View Message

This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Of course, Emer
..is the oldest written form, and the m would have been pronounced as a v sound, so Emer is correctly ayver/evver(the quality of the vowel is different to assess as accents are not recorded in the earliest forms). The h just indicates changes that have already occurred in the spoken language.
vote up1vote down

Replies

The name Eamhair/Emer/Eimear is of ancient celtic origin. All of various pronunciations are nonsense. By adding a fada here there and everywhere does not make the name more authentically celtic. The name has always been pronounced EE mer. Just when the British decided to launch their attack on our culture & heritage, their anglo phonetics unfortunalty infiltrated the spellings of our names, possibly to make it easier for them to read. Hence, Eamhair and Eimear became E-MER. Although, the spelling has changed, the delightful pronunciation has not. As a matter of interest, althought the actual meaning of the word has never been certified, it is said that the lover of Cu Chulann was Eimear & that she was blessed with the six gifts of womanhood; beauty, voice, sweet speech, good with a needle, wisdom and chastity.
vote up1vote down