be encountered in house names and certain place names, notably Tighnabruaich and Eilean Tigh.