Hey all,

I was taught that, when "mo" and "do" precede a word beginning with a vowel (or a vowel sound, such as lenited "f") you elide the sound as well as the spelling. So, for example:

"M'athair: MA-hir"

"D'asal" DAS-ul"

That having been said, it seems I often hear these phrases (and others like them) pronounced as if they were spelled "mo athair" or "do asal," with the "mo" and "do" fully articulated. Is this incorrect, or is it a regional thing? Or did I learn it wrong to begin with (it's been known to happen!)

Redwolf

How does that work exactly? Is there a glottal stop between the two vowels?

Yep...seems to. I'd have to hear it again, but when I say it that way I definitely want to put a glottal stop in there.

Redwolf

I heard "mo athair" in a Donegal song, by a native speaker.
I couldn't find any occurrence of "mo"+vowel" in Tobar na Gaedhilge though.
And there are 2 occurrences of "your"+vowel in the Linguistic Atlas of Ireland but at least in Dún Lúiche (Gaoth Dobhair), both show a d'+vowel, not "do". I didn't verify yet for other dialects.

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

It is not really a glottal stop but more an elongation. i.e not m'athair
but maathair; not d'asal but daasal.

That's what it sounds like, yes

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