Re: some more Irish vowels


Dusan Vukotic wrote:

Dusan Vukotic wrote:

John Atkinson wrote:

"Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote...>
ranjit_mathews@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

My "neigh" and "neighbor" have the same diphthongs as my "made" and
"maid" respectively; they are [eI] and [ei]. I prefer to transcribe
[ei] as [ej], though, like so:
[meId] = made
[mejd] = maid

Where (if anywhere) else in the world are "made" and "maid" not
homophonous?

Well, since you asked, there are several places in the world where
they're not homophonous. In the Shire of Angus, "made" is [med] while
"maid" is [me:d]. In the upper Swansea Valley, "made" is [me:d] while
"maid" is [meId].

But if, as I expect, it was a rhetorical question, the answer is, no,
I've no idea what Ranjit's getting at here either.

John.

It seems no body connects the words 'make' and 'machine' (at least as
far as I know); Gr. μηχανε devise, μηχανικός engineer,
mechanic; μαγνήτης magnet; Serb.. 'maknuti' (to move), 'umeti'
(know how), umeće, umešnost (craft, skill, tact, workmanship,
efficiency).

DV

I forgot. As for girl (maid, maiden) I would say it sounds almost the
same as the Serbian word 'medena' (adj. honey); MEDENA devojka =>
honey girl (maiden); a chance resemblence? (-:

DV

In addition: English might, German Macht, Serbian moć, Sanskrit mahat,
Greek μεγάλος (mega-), Latin magna;
Greek μέδουσα (jellyfish); honey (Serb. 'med') is a gelatinous
substance) :-)
What's honey got to do with might and power? :-)
Serbian MED sprung from the ur-basis UM-GON (megeno => međeno =>
medeno (honey, beloved, dear) => MED (honey)

DV

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