How to Speak With an Irish Accent
Soften your vowels., Harden your consonants., Drop your G's., Be very rhotic.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Soften your vowels.
Many people, especially Americans, tend to harden their vowels.
For example, Americans pronounce the letter A, "ay"; those with an Irish accent would pronounce it "ah" or "aw." Be very conscious of this in every word, but especially those vowels that come in the middle.
The standard, "How are you?" should be pronounced, "Ha-ware-ya?" The "au" (in "how") and "oo" (in "you") of the Generalized American accent are not differentiated between.
The sound in "night," "like," and "I," is pronounced similar to "oi," as in "oil." Think of "Ireland" as "Oireland." While very similar to "oi," it's not the exact same.
Turn the 'o' into more of a schwa.
The diphthong does not exist in American English and is similar to a compounded, "Uh, I..." The schwa sound (the sound of a caveman grunt), as in "strut," varies from dialect to dialect.
In the Local accent, the vowel sounds more like "foot," and in the New Dublin accent (popular among youth), it sounds more like "bit."The epsilon (as in "end") is pronounced like the vowel in "ash." "Any" becomes "Annie." There are many different Irish dialects with numerous slight variations.
Certain rules may not apply to certain dialects. -
Step 2: Harden your consonants.
As a general rule, Americans have gotten lazy in their speech. "Ladder" and "latter" are pronounced the same in the US, but not to an Irishman.
Give each consonant its due (with the exception of the next rule!).
As a beginning sound, /d/ often sounds like /d͡ʒ/ or the sound that a J makes in most variants of English.
That is, "due" will sound like "Jew." As its unvoiced partner, "t" becomes "ch." "Tube" sounds like "choob." There is a distinction between words like "wine" and "whine." Words with "wh" begin with an initial "h" sound; try expelling a bit of breath before the word
-- the result should be something akin to "hwine." Some Irish accents turn "think" and "that" into "tink" and "dat," respectively.
Try "trowing" it into your speech sporadically. , English is full of words that end in
-ing, but you wouldn't hear an Irishman admitting it, at least not in a natural context.
Whether you're muttering verbs or gerunds, cut it out. "Morning" becomes "mornin." "Walking" becomes "walkin," and so on and so forth.
This stays true in all contexts.
In Local Dublin, a poorer dialect, final sounds are eliminated entirely: "sound" becomes "soun," for example., For most American English speakers, this is not a problem.
But if your dialect is non-rhotic (drops word-final or inter-vocalic R; "park" sounds like "pack"), be conscious of pronouncing every "r"
-- be it beginning, middle, or end.
Speakers of both American and British English will need to put their 'r' more forward in their mouths than they are used to.
Experiment placing your tongue further forward and higher in your mouth while saying words with an 'r' in the middle or end. -
Step 3: Drop your G's.
-
Step 4: Be very rhotic.
Detailed Guide
Many people, especially Americans, tend to harden their vowels.
For example, Americans pronounce the letter A, "ay"; those with an Irish accent would pronounce it "ah" or "aw." Be very conscious of this in every word, but especially those vowels that come in the middle.
The standard, "How are you?" should be pronounced, "Ha-ware-ya?" The "au" (in "how") and "oo" (in "you") of the Generalized American accent are not differentiated between.
The sound in "night," "like," and "I," is pronounced similar to "oi," as in "oil." Think of "Ireland" as "Oireland." While very similar to "oi," it's not the exact same.
Turn the 'o' into more of a schwa.
The diphthong does not exist in American English and is similar to a compounded, "Uh, I..." The schwa sound (the sound of a caveman grunt), as in "strut," varies from dialect to dialect.
In the Local accent, the vowel sounds more like "foot," and in the New Dublin accent (popular among youth), it sounds more like "bit."The epsilon (as in "end") is pronounced like the vowel in "ash." "Any" becomes "Annie." There are many different Irish dialects with numerous slight variations.
Certain rules may not apply to certain dialects.
As a general rule, Americans have gotten lazy in their speech. "Ladder" and "latter" are pronounced the same in the US, but not to an Irishman.
Give each consonant its due (with the exception of the next rule!).
As a beginning sound, /d/ often sounds like /d͡ʒ/ or the sound that a J makes in most variants of English.
That is, "due" will sound like "Jew." As its unvoiced partner, "t" becomes "ch." "Tube" sounds like "choob." There is a distinction between words like "wine" and "whine." Words with "wh" begin with an initial "h" sound; try expelling a bit of breath before the word
-- the result should be something akin to "hwine." Some Irish accents turn "think" and "that" into "tink" and "dat," respectively.
Try "trowing" it into your speech sporadically. , English is full of words that end in
-ing, but you wouldn't hear an Irishman admitting it, at least not in a natural context.
Whether you're muttering verbs or gerunds, cut it out. "Morning" becomes "mornin." "Walking" becomes "walkin," and so on and so forth.
This stays true in all contexts.
In Local Dublin, a poorer dialect, final sounds are eliminated entirely: "sound" becomes "soun," for example., For most American English speakers, this is not a problem.
But if your dialect is non-rhotic (drops word-final or inter-vocalic R; "park" sounds like "pack"), be conscious of pronouncing every "r"
-- be it beginning, middle, or end.
Speakers of both American and British English will need to put their 'r' more forward in their mouths than they are used to.
Experiment placing your tongue further forward and higher in your mouth while saying words with an 'r' in the middle or end.
About the Author
Abigail Taylor
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: