I picked up a book about Gaelic at the library, but there are some things that confuse me.
'cladhach' is described as [kɫɤ.əx][k57.@x]. But as <a> is described as [a], I wonder why it is [ɤ][7] here. <aidh> is described as [ɤi][7i] though, is that where it comes from?
Also, the word 'airgead' is described as [ɛrʲɛgʲəd][Er'Eg'@d], why is <a> pronounced as [ɛ][E] here?
On wikipedia's page about Gaelic, it says Gàidhlig is pronounced [kɑːlʲəkʲ][kA:l'@k']. In my book [ɑ][A] isn't there at all, and I also wonder wouldn't <idh> be a diphthong with a long first vowel?
Final question, how important is it to separate [n] and [nˠ][n_G], [r] and [ɹ][r\]? Will you be understood if you don't?
I've just read the pronounciation part and hardly begun reading chapter 1, but these were the things that I felt I didn't really get.
~Àiseabh (or however ['aːʃɛv]["a:SEv] would be written)