Mythrull

help with Irish name

Hi Mythrull,

I looked for you on WP-ga, but didn't find anything under this name.

I was wondering if you could help me with the pronunciation of the name Bébhinn / Bebhionn. Taking the syllables separately, I get [ˈbʲeː-vʲiːn̪ˠ] (that is, with a YAY vowel and an YEE vowel), but I don't know if the EE vowel reduces to a schwa. Or if the two spellings Bébhinn and Bebhionn would actually be pronounced the same today.

Thanks, — kwami (talk) 01:41, 11 March 2020 (UTC)

A really archaic namesake, it ultimately comes down to regional dialect. Personally, I pronounce the name bay (rhyming with say) and veen (rhyming with seen). Again, this is the Ulster variant which i've grown up speaking. Hope this answers your question :) Mythrull (talk) 08:09, 11 March 2020 (UTC)

Yes it does, thanks. So, basically as I transcribed it? Accent on the first syllable, right? The name's been given to a small moon of Saturn, so BAY-veen would seem to work for an English approximation. — kwami (talk) 10:44, 11 March 2020 (UTC)

Yes, that is the correct pronunciation. Mythrull (talk) 13:40, 11 March 2020 (UTC)

THanks! You wouldn't pronounce the 'o' in the old spelling, then? — kwami (talk) 23:36, 11 March 2020 (UTC)

That would be correct. Bebhionn is a sort of corruption of Bébhinn, but both pronunciations remain the same. Mythrull (talk) 09:24, 12 March 2020 (UTC)

The 'nn' is always broad, isn't it? Maybe the 'o' was intended to clarify it was broad, but isn't really necessary? — kwami (talk)

Certainly, like some other irish names, a broad vowel will be indicative of a broad ending. Mythrull (talk) 15:54, 13 March 2020 (UTC)

As it is said in irish: caol le caol, leathan le leathan (slender with slender, broad with broad.) Mythrull (talk) 15:56, 13 March 2020 (UTC)

Ah, sorry, my bad. Somehow I got it stuck in my head that <nn> was broad, when it's dental. (Or at least sometimes dental.) — kwami (talk) 02:34, 15 March 2020 (UTC)