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 Pronunciation of the Surnames |
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Introduction Most Irish surnames have undergone changes in spelling and pronunciation since the 1700s, and even at that time, it is possible that many of them would be difficult to identify. This can be explained by the fact that Ireland's history has been influenced by many other cultures and languages. Hundreds of years ago, Dublin was settled by Vikings, which introduced numerous changes to the language of the Celts. Later, the influence of Spanish, French and British settlement would leave a legacy--not only resulting in new surnames throughout the country, but in the orthography, phonology and syntax of the Gaelic language. Now after hundreds of years of change, many of the surnames are difficult to identify. Are
these Irish Surnames?
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Copyright 1995-1999 Michael S. Cullinan |