Machair Pronunciation

There are two main questions to answer when Machair comes up in conversations. What is the machair (we’ve got a guide here), and what is the correct machair pronunciation?

Let’s deal with pronunciation first. How do you say “machair”?

Not like this. Which is what Google thinks we should pronounce it as… It’s making my ears bleed.

So, first things first. The “ch” is like the Scottish “Loch”. No, not “Lock”, the proper pronunciation. It’s the same sound that German uses when you say “Ich”.

Many folks, including some celebrities have butchered it in the past, so for the avoidance of doubt, it is not:

• Makar (That’s a totally different thing)
• Ma-Chair (that’s what Scottish people sit on)
• Mac-HAIR (Thanks, Ewan MacGregor!)

But wait, there’s more! If you look at the official machair pronunciation you will see this – maxɪrʲ

See that little “j” to the top right of the “r”? I have no idea what it’s called, but it denotes a flattening of the “r”.

Go and listen to this. Do you hear the way the “r” isn’t the standard rolled “r”? That’s the sound that tells you whether the person saying “machair” knows about machair pronunciation, or whether they are just doing their best in trying circumstances.

In Tiree, we take it even further, flattening the “r” to the extent that it barely exists anymore and ends up closer to a “yu” sound. Yuk but without the “k”.

And there you have it. Little did you know that the “ch” was the very least of your worries when it comes to machair pronounciation!

Rumour has it that the more of our delicious Machair Herbal Infusion you drink, the better your pronunciation gets. Worth a try, I reckon.