Some features of the Gaelic dialects of the Isle of Lewis (Outer Hebrides).

Many thanks to Kenneth Combe, of Comunn na Gàidhlig, for his comments and help.

·        unstressed –amh is pronounced  /u/  (Standard: often [əv]): dèanamh, doing; seasamh, standing

·        /u/: often close to [y]  (Standard: often [u])

·        a and i are diphthongued (respectively as [aw] and [aj] or [ej]) before ll, nn, historical mm in one-syllable words

·        slender r: /r’/ : [ð] ([θ] at the end of a word): màthair, mother

·        n remains [n] in the initial clusters <cn>, <gn>, <mn>, <tn>  (in most other dialects it becomes [r]): cnò, a nut; gnàth, custom; mnathan, women; tnù, envy

·        (He) would go = deigheadh (e) (Standard: rachadh e)

·        The pronoun e is often pronounced [a]

·        <-in> is often pronounced [ɲ], and <-ain> as [aɲ]

·        unstressed <-inn> is often pronounced [ɪŋ]: sealltainn, looking

·        Standard: don bhàta, mun bhàta → Lewis: dhan a’ bhàta, to the boat; mun a’ bhàta, about the boat...

·        Standard: bhith ag obair, to be working → Lewis : bhith ri obair

·        <èa> is often pronounced [ia]

·       unstressed -adh is pronounced [əɣ]

·        nasal mutations:  -n t- [n̥ h]; -n d- [n]; -n c- [ŋ̊ h]; -n g- [ŋ]; -m p- [m̥ h]; -m b- [m]

·        -(e)ach is pronounced [ɔχ]

·        Verbal nouns in –inn → Lewis: -eann (tigheann, coming; faiceann, seeing)

·       the pronoun iad, they, them is pronounced [at]

·      Standard:  mar (like, as) → Lewis: man

·        Standard: ciamar, how? → Lewis: dè man

·        Impersonal conditional ending → -ist (Standard: -te(adh)). Example: chuirist, one would put

·        <ui> is often pronounced [i] (ruighinn, reaching; bruidhinn, speaking) (Standard: often [u])

·        Standard: dhachaigh, (to) home → Lewis: dheachaigh

·       Standard:  dhut, to you → Lewis: dhiut

·        -lbh [-laf], -rbh [-raf]: falbh, going away; garbh, rough

·        agam [ajm] at me; agad [ajt], at you (Standard: often [akəm] and [akət])

·       <ia> is [iɔ] in certain words:  bliadhna [bλiɔnˠə] a year; iarraidh [jɔri], asking

·        ud [ɔt], yon, (the)... over there

·        <eu> is often pronounced [iə]

·        a h-uile, all is pronounced [a χulə]

·        Standard: a bheil is/are...? → Lewis: am beil [ə mɛl], and gu bheil, that...is/are → gum beil, and so on.

·        since, because = bhon a°

·        Verbal nouns in –sinn → Lewis -s (tuigsinn → tuigs, understanding; creidsinn → creids, believing)

·        <ìo> is often pronounced [iə]

·        -ibh is often pronounced [y] (ex: sibh, you; da-rìribh, in earnest) (Standard: often [ɪv])

·        <sr-> is pronounced [str]  (many dialects have [sr]): sràid, a street

·        <chr> + i or e is pronounced  [χθ-]: mo chridhe, my heart

·        unstressed <eil> [al]  (Standard: [ɛl]): cridheil, cheerful

·        dè [de], what?  (Standard [dʒeː])

·        an seo → anasheo, here; an sin → anashin, there

·      'To like': I like: is caomh leam; I would like: bu chaomh leam...  (Standard: is toigh leam, is toil leam ; bu toigh leam, bu toil leat)