The Session >> Discussions >> Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
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Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
For years I have wanted to learn Irish, and I know, from living in Galway for a bit, there are many different dialects and "types", like school Irish, etc...so my question is can anyone recommend a) what dialect I might be best served learning, or if I should just go with An Caighdeán and b) any self-help books with CDs that I can use (because I live in middle of nowhere Pennsylvania and the chances of finding a tutor are slimmer than none). I would really appreciate any feedback. My grandparents were from Co. Clare and spoke Connacht Irish and my dad learned fragments at a convent school over the summers, but I never learned much from them, so the desire to know the language is from a historical perspective and to keep it alive in my family. I'd also like to better understand the traditional songs that I know and love.
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
You might as well go with, so called, school Irish. All the books teach it, and the Irish TV and radio programs will use it. You can listen to these programs on the internet if you really want to. There isn't a huge difference between the dialects anyway. The difference is really the accents of the speakers. You'll have this problem/feature with the English language as well.
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
There's a book and DVD course called "Turas Teanga" which is for learners and generally liked, I think. You should be able to get it on Amazon.
Don't worry at all about dialect at this stage. A course like Turas Teanga will give you examples from all of the dialects. As you progress further you might want to decide to travel to one of the Gaeltachts to do a course, and then you can decide which dialect in particular you want to study. My advice would be that if you can find a good Irish tutor then just go with whatever dialect they speak. Each dialect has its own appeal, and anything is better than not being able to speak at all.
A quick Google of Irish language classes in Pennsylvania brought up these links. Hopefully one of them will be somewhere near where you live.
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
"My grandparents were from Co. Clare and spoke Connacht Irish"
I don't speak Irish, or know all that much about the language, but I find that intriguing, since Clare is in Munster, not Connacht. I suppose E. Clare and S.E. Galway form a region together, with similar musical styles and a similar accent of English, despite technically spanning two provinces.
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
I am a fluent speaker of Irish and would recommend the Turas Teanga series. I use Ulster Irish on a daily basis but I also understand the southern dialects and do see a difference between them. Best to use the standard Irish taught in schools down south for all the reasons stated above. I would also recommend listening to songs in Irish as a way to prepare your ear to the new language.
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
Hey. I'm from Ireland myself and can comfortably use Irish on a daily basis at this stage. However, after tree years of school lessons i was very poor, at then i spent 3 weeks on a gaeltacht course and learnt more in that time than all i knew before. gaeltachts are places where irish is the first language of all the people and they only speak english when necessary. For my, the only way to learn irish is to use it, and surround yourself with speakers. If your really serious, when u have a good level, do one of the adult courses here during he summer. Its a great way to make friends also. As for dialects, i prefer the softer sound of Donegal irish personally but once u can speack irish well u can be understood everywhere. the words are the same, the others speaksers are aware of the subtle differences and can understand any dialects.
Ádh Mór Ort
Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
For years I have wanted to learn Irish, and I know, from living in Galway for a bit, there are many different dialects and "types", like school Irish, etc...so my question is can anyone recommend a) what dialect I might be best served learning, or if I should just go with An Caighdeán and b) any self-help books with CDs that I can use (because I live in middle of nowhere Pennsylvania and the chances of finding a tutor are slimmer than none). I would really appreciate any feedback. My grandparents were from Co. Clare and spoke Connacht Irish and my dad learned fragments at a convent school over the summers, but I never learned much from them, so the desire to know the language is from a historical perspective and to keep it alive in my family. I'd also like to better understand the traditional songs that I know and love.
Thanks!
# Posted on September 10th 2010 by labasheeda
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
You might as well go with, so called, school Irish. All the books teach it, and the Irish TV and radio programs will use it. You can listen to these programs on the internet if you really want to. There isn't a huge difference between the dialects anyway. The difference is really the accents of the speakers. You'll have this problem/feature with the English language as well.
# Posted on September 10th 2010 by SteelPlayer
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
hey! I live in the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania, too!
if you are anywhere near York, let me know. Maybe we could get together and play
# Posted on September 10th 2010 by Nate Ryan
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
There's a book and DVD course called "Turas Teanga" which is for learners and generally liked, I think. You should be able to get it on Amazon.
Don't worry at all about dialect at this stage. A course like Turas Teanga will give you examples from all of the dialects. As you progress further you might want to decide to travel to one of the Gaeltachts to do a course, and then you can decide which dialect in particular you want to study. My advice would be that if you can find a good Irish tutor then just go with whatever dialect they speak. Each dialect has its own appeal, and anything is better than not being able to speak at all.
A quick Google of Irish language classes in Pennsylvania brought up these links. Hopefully one of them will be somewhere near where you live.
http://www.iiofpitt.org/
Conversational Irish language class
Presenter: tom cahill. Age Range: All Ages. Monday, September 13, 2010, 7:00 PM. Marlton NJ.
http://irish.meetup.com/cities/us/pa/philadelphia/
http://www.daltai.com/events.htm
Some sort of event on November 5-7, whatever it is! Daltai.com is a good site for discussion in general.
Happy learning!
# Posted on September 10th 2010 by jcwexford
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
"My grandparents were from Co. Clare and spoke Connacht Irish"
I don't speak Irish, or know all that much about the language, but I find that intriguing, since Clare is in Munster, not Connacht. I suppose E. Clare and S.E. Galway form a region together, with similar musical styles and a similar accent of English, despite technically spanning two provinces.
# Posted on September 10th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
...but I'm guessing, from your username, Labasheeda, that your people were from S. Clare.
# Posted on September 10th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
I am a fluent speaker of Irish and would recommend the Turas Teanga series. I use Ulster Irish on a daily basis but I also understand the southern dialects and do see a difference between them. Best to use the standard Irish taught in schools down south for all the reasons stated above. I would also recommend listening to songs in Irish as a way to prepare your ear to the new language.
Ádh mór!
(good luck!)
# Posted on September 10th 2010 by bagfed
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
I don't really know how good these are, but I see them all the time. Maybe I'm in airports too often!
http://www.rosettastone.com/learn-irish
# Posted on September 11th 2010 by wolfhul
Re: Not really about music...but this is the best place I can think of to ask about the Irish language.
Hey. I'm from Ireland myself and can comfortably use Irish on a daily basis at this stage. However, after tree years of school lessons i was very poor, at then i spent 3 weeks on a gaeltacht course and learnt more in that time than all i knew before. gaeltachts are places where irish is the first language of all the people and they only speak english when necessary. For my, the only way to learn irish is to use it, and surround yourself with speakers. If your really serious, when u have a good level, do one of the adult courses here during he summer. Its a great way to make friends also. As for dialects, i prefer the softer sound of Donegal irish personally but once u can speack irish well u can be understood everywhere. the words are the same, the others speaksers are aware of the subtle differences and can understand any dialects.
Ádh Mór Ort
# Posted on September 12th 2010 by Cian O Gallchobhair