[ChristmasNeeve]

It's in Irish which is a different language, that's why. There is no letter V in the Irish langauge and so mh together are pronounced like a V, see my username Niamh is pronounced Nee-av. It is not in English so different rules apply

[StGeorge]

Originally Posted by Niamhxo

It's in Irish which is a different language, that's why. There is no letter V in the Irish langauge and so mh together are pronounced like a V, see my username Niamh is pronounced Nee-av. It is not in English so different rules apply

Thats what i thought, but then i wonder how letters mean one thing in one language and something else in another? Surely when letters, in the form we know now, had a certain meaning when they were first used? By that, i mean that Germans speak a different language, but the pronunciation of the words is similar to how an English speaker would say them. Although their use of V and W gets mixed up.
A similar thing is the mix up of the oriental use of L and R. Now ive always thought that the original translation from the oriental characters was perhaps wrong, and that L and R got mixed and has stuck ever since. But can this be said of Irish to English? Do the Irish have their own characters to represent certain letters? By this i mean that as the Irish doesnt have a letter V..why/who where/when was it decided mh was a valid substitute?

[ChristmasNeeve]

Originally Posted by StGeorge

Thats what i thought, but then i wonder how letters mean one thing in one language and something else in another? Surely when letters, in the form we know now, had a certain meaning when they were first used? By that, i mean that Germans speak a different language, but the pronunciation of the words is similar to how an English speaker would say them. Although their use of V and W gets mixed up.
A similar thing is the mix up of the oriental use of L and R. Now ive always thought that the original translation from the oriental characters was perhaps wrong, and that L and R got mixed and has stuck ever since. But can this be said of Irish to English? Do the Irish have their own characters to represent certain letters? By this i mean that as the Irish doesnt have a letter V..why/who where/when was it decided mh was a valid substitute?

Well we only have 18 letters in our alphabet, generally speaking they are pronounced as they would be in English except for the ones that needed to be compensated for like V. And as for who made it up? I have no idea I doubt it was considered a substitute for anything in comparison to English as I presume languages aren't made up as a substitute to other languages, If you get what I mean?

[Jessica.]

Originally Posted by StGeorge

Thats what i thought, but then i wonder how letters mean one thing in one language and something else in another? Surely when letters, in the form we know now, had a certain meaning when they were first used? By that, i mean that Germans speak a different language, but the pronunciation of the words is similar to how an English speaker would say them. Although their use of V and W gets mixed up.
A similar thing is the mix up of the oriental use of L and R. Now ive always thought that the original translation from the oriental characters was perhaps wrong, and that L and R got mixed and has stuck ever since. But can this be said of Irish to English? Do the Irish have their own characters to represent certain letters? By this i mean that as the Irish doesnt have a letter V..why/who where/when was it decided mh was a valid substitute?

German pronunciation is not that much similar to English at all, I studied German for five years and almost every letter of the German alphabet has a different sound to the same letter in English.

Irish is a language too, there are lots of Irish names, it might be a bit difficult to know them first go but it's not an impossible task. Irish has a different alphabet with ten vowels, many of the letters are pronounced differently to in English like in any language, it's not that difficult.

[StGeorge]

Originally Posted by Jessica.

German pronunciation is not that much similar to English at all, I studied German for five years and almost every letter of the German alphabet has a different sound to the same letter in English.

Irish is a language too, there are lots of Irish names, it might be a bit difficult to know them first go but it's not an impossible task. Irish has a different alphabet with ten vowels, many of the letters are pronounced differently to in English like in any language, it's not that difficult.

I get what your saying Jessica, but if i read German out of a book, my pronunciation is very near spot on....except for the V and W type mix. So with the recognised (usually) mix of V and W, it can generally be accepted that WHAT is pronounced VOT for example.
I know the rule in language translation is not an exact science, but how some rules are translated confuses me. My missus is Thai and trust me..trying to work out the pronunciation of their language..when the letters are there in front of me..is a head-banger.

[Jessica.]

Originally Posted by StGeorge

I get what your saying Jessica, but if i read German out of a book, my pronunciation is very near spot on....except for the V and W type mix. So with the recognised (usually) mix of V and W, it can generally be accepted that WHAT is pronounced VOT for example.
I know the rule in language translation is not an exact science, but how some rules are translated confuses me. My missus is Thai and trust me..trying to work out the pronunciation of their language..when the letters are there in front of me..is a head-banger.

:|
I will give you some examples
For the v sound
English: v
German: w
Irish: mh/bh

For the sh sound
English: sh
German: sch
Irish: s

Do you get it?

[StGeorge]

Originally Posted by Jessica.

:|
I will give you some examples
For the v sound
English: v
German: w
Irish: mh/bh

For the sh sound
English: sh
German: sch
Irish: s

Do you get it?

Yes i do Jessica, but the bit i dont get is that if for example, the Irish had their own symbols which formed words which when pronounced gave a certain sound....why then was that sound not translated exactly when converted to the symbols that the English speakers used?

Do you understand where my area of learning is trying to come from?

BTW dont bother responding to the numpties as its fuel on their fire. That's how decent serious discussions like this are spoilt....just ignore it.

[ChristmasNeeve]

Originally Posted by StGeorge

Yes i do Jessica, but the bit i dont get is that if for example, the Irish had their own symbols which formed words which when pronounced gave a certain sound....why then was that sound not translated exactly when converted to the symbols that the English speakers used?

Do you understand where my area of learning is trying to come from?

BTW dont bother responding to the numpties as its fuel on their fire. That's how decent serious discussions like this are spoilt....just ignore it.

I don't quite understand what you mean there? How do you mean translated for English speakers?

[Jessica.]

Originally Posted by StGeorge

Yes i do Jessica, but the bit i dont get is that if for example, the Irish had their own symbols which formed words which when pronounced gave a certain sound....why then was that sound not translated exactly when converted to the symbols that the English speakers used?

Do you understand where my area of learning is trying to come from?

BTW dont bother responding to the numpties as its fuel on their fire. That's how decent serious discussions like this are spoilt....just ignore it.

I understand what you are saying but most languages just don't work like that. Irish is a very complicated language, it began as a very primitive language and progressed as with every other language. Irish people didn't start speaking English naturally though, it was forced on us, therefore the Irish language didn't have a chance to develop into what it would have. I think many people choose Irish names for their children as a dedication to the language and as a way of trying to keep it alive.

[ChristmasNeeve]

Originally Posted by StGeorge

I get what your saying Jessica, but if i read German out of a book, my pronunciation is very near spot on....except for the V and W type mix. So with the recognised (usually) mix of V and W, it can generally be accepted that WHAT is pronounced VOT for example.
I know the rule in language translation is not an exact science, but how some rules are translated confuses me. My missus is Thai and trust me..trying to work out the pronunciation of their language..when the letters are there in front of me..is a head-banger.

Well German would be more similar to English than Irish to English as they come from the same family - Germanic