How to pronounce Cavan

[myluck!]

My Cavan cousins would pronounce where they come from as Kyaaah-vyaan but think I was being sarcastic if I did!
I would say they are from CAAA-van to keep the peace!

[Ruskie]

 

[HughC]

According to the Gasaitéar na hÉireann it's not a V sound at all.

The Irish name is An Cabhán: the vowel in An is the neutral sound of unstressed syllables (in English, too), and the name itself is /kaua:n/.  Who'da thought it?

Not being an Irish speaker I'll continue to pronounce it 'kævan (the a also tending to a neutral sound).

[pinefamily]

Ruskie, if he's Australian, it's likely to be pronounced the same as Gavin. Unless his parents are Irish of course. 

[majm]

https://www.logainm.ie/en/100003   click on triangle beside the word Cavan 

That's it.

So many variations ....  may I please ask if the locals ever pronounce it as per the triangle next to
An Cabhán rather than the triangle next to Cavan?

Thanks Ruskie, for a very interesting thread, it is an excellent example of how words can be pronounced differently across time and distance.   And, of course,  those changes can be significant contributions to changes in spelling within English.


JM

[Rosinish]

Thanks Ruskie, for a very interesting thread, it is an excellent example of how words can be pronounced differently across time and distance.   And, of course,  those changes can be significant contributions to changes in spelling within English.

Indeed JM & thanks too Ruskie...

Interesting topic as it shows how dialects change words to the ear which can be very different to the actual name/pronunciation.

Annie

 

[Ruskie]

Thanks again for everyone's contributions. It has been an interesting thread hasn't it?  I am surprised it has reached 3 pages, and surprised there are so many variations on how to say Cavan.

I am sure he would have been named after the County though I don't believe his parents are/were Irish, so probably pronounced as Gavin is (as suggested by pinefamily).

[Sinann]

So many variations ....  may I please ask if the locals ever pronounce it as per the triangle next to
An Cabhán rather than the triangle next to Cavan?

Generally people don't mix languages, I think that's the basic rule internationally. Cavan when speaking English, An Cabhán when speaking Irish.

[majm]

Many thanks Sinann 

JM