From: Hans Aberg (haberg@math.su.se)
Date: Thu Apr 02 2009 - 01:57:12 CST
On 2 Apr 2009, at 03:46, Mark E. Shoulson wrote:
> Others may differ, but for me it's some of the Gaelic languages,
> which have managed to completely free the orthography of the
> hegemony of pronunciation, so that spelling need not bear any
> resemblance at all to how the word is said.
There is the Wolfe Tones song "In Garran Na Bhile"; the lyrics in
Irish goes:
[Curfa]
An raibh tú riamh i nGarán a Bhile?
Nó an bhfaca tú í i nGarán a Bhile?
An tsuairc bhean óg ná gcuacha n-oir.
Sí Cáit mo stóir i nGarán a Bhile.
A rough pronunciation is:
Ah rev too reev en-yaran ah-villa?
No ah-wakah too ee en-yaran ah-villa?
Ahn toorck van ohg nah guirka nor
Shee Kahtch moe store en-yaran ah-villa.
And a translation:
[Chorus]
Were you ever in Garran na Bhile?
Or did you see her in Garran na Bhile?
The cheerful young woman of the golden cuckoo.
'Tis Kate, my treasure, in Garran na Bhile.
Hans
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