Pronouncing Máire

aaronjer · **Joined:** Thu 13 Oct 2016 12:57 pm **Posts:** 7

I've heard at least 6 different pronunciations of this name by different Irish people, from those who speak Gaelic to those who sound entirely American. I've gotten maw-ruh, moy-ruh, my-ruh, moy-uh, mar-ee, and just 'mare' with a single syllable. How many of these do people actually say in Ireland? Which is the most common?

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

Roughly, MAW-r'uh in Munster and Connachta (r' is a slender r, a sound that doesn't exist in English), and MWAY-r'eh or MWAY-yeh in Ulster.

aaronjer · **Joined:** Thu 13 Oct 2016 12:57 pm **Posts:** 7

I'll see if I can find somebody to say the Munster/Connachta version at me so I can attempt to imitate it.

adkron · **Joined:** Tue 11 Oct 2016 3:43 pm **Posts:** 5

I've found this site to be quite useful and fairly accurate on pronunciations.

http://www.abair.tcd.ie/index.php?synth ... bh%C3%AD+cóna%C3%AD+ar+hobad&xmlfile=20161012_185334.xml&colors=default

aaronjer · **Joined:** Thu 13 Oct 2016 12:57 pm **Posts:** 7

Thank you, that's very useful. I was using a different thing like that for pronunciation, and it gets names very well, but turned decidedly French the instant it tried to say Máire. Now if only I could find a text-to-speech voice that could pronounce the name correctly I'd be set! I've gone slightly insane after the 250th time hearing Máire pronounced like she's a female horse.

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 2994

aaronjer wrote:

Thank you, that's very useful. I was using a different thing like that for pronunciation, and it gets names very well, but turned decidedly French the instant it tried to say Máire. Now if only I could find a text-to-speech voice that could pronounce the name correctly I'd be set! I've gone slightly insane after the 250th time hearing Máire pronounced like she's a female horse.

Adkron gave you a link to the TTS above. ABAIR is a very good one.

http://www.abair.tcd.ie/?synth=gd&lang= ... rs=default

There is also Forvo

Conchur has Munster Irish
http://forvo.com/word/m%C3%A1ire/#ga

aaronjer · **Joined:** Thu 13 Oct 2016 12:57 pm **Posts:** 7

Sorry, I wasn't very clear with that. I meant something that can both speak English and also pronounce Máire correctly while ALSO being compatible with a text-to-speech API. I have very specific needs... surprisingly, I've found English text-to-speech that pronounces all Irish names and words correctly, except Máire... the only one I actually really want it to pronounce.

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

I've just recorded "Máire" with the NW Donegal pronunciation. Looks like it works, but I wish I could use an external mic, the sound would be better.

Gumbi · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 8:09 pm **Posts:** 943

Lughaidh wrote:

I've just recorded "Máire" with the NW Donegal pronunciation. Looks like it works, but I wish I could use an external mic, the sound would be better.

'Bhfuil tú chun é a phóstáil anseo..?

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2436

Tá sé anseo, taghaigí "Lughaidh"...

http://fr.forvo.com/word/m%C3%A1ire/

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Pronouncing Máire

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