HeyRuaHow to say “phonemic” in Irish
- Irish:
- fóinéimeach
- English:
- phonemic
- Word type:
- adjective
- More phonemic:
- níos fóinéimí
- Most phonemic:
- is fóinéimí
- Plural:
- fóinéimeacha
- Pronunciation:
- “FOH-nay-mukh” /ˈfoːnʲeːmʲəx/
What does “fóinéimeach” mean?
- phonemic
- Relating to phonemes, the distinct units of sound that distinguish words in a language.Also: phonemical, relating to phonemes.
“Fóinéimeach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is fóinéimeach after córas (system, masculine), after teanga (language, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
After a feminine noun the adjective gets a séimhiú, an h after its first letter: teanga fhóinéimeach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: córas fóinéimeach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, fóinéimeacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant: córais fhóinéimeacha; after other plurals it does not: teangacha fóinéimeacha.
More phonemic, most phonemic, very phonemic
Tá an tras-scríobh seo níos fóinéimí ná an ceann eile. This transcription is more phonemic than the other one.
| more phonemic | níos fóinéimí | in the past tense: ní b'fhóinéimí |
|---|---|---|
| most phonemic | is fóinéimí | in the past tense: ab fhóinéimí |
| as phonemic as | chomh fóinéimeach le | no change after chomh |
| very phonemic | an-fhóinéimeach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too phonemic | rófhóinéimeach | ró- lenites |
“Fóinéimeach” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Phonemic in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for phonemic?
The Irish for phonemic is fóinéimeach (pronounced “FOH-nay-mukh”). It comes after the noun: córas fóinéimeach, a phonemic system; teanga fhóinéimeach, a phonemic language.
How do you say more phonemic and most phonemic in Irish?
níos fóinéimí is more phonemic and is fóinéimí is most phonemic. In the past tense they become ní b'fhóinéimí and ab fhóinéimí.
Why does fóinéimeach become fhóinéimeach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So teanga fhóinéimeach (a phonemic language) but córas fóinéimeach (a phonemic system), because córas is masculine.
What is the plural of fóinéimeach?
With a plural noun fóinéimeach becomes fóinéimeacha: córais fhóinéimeacha, teangacha fóinéimeacha. After a plural that ends in a slender consonant it is lenited as well.
How do you say very phonemic in Irish?
an-fhóinéimeach. Too phonemic is rófhóinéimeach, and as phonemic as is chomh fóinéimeach le.
What is the difference between 'fóinéimeach' and 'foghrach'?
'Fóinéimeach' means phonemic, about distinctive sound units (fóinéimí), while 'foghrach' relates to speech sounds or phonetics in general.
