Scots Gaelic final "r"

**DWFII** · 8th July 16, 09:06 AM

I am wondering...I have no formal training in gaelic and have for several years been relying on this website (http://www.learngaelic.net/) for pronunciation and cadence, etc..

But I am confused about words ending in "r"...such as "fear" or "seanair"or "athair". The person doing the audio clips invariably pronounces the final "r" as a "d" or soft "t". So that "fear" as in "fear a bhata "becomes "fet". Athair becomes "ahed". Seanair becomes "she-ned".

Yet, I hear so many gaelic speakers (in songs mainly) pronounce the "r" as an "r." "Fear a vata", "ahair", etc..

Which is it? Which is proper, which is common?

**neloon** · 8th July 16, 09:54 AM

Just variations in accent - you also get "th" for a final "r". All are "correct". I'm not sure that I could tie down the variations to particular localities. Skye folk say the Lewis accent is awful and Mull folk say the Skye accent is awful and ...
Alan

**DWFII** · 8th July 16, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by neloon

Just variations in accent - you also get "th" for a final "r". All are "correct". I'm not sure that I could tie down the variations to particular localities. Skye folk say the Lewis accent is awful and Mull folk say the Skye accent is awful and ...
Alan

Thank you...I figured it would be something like that. Any idea how would a Highland accent handle the final "r"?

**neloon** · 8th July 16, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by DWFII

Thank you...I figured it would be something like that. Any idea how would a Highland accent handle the final "r"?

Frankly there are so few native speakers on the mainland that an opinion would be difficult.
Alan

**Jon Lilley** · 23rd July 16, 06:48 PM

For all it's worth DWFII, my Gaelic teacher does the same thing. She was from Barra and the final 'r' is closer to the 'th' sound of 'the' than an English sounding 'r'. The farther up the island chain you go, the more the final 'r' sounds like the English 'r' so be ready for any AND all the above. And to really throw a spanner into the works, sometimes you'll even hear something like 'sh' in the final position too. The only advise is to voice each word with all the different sounds you know of. That way you'll be ready for it the next time you hear it.

Slàinte,

Jon

**OC Richard** · 24th July 16, 05:08 PM

Yes my old teacher would pronounce muir as 'mooth' more or less.

When you say "approaches English 'r'" that opens a can of worms.

I'm assuming you mean the flapped 'r' of some dialects rather than the retroflex 'r' of American English. I'm told that a retroflex 'r' is quite rare in the languages of the world.

When you say that fear becomes "fet" I'm guessing what you're hearing is a final flapped 'r'.

The final 'r' becoming "th" is a slender 'r' thing, no? Or would it affect broad and slender?