If I'm writing a letter to someone named Fearghus, how do I lenite it?

A Fhearghuis,

???

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I'm very much a beginner learner. Don't hesitate to correct me, as long as you explain why. This is how I learn best!

Yup, if you're addressing Fearghus, the vocative is, a Fhearghuis.

Thanks!!!!

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I'm very much a beginner learner. Don't hesitate to correct me, as long as you explain why. This is how I learn best!

Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead, but can someone please tell me how I'd pronounce "a Fhearghuis" ?

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I'm very much a beginner learner. Don't hesitate to correct me, as long as you explain why. This is how I learn best!

Something like Ergush (I would have thought) but wait for confirmation.

The cluster "rgh" is very uncommon in the middle of a word in Modern Irish.
I never heard "Fearghus" in Irish so far, and I'm not sure how it would be pronounced, if it's "Fahr-uh-guss" (ie. pronounced as if there were no H) or "Fahr-ghuss" or "Fahr-eess" or something else.
I think it's better to way the answer of someone who is 100% sure, for instance, someone who heard it said by native speakers, or who read a phonetical transcription in some reliable book...

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

I'd expect a silent gh
(Fearghus pronounced /f´ar@s/ and a Fhearghuis /ar@s´/)

Regardless of how the middle of the name would be pronounced (I don't know either), in the vocative it will begin with a vowel sound, as "fh" is always silent. The slender "s" at the end of the name would be pronounced "sh" as in "sheep." For the rest, I'll leave it to others...I have no clue! Never encountered it.

Redwolf

Thanks so much to all who have answered. This has given me a really good idea, about the beginning and end at least.

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I'm very much a beginner learner. Don't hesitate to correct me, as long as you explain why. This is how I learn best!

Bríd pronounces the gh in Aonghus (another name I had seen but never heard pronounced):

http://forvo.com/word/aonghus/#ga

I certainly wouldn't like to have the name if the gh were silent.

So from that I would assume a straight g sound for Fearghus as well.

But then I've heard gh in Fearghal pronounced and not pronounced (e.g., Farrell O'Gara):

http://forvo.com/search/Fearghal/

So I don't know.


Some names, like Siobhán, are pronounced differently in different dialects. In Munster (and more widely) Siobhán is pronounced as if it were spelled Sibheán. In Conamara, Siobhán is traditionally pronounced as if it were spelled Siúán - and some people have adopted that spelling to avoid having the pronunciation messed up by outsiders.


Now, not to throw another spanner in the works, but I have heard that the traditional vocative form of Aonghus was a Aonghusa.

What is the probability that the traditional vocative for Fearghus was also a Fearghusa?

Perhaps Cian could fill us in?

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).