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May 5, 2013 | Irish

Language-Learning Books Should Be Proofread!

Mistakes can really screw up teach-yourself language learners.

Yesterday I wrote briefly about lenition, a process through which the beginnings of words in Irish can change depending on the word that precedes them.  I found the lenition explanation in Essential Irish Grammar by Éamonn Ó…

May 9, 2013 | Irish

Talk Irish!

I am loving the online course I bought on the Talk Irish website. What a deal/steal!

A few days ago, for nine dollars and forty-something cents a month, I purchased access to an online course on the Talk Irish website. It is based on an old TV program, Buntús Cainte, that first ran…

May 10, 2013 | Irish

More on Talk Irish and Pimsleur

My study strategies are driven by my pronunciation-assistance needs.

Earlier today a reader asked me why, for Irish, I wasn’t beginning with Pimsleur and whether that had to do with there being only 10 Pimsleur lessons for this language. I admit to a little despondency over the paucity of…

May 11, 2013 | Irish

Some Weird Things in Irish

I have just four to discuss today, but I imagine more will pop up.

Here are a few weird things in Irish: Weird Thing #1. On the eve of Mother’s Day, the word madra in Irish keeps throwing me. I keep thinking it is “mother,” but it is “dog.” Oops. Weird…

May 12, 2013 | Irish

Irish Verbs and Twitter

Over the weekend I encounter some Irish verbs and some Irish tweets.

I am not super attached to social media, but I try to stay reasonably on top of things. A year or so ago I opened a Twitter account and then, like many people I know, let it languish while I…

May 18, 2013 | Irish

Some Irish Words Look Familiar

But most don't!

Studying Irish is nowhere near as easy as studying Spanish or French or Italian.  I Have Been Using the Google Translate App on My iPhone, a Lot Besides the very different grammar, there simply aren’t that many words…

May 20, 2013 | Irish

Some Questions from a Reader

On multilingual multitasking and other subjects.

One of the things I love about this project is that I hear from people all over the world who love languages, too. Since this website first went up, it has had visitors from 164 countries. A large chunk of Africa…

May 23, 2013 | Irish

Irish Pronunciation: Wow!

I flee my grammar book for Forvo.

News Alert: This blog has been nominated as one of the top 100 language-learning blogs of 2013! If you like the blog and would like to contribute votes, which will in turn contribute substantially (50 percent) to my overall ranking on…

May 25, 2013 | Irish

I Can Now Use an Irish Dictionary

Yes, it took me more than three weeks, but who's counting?

Irish may use the Roman alphabet, but looking up a word in an Irish dictionary is not a simple matter. You need to know something about the language before you can make a reasonable go of it. That’s because…

May 26, 2013 | Irish

Be Brave, O Readers of Irish Grammar Books

I can't help laughing at some of the explanations I am coming across.

New York has many, many Irish bars. Two days ago I walked into one in my neighborhood, Malachy’s, told the bartender I was studying Irish, and asked whether any Irish speakers hang out there. I need conversation. Malachy’s,…