Pronunciation of Mac Giolla Earnain

[McLernon]

The Irish for McLernon(Anglicized) is Mac Giolla Earnain with an accent mark above the last 'a'. Can someone please tell me how to pronounce the Irish version?

Thanks

McLernon

[Christopher]

How are you McLernon,

 Mac Giolla Earnain - I'll have a go at pronouncing it for you - Mac Gill Learn ain

Best Wishes, Chris

[McLernon]

Hello Christopher:

Thanks for my first lesson in Irish!!!!!

Regards

McClellan

[MikeW]

Phonetically :
             Moc Gillah Arn-aw-in.

[McLernon]

Hello MikeW:

Thanks for lesson two. It's harder than lesson one because I have long since forgotten anything about phonetics. Allow me to try to put it in common words. Please let me know if I'm close. I presume that the name would be spoken as if it were all one word as follows:

mock-gill-are-noun  ( with a soft 'r')

or

mock-gill-are-now-in


Thanks and Regards

McLernon

[Christopher]

Hei McLernon and MikeW,

There are times such as this when the messenger systems MSN, Skype or Yahoo (naming a few) are more advantageous  than the written word. The telephone, land line or mobile, has its advantages too.

The best system, to my mind, is one from the days of our childhood. Each of you needs a 420g or 500g tin can. Both cans need to be lidless at one end. Both require a small hole at the other end and a long piece of string. Thread the string through the cans, tie a knot at each end of the string, then taking a can each walk in the opposite direction from one another till the string is tight. Make sure you have agreed previously who speaks first whilst the other listens. The String Tin Can system (otherwise known as STC) is excellent. It avoids the necessity of bouncing signals off satellites, downloading games, music, or ringtones. It also saves employing people to listen in to the secrets of friendly powers or even texting. Note I say friendly powers. It could be somewhat dodgy listening to enemy states as that might start World War III.

You may find there is a shortage of string. This problem has arisen because one or two people appear to be using string, along with rolls of plain coloured wallpaper, when they build their family trees after gathering all  their information by posting and receiving messages on their computer. These messages are printed on paper and then neatly stacked in cardboard boxes. SCW, like STC, is an excellent system.  Using both systems you should find massive savings made and notice the difference when it comes to paying your quarterly utility bills.

All the Best,

Christopher 

[McLernon]

Hi Christopher!!

One problem with your suggestion is the curvature of the earth. When you pull tight the string still hits the earth. Tall towers should help but then the string just wants to curve into its natural catenary(SP?). Well we'll just have to make the towers higher that's all!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the suggestion Chris!!!

McLernon( aka Mac Giolla Earnain)

[MikeW]

  Hi, McLernon and Christopher :
    Sorry, didn't mean to confuse anyone !    Yes, it would roll  off the tongue as one word, of course.   However, the ending  is  'aw-in'  (with an a-w,  rather than oun), but in speech it would not necessarily get the full  length of the vowels.      The Irish  would be Earnáin....where the 'á '  is pronounced as in 'saw'.         Incidentally, Earnán is sometimes used as an Irish  form for 'Ernest'.

Christopher : Yes, I am familiar with the STC : we used it years ago.... even had it rigged-up across the street, but we had not counted on the high-sided lorry that came along !
                    Regards    -
                                       Mike.

[Pat Reid]

Chris, Mike:
You were the sophisticated ones, stringing it high. Mush more so that the lads around where I lived. I almost was beheaded when I rode my bike into a "low level STC".

Pat