Scottish Gaelic Phonology - Orthography - Vowel Di-/tri-graphs

Vowel Di-/tri-graphs

The language uses many vowel combinations. These can be categorised into two types depending on the status of one or more of the written vowels in the combinations.

Category 1 : vowel plus glide vowels.

In this category, vowels in digraphs/trigraphs that are next to a neighbouring consonant are for all intents and purposes part of the consonant, showing the broad or slender status of the consonant.

Category 2 : 'diphthongs' and 'triphthongs'.

In this category, vowels are written together to represent either a diphthong, or what was in Middle Irish a diphthong.

Category 1 IPA

Spelling	Pronunciation	As in
ai	~; (unstressed syllables) ~~ preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	(stressed syllable) caileag, ainm ; (unstressed syllables) iuchair, geamair, dùthaich
ài	preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	àite, bara-làimhe
ea	~~ preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	geal; deas; bean
eà	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	ceàrr
èa	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad m, mh or p	nèamh
èa	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant other than m, mh or p	dèan
ei	~ preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	eile; ainmeil
èi	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	sèimh
éi	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	fhéin
eo	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	deoch
eò	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	ceòl
eòi	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	feòil
eu	~ preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	ceum; feur
io	, preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	fios, fionn
ìo	, preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	sgrìobh, mìos
iu	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	piuthar, fliuch
iù	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	diùlt
iùi	preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	diùid
oi	, preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	boireannach, goirid
òi	preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	òinseach
ói	preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	cóig
ui	, ; (unstressed syllables) preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	muir, uighean, tuinn
ùi	preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	dùin

Category 2 IPA

Spelling	Pronunciation	As in
ao	preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	caol
ia	, preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	biadh, dian
ua	preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a broad consonant	ruadh, uabhasach

Category 2 digraphs can by followed by Category 1 glides, and thereby form trigraphs:

Category 1+2 IPA

Spelling	Pronunciation	As in
aoi	~ preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	caoil; gaoithe
iai	, preceded by a slender consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	Iain
uai	preceded by a broad consonant or Ø and followed by a slender consonant	ruaidh, duais