HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail

Subject: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:37 PM

Can someone tell me how to pronounce a word from "The Rising of the Moon"?

The verse runs as follows:
"Tell me, tell me, Sean O'Farrel, tell my why you hurry so?"
"Hush me bhuachail, hush and listen," and his face was all aglow.

And it goes on.

Anyone?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Gary T
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:50 PM

I have it on an LP by the Bards, an Irish folk group (probably 20 years ago). They pronounce it "boo-kul", accent on the first syllable. To get technical, I would describe it as having a half-long "U" in the first syllable and a schwa (sp?) (universal short vowel) in the second.

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Peg
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:52 PM

well it is hard to be exacting with just phonetic spelling, but I would say it like this:

bhuachail = "VOO-uh-{k}hill" (the "k" sound is the guttural "h" sound which has just a trace of a "kuh" soud in it...); it is three syllables...

hope that helps...

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Áine
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:55 PM

Hi Dave! I'll give this one a shot; although, it's very hard to translate the spoken word to mere letters. Just a note, the 'ch' in 'bhuachail' is a very soft guttural sound, much like the 'ch' in the word 'Chanukah.' So, here goes:

bhuachail = woo-ah-chuhl

The emphasis should be on the first syllable. I hope this helps.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 08:36 PM

Hi all: I believe the word bhuachail is pronounced Voo ah Khal. admittedly it is an approximation on my part but I did use "Irish self taught' by Myles Dillon and Donncha O Croinin for the reference. If it is incorrect that is purely my fault, Neil

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 03:17 PM

"Voo" and "Woo" are both acceptable in this case.

Regards

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Gary T
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 03:29 PM

Okay, so what exactly does "bhuachail" mean? I get a sense of it from the context, but it never hurts to have a precise definition. (And now that I've seen this thread, I'll listen more closely to the recording, it sounds like I missed a syllable!)

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Áine
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 04:57 PM

The word 'buachail' means boy and 'mo bhuachail' means 'my boy', as Dave quoted in the line from the song:

"Hush me [mo] bhuachail, hush and listen," and his face was all aglow"

The word 'mo' or 'my' puts a seimhiu (the 'h') in the word 'buachail', thus making it 'bhuachail' and changing the pronunciation of the 'b' to a 'v' or 'w' sound.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Gary T
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 06:08 PM

Thanks, Áine. Now I have another question (anal retentive--who, me?) about the pronunciation. On the recording I have, it sounds to me like they say "Hush me buachail...". Is "mo" (Gaelic, I presume) pronounced like "me" (English)? Would it make sense that one might say "me (English, meaning 'my') buachail (Gaelic)" and retain the 'b' sound? Or would any m_ word (me, my, mo, etc.), English or Gaelic, call for the semihiu? I know this is getting nitpicky, I'm just curious whether the Bards got a little sloppy with their pronunciation or simply combined English and Gaelic words in an unorthodox way. Thanks, Gary.

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: Den
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 07:42 PM

Gary I think your right. Shane MacGowan does the song on The Snake album and he also sings hush me buachail. I have heard many others sing this song and rarely have I heard anyone use the proper gaelic mo bhuachail. I think its maybe because in Ireland you will hear me boy rather than my boy. Den

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: John Nolan
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 09:43 PM

In Scots gaelic, the word is "buachaille" and more specifically means a "shepherd", as in the name of the Glencoe mountain "Buachaille Etive Beag" - the wee shepherd of Etive.

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: tremodt
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 03:04 AM

the word is simply pronounced BuckO meaning young lad

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 07:21 AM

The Irish would be "mo bhuachaill" (my boy)- with the o short. Alternatively, "a bhuachaill" i.e. "Oh boy" - which sounds different in English!

Regards

Subject: RE: HELP: Pronunciation, Irishword bhuachail
From: GUEST,Rich(stupidbodhranplayer....)
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 03:39 PM

I think it should be mo buachaill. In Irish the address form requires the insertion of an h after the first letter excluding r, l an n, but since it's "my boy" as opposed to just "boy" I'm not sure that would that would apply. I;m not sure if the personal pronoun "mo" causes aspiration or not. This would make it (BOOH-a-hill) as opposed to (VOOH-a-hill) with a hint oh a c-sound at the beginning of the last syllable. At any rate, I'm just learning the language, so don't take my word for granted. Rich