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the language of conversation, jotting down anything of interest. The other was to take down a large number of stories and poems from dictation. The latter course I attempted during my first visit, but abandoned it, as what I took down was frequently very far removed from the colloquial language, and further I was often suspicious of Connaught influence. The texts printed at the end of this volume, however, have all been very carefully revised, and represent J. H.’s speech as far as lay in my power. Hence the bulk of my material has had to be collected whilst herding cows, or chatting at night by the side of a peat fire.
The mode of transcription I have adopted is that of the Association Phonétique, and the only new symbols are o̤, ö̤, ⅄, which represent vowels peculiar to Gaelic. I regret that I have not always been consistent in writing U, and w before consonants. Finck’s Araner Mundart has been freely utilised in the present sketch, and I am only sorry that Meyer’s Contributions to Irish Lexicography are not further advanced.
Before perusing the texts it is exceedingly important that the paragraphs on Sandhi should be read.
It should perhaps be observed that in the case of the consonants the term palatalisation is here used to denote palatal temper or quality and that it therefore does not imply that the sounds in question are palatalised as opposed to palatal.
