Editing Manx language (section)

== Orthography ==
Manx [[orthography]] is based on [[Elizabethan English]], and to a lesser extent [[Middle Welsh]], developed by people who had an education in English (and Welsh until the 16th century).<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Kelly|1870|p=xiii}} footnote in ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=NZENAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR13 Spoken Sound as a Rule for Orthography]'', credited to W. Mackenzie.</ref> The result is an inconsistent and only partially phonemic spelling system, similar to [[English orthography]] and completely incomprehensible to readers of [[Irish orthography|Irish]] and [[Scottish Gaelic orthography|Scottish Gaelic]]. This is because both Irish and Scottish Gaelic use spelling systems derived from [[Classical Irish|Classical Gaelic]], the common [[literary language]] of Man, Ireland, and Scotland until the Bardic schools closed down in the 17th century, which makes them very [[Etymology|etymological]]. Both Irish and Scottish Gaelic use only 18 letters to represent around 50 phonemes. While Manx uses 24 letters (the [[ISO basic Latin alphabet]], excluding {{angbr|x}} and {{angbr|z}}), covering a similar range of phonemes, all three make use of many [[Digraph (orthography)|digraphs]] and [[Trigraph (orthography)|trigraphs]]. In 1932, [[Celticist]] [[T. F. O'Rahilly]] expressed the opinion that Manx orthography is inadequate, as it is neither traditional nor phonetic. Therefore, if a form of Classical Gaelic orthography adapted to Manx had survived or if one based on the reforms of [[Theobald Stapleton]] were to be developed and introduced, the very close relationship between Manx, Irish, and Scottish Gaelic would be obvious to readers at first sight and Manx would be much easier for other Gaels to read and understand.{{sfn|O'Rahilly|1932|p=128}}

There is no evidence, however, of [[Gaelic type]] ever having been used on the island.

=== Spelling to sound correspondences ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Vowels 
! colspan="2" | Letter(s)
! Phoneme(s)
! Examples
|-
| rowspan="2" | a
| stressed
| {{IPA|/a/}}<br />{{IPA|/aː/}}
| {{lang|gv|Ghaelg'''a'''gh, cooin'''a'''ghtyn<br />p'''a'''djer, c'''a'''bbyl}}
|-
| unstressed
| {{IPA|/ə/}}<br />{{IPA|/i/}}<br />{{IPA|/a/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''a'''rdnieu, bodj'''a'''l<br />coll'''a'''neyn<br />duill'''a'''g}}
|-
| colspan="2" | a...e, ia...e
| {{IPA|/eː/}}
| {{lang|gv|sl'''a'''n'''e''', bugg'''a'''n'''e''', k'''ia'''r'''e'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | aa, aa...e
| {{IPA|/ɛː/}}<br />{{IPA|/øː/}}<br />{{IPA|/eːa/}}<br />{{IPA|/eː/}}<br />{{IPA|/aː/}} (north)
| {{lang|gv|b'''aa'''tey, '''aa'''shagh <br />f'''aa'''rkey<br />j'''aa'''gh<br />bl'''aa''', '''aa'''n'''e'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | aai
| {{IPA|/ɛi/}}
| {{lang|gv|f'''aai'''e}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ae
| {{IPA|/i/}}<br />{{IPA|/ɪ/}}<br />{{IPA|/eː/}}
| {{lang|gv|G'''ae'''lg <br />Gh'''ae'''lgagh <br />'''ae'''g, '''ae'''r}}
|-
| colspan="2" | aew
| {{IPA|/au/}}
| {{lang|gv|br'''aew'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ah
| {{IPA|/ə/}}
| {{lang|gv|pecc'''ah'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ai, ai...e
| {{IPA|/aː/}}<br />{{IPA|/ai/}}<br />{{IPA|/e/}}
| {{lang|gv|m'''ai'''djey <br />'''ai'''le <br />p'''ai'''tçhey}}
|-
| colspan="2" | aiy
| {{IPA|/eː/}}
| {{lang|gv|f'''aiy'''r}}
|-
| colspan="2" | aue
| {{IPA|/eːw/}}
| {{lang|gv|cr'''aue''', fr'''aue'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ay
| {{IPA|/eː/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''ay'''r, k'''ay'''}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | e
| stressed
| {{IPA|/e/}}<br />{{IPA|/eː/}}<br />{{IPA|/ɛ/}}<br />{{IPA|/i/}}
| {{lang|gv|b'''e'''n, v'''e'''ggey<br />m'''e'''ss<br />p'''e'''ccah, '''e'''ddin<br />ch'''e'''ngey}}
|-
| unstressed
| {{IPA|/ə/}}
| {{lang|gv|padj'''e'''r}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ea
| {{IPA|/ɛː/}}
| {{lang|gv|b'''ea'''ghey}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eai
| {{IPA|/eː/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''eai'''rk}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eau, ieau
| {{IPA|/uː/}}
| {{lang|gv|sl'''ieau'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eay
| {{IPA|/eː/}}<br />{{IPA|/iː/}} (north) <br /> {{IPA|/ɯː/}}, {{IPA|/uː/}} or {{IPA|/yː/}} (south)
| {{lang|gv|'''eay'''st, cl'''eay'''sh<br />g'''eay''', k'''eay'''n}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ee
| {{IPA|/iː/}}
| {{lang|gv|kionn'''ee''', j'''ee'''s}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eea
| {{IPA|/iːə/}}<br />{{IPA|/iː/}}<br />{{IPA|/jiː/}}
| {{lang|gv|y'''eea'''st, k'''eea'''d <br />f'''eea'''ckle, k'''eea'''gh<br />'''eea'''st}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eei, eey
| {{IPA|/iː/}}
| {{lang|gv|f'''eei'''d, dr'''eey'''m, m'''eey'''l}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ei
| {{IPA|/eː/}}<br />{{IPA|/e/}}<br />{{IPA|/a/}}
| {{lang|gv|sl'''ei'''tyn, '''ei'''n<br />qu'''ei'''g<br />g'''ei'''nnagh}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eih
| {{IPA|/ɛː/}}
| {{lang|gv|j'''eih'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eoie
| {{IPA|/øi/}}
| {{lang|gv|l'''eoie'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | eu, ieu
| {{IPA|/uː/}}<br />{{IPA|/eu/}}
| {{lang|gv|g'''eu'''rey <br /> ardn'''ieu'''}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | ey
| stressed
| {{IPA|/eː/}}
| {{lang|gv|s'''ey'''r, k'''ey'''l}}
|-
| unstressed
| {{IPA|/ə/}}
| {{lang|gv|vegg'''ey''', collan'''ey'''n}}
|-
| i
|unstressed
| {{IPA|/ə/}}<br />{{IPA|/i/}}
| {{lang|gv|edd'''i'''n, rugg'''i'''t <br /> poos'''i'''t}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ia
| {{IPA|/aː/}}<br />{{IPA|/a/}}<br />{{IPA|/iː/}}<br />{{IPA|/iːə/}}
| {{lang|gv|çh'''ia'''rn, sh'''ia'''ght <br />tosh'''ia'''ght, sn'''ia'''ghtey<br />gr'''ia'''n<br />sk'''ia'''n}}
|-
| colspan="2" | {{Not a typo|ie}}
| {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{lang|gv|m'''ie'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | io
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{lang|gv|gl'''io'''n}}
|-
| colspan="2" | io...e
| {{IPA|/au/}} (north) <br />{{IPA|/oː/}} (south)
| {{lang|gv|k'''io'''n'''e'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | o, oi
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}} or {{IPA|/ɑ/}}<br />{{IPA|/ɔː/}} or {{IPA|/ɑː/}}<br />{{IPA|/o/}}<br />{{IPA|/oː/}}<br />{{IPA|/u/}}
| {{lang|gv|lh'''o'''ng, t'''o'''shiaght<br />b'''o'''djal, l'''o'''gh, m'''oi'''r <br />v'''o'''ndeish, b'''o'''lg, bunsc'''oi'''ll<br />h'''o'''ght, ree'''oi'''l<br />str'''oi'''n}}
|-
| colspan="2" | o...e
| {{IPA|/ɔː/}}<br />{{IPA|/oː/}}
| {{lang|gv|dh'''o'''n'''e'''<br />tr'''o'''m'''e'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | oa
| {{IPA|/ɔː/}}<br />{{IPA|/au/}}
| {{lang|gv|cl'''oa'''n<br />j'''oa'''n}}
|-
| colspan="2" | oh
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{lang|gv|sh'''oh'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | oie
| {{IPA|/ei/}} or {{IPA|/iː/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''oie'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | oo, ioo, ooh
| {{IPA|/uː/}}
| {{lang|gv|shass'''oo''', c'''oo'''ney, gl'''ioo'''n, '''ooh'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ooa, iooa
| {{IPA|/uː/}}
| {{lang|gv|m'''ooa'''r}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ooi
| {{IPA|/u/}}
| {{lang|gv|m'''ooi'''njer, c'''ooi'''naghtyn}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ooy
| {{IPA|/uː/}}
| {{lang|gv|sh'''ooy'''l}}
|-
| colspan="2" | oy
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{lang|gv|m'''oy'''lley, v'''oy'''llagh}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | u, ui, iu
| stressed
| {{IPA|/ʊ/}}<br />{{IPA|/o/}}<br />{{IPA|/ø/}}
| {{lang|gv|b'''u'''nscoill<br />r'''u'''ggit, '''u'''shag, d'''ui'''llag, f'''ui'''ll<br />l'''u'''rgey}}
|-
| unstressed
| {{IPA|/ə/}}
| {{lang|gv|b'''u'''ggane}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ua
| {{IPA|/uːa/}}
| {{lang|gv|y Y'''ua'''n}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ue
| {{IPA|/u/}}
| {{lang|gv|credj'''ue'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | uy
| {{IPA|/ɛi/}} or {{IPA|/iː/}}
| {{lang|gv|n'''uy'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | wa
| {{IPA|/o/}}
| {{lang|gv|m'''wa'''nnal}}
|-
| colspan="2" | y
| {{IPA|/ə/}}<br />{{IPA|/i/}}<br />{{IPA|/ɪ/}}<br />{{IPA|/j/}}
| {{lang|gv|cabb'''y'''l, sleit'''y'''n<br />'''y'''ngyn<br />f'''y'''s<br />y '''Y'''uan, '''y'''eeast}}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Consonants
|-
! colspan="2" | Letter(s)
! Phoneme(s)
! Examples
|-
| rowspan="2" | b, bb
| usually
| {{IPA|/b/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''b'''unscoill, '''b'''en}}
|-
| between vowels
| {{IPA|/β/}} or {{IPA|/v/}}
| {{lang|gv|ca'''bb'''yl}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | c, cc, ck
| usually
| {{IPA|/k/}}
| {{lang|gv|buns'''c'''oill, '''c'''loan}}
|-
| between vowels
| {{IPA|/ɡ/}}<br />{{IPA|/ɣ/}}
| {{lang|gv|pe'''cc'''ah, ga'''cc'''an<br />feea'''ck'''le, cra'''ck'''an}}
|-
| colspan="2" | ch
| {{IPA|/x/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''ch'''a}}
|-
| colspan="2" | çh, tçh
| {{IPA|/tʃ/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''çh'''iarn, '''çh'''engey, pai'''tçh'''ey}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | d, dd, dh
| broad
| {{IPA|/d̪/}}
| {{lang|gv|keea'''d''', ar'''d'''nieu, te'''dd''', '''dh'''one}}
|-
| slender
| {{IPA|/dʲ/}} or {{IPA|/dʒ/}}
| {{lang|gv|feei'''d'''}}
|-
| broad, between vowels
| {{IPA|/ð/}}
| {{lang|gv|e'''dd'''in, mo'''dd'''ey}}
|-
| colspan="2" | f
| {{IPA|/f/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''f'''ys, '''f'''eeackle}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | g, gg
| broad
| {{IPA|/ɡ/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''G'''aelg, Ghael'''g'''agh}}
|-
| slender
| {{IPA|/ɡʲ/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''g'''eurey, '''g'''einnagh}}
|-
| between vowels
| {{IPA|/ɣ/}}
| {{lang|gv|ve'''gg'''ey, ru'''gg'''it}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | gh
| usually
| {{IPA|/ɣ/}}<br />∅
| {{lang|gv|'''Gh'''aelgagh, bea'''gh'''ey<br />sha'''gh'''ey}}
|-
| finally or before t
| {{IPA|/x/}}
| {{lang|gv|jeera'''gh''', cla'''gh''', cooina'''gh'''tyn}}
|-
| colspan="2" | -ght
| {{IPA|/x/}}
| {{lang|gv|toshia'''ght''', ho'''ght'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | h
| {{IPA|/h/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''h'''oght}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | j, dj
| usually
| {{IPA|/dʒ/}}
| {{lang|gv|mooin'''j'''er, '''j'''eeragh}}
|-
| between vowels
| {{IPA|/ʒ/}}<br />{{IPA|/j/}}
| {{lang|gv|pa'''dj'''er<br />mai'''dj'''ey, fe'''dj'''ag}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | k
| broad
| {{IPA|/k/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''k'''eyl, eair'''k'''}}
|-
| slender
| {{IPA|/kʲ/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''k'''ione, '''k'''iare}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | l, ll
| broad
| {{IPA|/l/}}
| {{lang|gv|Gae'''l'''g, s'''l'''eityn, moy'''ll'''ey}}
|-
| slender
| {{IPA|/lʲ/}}
| {{lang|gv|g'''l'''ion, b'''l'''ein, fei'''ll''', bi'''ll'''ey}}
|-
| finally, in monosyllabic words (S only)
| {{IPA|/ᵈl/}}
| {{lang|gv|shooy'''l'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | -le
| {{IPA|/əl/}}
| {{lang|gv|feeack'''le'''}}
|-
| colspan="2" | lh
| {{IPA|/l/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''lh'''ong}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | m, mm
| normally
| {{IPA|/m/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''m'''ooinjer, dreey'''m''', fa'''mm'''an}}
|-
| finally, in monosyllabic words (N only)
| {{IPA|/ᵇm/}}
| {{lang|gv|eey'''m''', tro'''m'''e}}
|-
| rowspan="4" | n
| broad
| {{IPA|/n/}}
| {{lang|gv|bu'''n'''scoill, cooinaghty'''n''', e'''nn'''ym}}
|-
| slender
| {{IPA|/nʲ/}}
| {{lang|gv|ard'''n'''ieu, colla'''n'''eyn, dooi'''nn'''ey, gei'''nn'''agh}}
|-
| finally, in monosyllabic words
| {{IPA|/ᵈn/}}
| {{lang|gv|sla'''n'''e, be'''n'''}}
|-
| slender, finally, in monosyllabic words
| {{IPA|/ᵈnʲ/}}
| {{lang|gv|ei'''n'''}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | ng
| usually
| {{IPA|/ŋ/}}<br />{{IPA|/nʲ/}}
| {{lang|gv|y'''ng'''yn<br />che'''ng'''ey}}
|-
| finally, in monosyllabic words (S only)
| {{IPA|/ᶢŋ/}}
| {{lang|gv|lho'''ng'''}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | p, pp
| usually
| {{IPA|/p/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''p'''eccah, '''p'''adjer}}
|-
| between vowels
| {{IPA|/v/}}
| {{lang|gv|ca'''pp'''an}}
|-
| colspan="2" | qu
| {{IPA|/kw/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''qu'''eig}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | r, rr
| usually
| {{IPA|/r/}}
| {{lang|gv|geu'''r'''ey, jee'''r'''agh, fe'''rr'''ishyn}}
|-
| finally
| {{IPA|[ɹ̝]}} or {{IPA|[ə̯]}}
| {{lang|gv|ae'''r''', faiy'''r'''}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | s, ss
| usually
| {{IPA|/s/}}<br />{{IPA|/z/}}
| {{lang|gv|bun'''s'''coill, '''s'''leityn, ca'''ss'''<br />fy'''s'''}}
|-
| initially before n
| {{IPA|/ʃ/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''s'''niaghtey}}
|-
| between vowels
| {{IPA|/ð/}}<br />{{IPA|/z/}}
| {{lang|gv|sha'''ss'''oo<br /> poo'''s'''it}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | sh
| usually
| {{IPA|/ʃ/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''sh'''ooyl, vondei'''sh'''}}
|-
| between vowels
| {{IPA|/ʒ/}}<br />{{IPA|/j/}}
| {{lang|gv|aa'''sh'''agh, u'''sh'''ag <br /> to'''sh'''iaght}}
|-
| colspan="2" | -st
| {{IPA|/s/}}
| {{lang|gv|eay'''st''', eea'''st'''}}
|-
| rowspan="4" | t, tt, th
| broad
| {{IPA|/t̪/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''t'''rome, cooinagh'''t'''yn, '''th'''alloo}}
|-
| slender
| {{IPA|/tʲ/}} or {{IPA|/tʃ/}}
| {{lang|gv|poosi'''t''', ush'''t'''ey, tui'''tt'''ym}}
|-
| broad, between vowels
| {{IPA|/d̪/}}<br />{{IPA|/ð/}}
| {{lang|gv|bra'''tt'''ag<br />baa'''t'''ey}}
|-
| slender, between vowels
| {{IPA|/dʲ/}} or {{IPA|/dʒ/}}
| {{lang|gv|slei'''t'''yn}}
|-
| colspan="2" | v
| {{IPA|/v/}}
| {{lang|gv|'''v'''eggey, '''v'''oyllagh}}
|-
| colspan="2" | w
| {{IPA|/w/}}
| {{lang|gv|a'''w'''in}}
|}

=== Diacritics ===
Manx uses only one [[diacritic]], a [[cedilla]], which is (optionally) used to differentiate between the two phonemes represented by {{angbr|ch}}:
* {{lang|gv|Çhiarn}} ({{IPA|/ˈt͡ʃaːrn/}}) "lord", is pronounced with {{IPAslink|t͡ʃ}}, as in the English "'''ch'''urch"
* {{lang|gv|Chamoo}} ({{IPA|/xaˈmu/}}) "nor" or "neither", is pronounced with {{IPAslink|x}}, as in [[Standard Scottish English|Scottish English]] "lo'''ch'''" ({{IPA|/ˈlɒx/}}) or [[Hiberno-English|Irish English]] "lou'''gh'''" ({{IPA|/ˈlɒx/}}), a sound commonly represented by {{angbr|gh}} at the ends of words in Manx (and Irish English).

===Example===
The following examples are taken from Broderick 1984–86, 1:178–79 and 1:350–53. The first example is from a speaker of Northern Manx, the second from [[Ned Maddrell]], a speaker of Southern Manx.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Orthography (+ phonetic transcription)
!Gloss
|-
|{{interlinear|lang=gv|V'ad smooinaghtyn dy beagh cabbyl jeeaghyn skee as deinagh ayns y voghree dy beagh eh er ve ec ny ferrishyn fud ny h-oie as beagh ad cur lesh yn saggyrt dy cur e vannaght er.|vod̪ ˈsmuːnʲaxt̪ən d̪ə biəx ˈkaːbəl dʒiːən skiː as ˈd̪øinʲax uns ə ˈvoːxəri d̪ə biəx e er vi ek nə ˈferiʃən fod̪ nə høi as biəx əd̪ kør leʃ ən ˈsaːɡərt̪ d̪ə kør ə ˈvanax er|}}
|They used to think if a horse was looking tired and weary in the morning then it had been with the fairies all night and they would bring the priest to put his blessing on it.
|-
|{{interlinear|lang=gv|Va ben aynshoh yn çhiaghtin chaie as v'ee laccal mish dy ynsagh ee dy gra yn Padjer yn Çhiarn. {} Dooyrt ee dy row ee gra eh tra v'ee inneen veg, {} agh t'eh ooilley jarroodit eck, {} as v'ee laccal gynsagh eh reesht son dy gra eh ec vrastyl ny red ennagh. {} As dooyrt mish dy jinnagh mee jannoo my share son dy cooney lhee as ren ee çheet aynshoh son dy clashtyn eh, {} as vel oo laccal dy clashtyn mee dy gra eh? {}|və ˈbɛn əˈsoː ən ˈtʃaːn ˈkai as vai ˈlaːl ˈmiʃ ði ˈjinðax i ðə ˈɡreː in ˈpaːdʒər ən ˈtʃaːrn ‖ d̪ot̪ i ðə ˈrau i ɡreː a ˈt̪reː vai iˈnʲin ˈveːɡ ‖ ax t̪e ˈolʲu dʒaˈrud̪ətʃ ek ‖ as vei ˈlaːl ˈɡʲinðax a ˈriːʃ san ðə ˈɡreː ə əɡ ˈvraːst̪əl nə ˈrið ənax ‖ as ˈd̪ut̪ miʃ ðə ˈdʒinax mi ˈdʒinu mə ˈʃeː san ðə ˈkunə lʲei as ˈrenʲ i ˈtʃit̪ oˈsoː san ðə ˈklaːʃtʲən a ‖ as vel u ˈlaːl ðə ˈklaːʃtʲən mi ðə ˈɡreː a ‖|}}
|There was a woman here last week and she wanted me to teach her to say the Lord's Prayer. She said that she used to say it when she was a little girl, but she has forgotten it all, and she wanted to learn it again to say it at a class or something. And I said I would do my best to help her and she came here to hear it, and do you want to hear me say it?
|}