Product Description

Basic Irish: A Grammar and Workbook provides a jargon-free introduction to the most commonly used grammatical structures within the Irish language. Focusing on the repeated use of grammatical patterns, this Workbook develops an understanding of the structures presented, making the forms familiar and automatic for learners.

This user-friendly workbook includes:

• terminology introduced and explained with multiple examples
• exercises in the grammatical forms introduced in the text
• translation exercises
• an exercise key.

Customer Reviews (4)

Stenson grammar
Excellent basic book--I appreciate having answers to exercises available at the end of the chapter.

Learning Irish....
I've got a small library of beginning Irish books. I've turned a corner recently with rapid progress which I attribute to two things: this grammar book and Rosetta Stone for PC. Rosetta Stone has been providing examples of how things are supposed to sound. R.S. goes so slowly, and since it's aimed at learning naturally (like a child does), it can be a little frustrating. This workbook was a good companion for bringing the level up, adding some general guidlines/rules to explain the 'why' (not just the 'what'.) There are other books on the market that might be just as good, but this is the one I turned a corner with.... This book has no pictures or distractions from what is being taught -- it's a WORK book! The lesson in the chapter is re-enforced with questions at the end of the chapter, with the harder questions asking you to build on what you've been taught, come up with an original construction based on what you've learned. Really very nice.

Basic Irish by Nancy Stenson
I would recommend this book to anyone trying to learn Irish who was not raised in Ireland. It is well written, covers a lot of material. It also has exercises for each chapter with the answers to the exercises. It also answered a lot of questions I had considering the problems with different dialects. There is a lot of good information for the price!

Finally!!!
Keep in mind that this book is not the place to start if you haven't studied Irish before (or studied other languages from a grammar-intensive perspective). If you are just starting, save this for later and get a basic course that includes audio (you MUST have audio with Irish). If you can find it, Irish on your Own is a good starting place, or if you're really serious, Learning Irish. With that disclaimer, here's my review:

I studied Irish some years ago fairly intensively, and I was always annoyed by the lack of a book JUST LIKE this one. I've had it only a few weeks, but have had a chance to examine it and work through some of the exercises. It is something that has been sorely needed for a long time. If you are familiar with Irish language resources, you may recognize the author's name--Nancy Stenson (she is a linguistics and Irish language professor at the University of Minnesota). She compiled a huge series of worksheets to accompany "Learning Irish" in the early 1990's (I was lucky enough to find and print them out some years ago from an internet server archive). She has now written two Irish grammar workbooks. I don't have the second yet--Intermediate Irish--but soon will.

Stenson's Basic Irish is wonderful. It covers all the basic grammar/structure concepts AND offers page after page of various types of practice problems--filling blanks, sentence manipulation, verb conjugation, sentence negation, translation both ways, correcting errors, and more... just tons of good stuff!

Here's a summary of the sections: Spelling and pronunciation, word order, lenition, mutations, nouns and articles, classes and cases, ... , prepositions, numbers, verbs I & II & III, irregular verbs I & II, copula, verbal nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and a few other topics.

As you can see, a lot of info--and it all has in-depth explanation and tons of practice problems. This is a lot like the types of grammar workbooks that are available for all of the major languages. With some of the latest Irish learning materials available, there is now a pretty rich pool of resources out there and this book, especially, fills a huge void that has been there for years.
... Read more

Product Description
Take a big step toward fluency in Irish

Speaking Irish is a unique opportunity to sharpen your listening and conversational skills in the company of speakers from all corners of Ireland. Filmed on location throughout Ireland, the DVD features authentic, unrehearsed interviews with more than twenty Irish speakers, representing all three regional dialects.

Just put the disc in your DVD player, and your journey begins. Hear Aoife weigh the pros and cons of life in Dublin as opposed to the Irish countryside. Listen to Máirín describe a good friend. Learn about Gaelic games and their place in the community from Donncha. And enjoy animated discussions of other topics like family, education, the environment, the Gaeltacht, and the Irish in America. The companion book provides a transcript of all the interviews, plus extensive exercises and notes on vocabulary, grammar, regional variations, and more.

Download additional classroom activities at mhprofessional.com.

Customer Reviews (9)

This has been needed for years!
For many learners of Irish, especially overseas, understanding a native speaker speaking natural, dialectal Irish at conversational speeds is nearly impossible.After nearly 15 years of learning Irish this DVD and book brought me to the point where I can understand almost everything said by almost any speaker.It does assume you have good familiarity with the language already, and is not meant for beginners, but once your Irish is good enough to make sense of a written text you need to try this book and DVD.

Tip for Kindle/iPhone users
Just FYI, you *can* purchase this through the kindle or iphone application, but you only receive the printed book. You do not receive any kind of video or audio clips.

Builds a bridge into real-life conversation, but not for beginners
Having studied at Oideas Gael, in Donegal, one of the places featured here, I was excited to find, the year after my course, the arrival of this book- DVD pairing. Others have explained its rationale. I'll delve into its structure and organization. A brief comparison with other products (see my Listmania "Learning Irish Gaelic" for more) may assist your decision whether or not it's for you.

Twenty units focus on themes; the hardcover (thankfully-- this is a big plus in learning materials too rarely found; the ability to prop a book open is often worth the expense rather than a flimsy paperback whose pages separate and whose binding breaks) workbook naturally gives transcriptions and directions. I would have liked subtitles as an option, too; the lack of this makes it harder to keep up with the rapid (if you're at my level) speech patterns. Still, this immersion forces you to accelerate into the kind of encounters that prepare you for real life outside the halting pace of the classroom.

The timed interviews-- beginning from ten seconds and ending the book at nearly two minutes-- are prepared for with phrases or vocabulary that may differ from "school" or Standard Irish taught. Some are dialectal; some are grammatical elaborations, some cultural or vocabulary enrichments. Simple fill-in exercises may precede segments. Each chapter has a few taped snippets. Translations and answers well kept to the back of the book are given.

The range is wider than the old "The four sheep are in the high mountain meadow eating oats when Mary walks towards them" types of sentences found in primers. Buddhism, ecology, GAA, Israel and India, Irish sign language, learners vs. natives in Gaeltachtaí, dance, emigration, working mothers, the usually ignored presence of Irish speakers in North America: all receive their minute or two in the text and on the screen.

Poet Cathal Ó Searcaigh, activists Liam Ó Cuinneagáin & Helen Ó Murchú, TD Trevor Sargent, local residents, and, encouragingly, even learners from abroad can be heard among nearly two dozen interviewees. The range of accents, slips into English, and variations on the schoolhouse form of Irish may throw some off, but these are essential in preparing learners to leave the textbooks behind and begin to chat in Irish on the streets, and in the pubs. Seeing the Irish landscape behind so many of the speakers adds to the welcome illusion that you are back in Ireland hearing the native tongue vibrant, idiosyncratic, and ordinarily spoken, as it's meant to be.

This bridge into the natural communities that form by natives and learners and students refreshing earlier lessons may be lengthened with Turas Teanga, an RTÉ CD-DVD-book set geared more towards those reviving their "school Irish." This is aimed, be cautioned, at those intermediate or advanced students. SI is more practical and less linguistically focused per se than Mícheál Ó Siadhail's "Learning Irish;" it's less basic than "Gaeilge agus Fáilte;" it's certainly far beyond the Pimsleur conversations, and probably more enjoyable than the "Teach Yourself Irish" CD-book pairs.

For eager beginners: seek out "Gaeilge agus Fáilte." For SI's pricier, somewhat less user-friendly counterpart: "Turas Teanga." For serious linguists wanting a particular dialect, Cois Fharraige in Connaught: "Learning Irish." SI also is far more advanced than the new "Colloquial Irish" CD-book set, which is basic Connemara Irish of around 800 words. Ultimately, SI may prove the help that many, after finishing an immersion course in or away from Ireland, may need to continue their study when they return to a home far from a Gaeltacht.

not what i expected
I wanted to learn the language. This has nice video of Ireland but it didn't really help me with my studies.

Pity there weren't more products like it
This costs a few quid, but given that you get a hardback book and a DVD you have to admit that, style-wise at least, it offers value for money.
As regards substance, it is a fantastic publication and it is a pity that there are not more products like it. I think many people such as myself feel a frustration when, as adults, they bring their school Irish to RnaG or TG4 and discover such a deficit when trying to decode the lively paced dialects of the presenters who are native speakers. This book will help anybody who wants to address that discrepancy. I no longer find the dialects to be a source of frustration. The helpful notes that offer detailed explanations of the deviations actually present these dialectical differences as a positive thing to revel in, part of the wealth and beauty of the language. I took this on as an adult learner but I also see great potential for use in schools at Ardteist honours level for the scrúdú béal. Secondary teachers should take a look at least. Lean oraibh! ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive Irish language course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Are they kidding me?
This has got to be the worst language course I have seen.The lessons on the CD start in Chapter 1 like they should but then skip to the Appendix -- have fun trying to find that in a hurry, while you dash to your cd player to hit pause.Then back to chapter 2, where they don't go through the vocabulary, but start reading from about the 3rd page in the chapter, so you can flip pages trying to figure out exactly where these people are reading from once again dashing for the pause button.

I am not a person who learns languages easily, and having to jump about and guess where the heck these people are (reading the PAGE NUMBERS off on the cd would have been a nice cue since they skip about) does not help matters.I managed to learn to speak German with the Pimsleur system and I did it so well that my German friend likes to show me off to her friends because I can speak without an accent.The reason I chose this program is because with Pimsleur I did learn to speak,but I did not learn to read and write.Unfortunately with this program I will learn nothing at all because the teaching is just horrid.

This might be a good program for someone who already speaks some Irish and wants to brush up, or who has someone who does speak it and can help them get through it.If you don't speak any Irish and you want to learn.....look elsewhere.For a novice this system is a joke.

An excelt modern revamp
The 1995 edition, which had horrible binding and provided Audio-Cassettes, is an embarrasment to Mícheál Ó Sidhial's fine course in studying the Irish language. I brought the recent 2006 edition for my friend. This edition has a better layout, it uses simplified terms, it still uses proper grammar terms "Second person singular", "Third person plural" but it offers a better explanation of the terms,but it can not avoid using them, I don't see another way of expressing such a term.

Numerous lines such as "Do not use the plural for formality or politeness" will be confusing to English speakers, as in Scottish Gaelic, French, Spanish and Latin people use the Second person plural for formal purposes. I.e. Vous and Tu (the French words for two).

Mícheál Ó Sidhials' "Learning Irish" focus's mainly on the Conamara Dialect, specifically the Cois Farriage dialect, which is found on the coast of Galway. I myself am a native Gaeilgeoir from Conamara and don't live far from where Mícheál Ó Sidhial was born, I specifically chose this product to give to my friend because it was based on my dialect of speaking, but if you do not want to speak the Conamara dialect, you should purcahse another product. If you were unaware of dialect differences, than choose a product that offers a dialect. 'Standard Irish' is a cultimation of various dialectual aspects, and gives an unauthentic feeling, I strongly recommend a product with a dialect, Connacht, Munster or Ulster. (Conamara is a member of the Connacht dialect)

Remembering that I am writing about the 2006 edition, it is an amazing revamp from the older editions. This edition provides an intensive hsitory of the history of the Irish Language, it also features a number of idioms which make you sound very authentic, after only a few days my friend sounds alot like me, using phrases I myself use, giving her a native feel. ONLY purchase a copy with the Audio CD's, you will learn the grammar and words where the CD's will help with your pronouciation. DO NOT just purchase the Audio CD's they do not provide any grammar help, their job is to provide pronouciation examples.

Overall, this product matches a teacher, and deserves 5 stars.

Irish for linguists
This book is brutally fast-paced, and seems to assume a pretty solid knowledge of linguistics.For example, in lesson 2, it states, "A second person singular pronoun, e.g., tú, tusa, is used wen addressing one person.A second person plural pronoun, e.g. sibh, sibhse, is uned when addressing more than person.The plural is not used to express politeness or formality".That last sentence would be utterly cryptic to someone who has never studied a language that makes a T-V distinction.On the other hand, if you're already a polyglot, this book is probably exactly what you're looking for.

As a side note, the binding is not very good.I've owned the book for one week and the pages are already falling out.

Audio Cassettes???
I've used the textbook in class, and it was great with the help of a teacher.But as a teach-yourself with audio cassettes...I mean, audio cassettes!! It is a hopelessly outdated - not to mention annoying to use - technology.Wait for a version with CD's, otherwise this is a very difficult text for self-instruction.

Speaking is not Understanding
Overall, I say this is a great book. I have learned how to speak the Irish language as fluently as an American who has not traveled across the seas can. What leaves this book at four stars and not five for me is the complexity of the design in the book and the simplicity of the explanations.

First of all, I spent ten minutes trying to find the pronunciation table of the different consonants and vowel combinations. They were hidden in the back with a bunch of other appendixes that I felt should have been a part of the book. But that also goes with my issue with the simplicity of the book.

This is not going to teach you how to understand the Irish language. Having studied ancient languages such as Latin and Sanskrit I am rather used to the formal training of understanding each word and how it is formulated and transformed throughout the sentences. This book has an appendix that if you took the time to learn on your own you could attempt something like that, but there is no chapter based around such a structured understanding of the language.

But of course, although I do have these complaints, I am only taking it down to four stars because it is a good book to learn to speak the Irish language. So if you want something that is in-depth enough to teach you the pronunciations and a great CD accompanying it as well as learning common sentences and a good learning structure, then this is perfect for you. However, if you are looking for a complete understanding of the language and the ability to break down the structure then perhaps you should look for something else. ... Read more

Product Description

Specially written by experienced teachers, this easy to use and completely up-to-date course provides a step-by-step approach to spoken and written Irish with no prior knowledge of the language required.

What makes Colloquial Irish your best choice in personal language learning?

• emphasis on the language of East Connemara, with a clear pronunciation guide and an appendix on dialectal differences within Irish
• stimulating exercises with lively illustrations
• effective combination of language points, dialogues and cultural information
• Irish/English and English/Irish word lists.

By the end of this rewarding course you will be able to communicate confidently and effectively in Irish in a broad range of everyday situations.

Accompanying audio material is available to purchase separately on CD/MP3 format, or comes included in the great value Colloquial Pack.  This audio material has been recorded by native speakers and will help you perfect your pronuncation, listening and speaking skills.

Customer Reviews (1)

COLLOQUIAL IRISH
An excellent beginners course, best used in conjunction with its companion CD, for help with pronunciation.

I had the privilege of taking a beginner's course in Irish with one of the authors, Dr. Roslyn Blyn-LaDrew of the University of Pennsylvania, and can safely say there is no better instructor in the language this side of the Atlantic.

The book gives an easy conversational introduction to a fascinating, very old language, and offers a vital inroad to appreciating Irish culture.

- Caroline Oceana Ryan, author - AN OLD CASTLE STANDING ON A FORD: One Yank's Life in an Almost Peaceful Belfast (Eloquent Books, 2010) ... Read more

Product Description
This simple and effective introduction to Irish Gaelic teaches everything one needs to speak, understand, read, and write in Irish Gaelic. This program assumes no background in the language, and it explains each new concept clearly with plenty of examples, making it ideal for beginners or anyone who wants a thorough review. Living Language Irish Gaelic includes:

·A course book and six audio CDs
·Two unique sets of recordings, one for use with the book, and a second for use anywhere to review and reinforce
·Natural dialogues, clear grammar notes, vocabulary building, and key expressions
·Plenty of practice, both written and recorded
·Notes on culture, cuisine, history, geography, and more
·Real life “discovery” activities and internet resources
·An extensive two-way glossary ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Modern book & CDs for Irish
My irish language group replaced our Buntus book with Spoken World.It uses modern words like "computer" & begins with information on pronouncing the strange Irish spelling

Irish Lass learning Irish
I like this product, I did not have enough money to buy the expensive computer program so this was a great substitute.Still at the beginning but for the price and what you get I am very happy with my purchase.

Part of Tradition of Good Products
If you are interested in the Irish language, get this with Pimsleur, and alternate between the two. Pimsleur is usually the first material one should get, then Living Language and other materials.If you are extremely serious about a language, perhaps get Fluenz first, but it is expensive, as is Rosseta Stone, which I would avoid.Pimsleur for Irish is done differently from the Latin languages, and I haven't finished it yet, nor have I finished Irish Gaelic.Irish is difficult, so I use both together.

Excellent resource for learning Irish
I recently purchased "Spoken World: Irish".I too am familiar with the Living Language series of language books.I have to say, from a person that owns "Teach Yourself Irish" and before, "Learning Irish", I would HIGHLY recommmend "Spoken World: Irish".There are several frustrations with other books that I believe were not in this book.Other books spend too much time on cultural aspects and glance over proper grammar & vocabulary.This books limits cultural lessons to minimum with updated and pertinent information.The print, binding and layout is fresh, easy to read and concise.

Contrary to other linguists, I am very happy that this books teaches the official standard of Irish.It does not avoid the dialects but this gives one universal approach to the language, which is so important to gaining more speakers and users of a language.English is my 1st language and I have studied other languages.

Since Irish has struggled in the past with declining speakers, the one positive thing about English is its ability to be rather universal.One can speak English with Americans, Brits, Australians, South Africans, etc. and get along just fine.

Learning the dialects of English comes with travel, interaction with other people, reading and writing.That is the exciting part.The same can be said of this book.Once you understand the structure and vocabulary of the official standard of Irish, you can surely learn the differences between the dialects and it makes you even more passionate about the language and culture.

I also find the conversations to be concise, without archaic or useless vocabulary.Some other language books teach you vocabulary such at the word for turnip or car tire.This books focuses on useful words and builds upon learning.

I have purchased other Living Language books for Russian, French, Portuguese and German.I thoroughly enjoy their approach to language acquisition.I think that most would agree that any new books the teach Irish is a good thing.Enjoy!

Great course
I have to confess that I'm not that far in the course, but I am very familiar with the Living Language approach, as I have the Japanese, Russian, Polish, Korean, and Chinese courses as well. That having been said, the thing I like the most about this course is the audio. Other courses are more about reading AND listening, and rarely have just audio exersises. they may have a few here and there, but they do not have the amount that Living Language offers. And I believe that you need to have sufficient audio only exposure in order to understand people when they speak to you. Overall the book is a great start in the language too. The grammar notes are short, but clear and concise. The vocabulary is practical and up-to-date. The exercises are easy and yet good for the topics covered in the lessons. the only complaint I have is that there are no vocabulary lists for the 'readings' given in most lessons. You are expected to look up any unknown words you want to know. In the Korean textbook the readings have a vocabulary list (be it smaller then the main list), but this is the only complaint I have. And all you have to do is look up a word here or there per lesson really. Also, this book does not lend it self to one particular dialect like most Irish textbooks. Instead it teaches you the Official Standard used in Ireland, which is based on all three major dialects (Ulster, Connacht, and Munster). Thus this book is good for getting a good grasp on Irish, and while not being as comprehensive as the Japanese, Russian or Chinese courses, it is still good for a beginner. And Best thing is you can go on and learn any dialect you would like and take your Irish further! ... Read more

Product Description
This learner's dictionary guides students and other users through the intricacies of the Irish language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great resource
A great quick reference book. Convenient size, light weight, a perfect choice for the student of Irish Gaelic.

Pretty Good Dictionary For Learners
This is my first dictionary for learning Irish, and so far it's been pretty good.It is fairly complete in terms of entries, and often has examples of how words are used.It doesn't have pronunciations, which is a bummer on the Irish side but, in some ways, even more so on the English side because when I want to look up the Irish word for "live", for example, so I can talk about where I live, there is also an entry for "live" as in live music.So I have to go back and forth a bit.But overall I like this dictionary.

It is very good although it does not have a pronunciation key...
It is very easy to use and it can be a life saver when you are not sure about a certain word as you are learning irish.It contains about 24,500 entries. This is the main irish dictionary that I use. :) Although, it is best to buy this with an Irish course or at least have some knowledge about the pronunciation of irish words because the pronunciation is not listed with the word. But has proved to be very very useful, helpful, and invaluable as I learn about Gaelic Irish! ... Read more

Product Description

The Irish language, still spoken in the 'Gaeltacht' areas of counties Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Cork, and Kerry as a community language, represents the last western outpost of an ancient Iron Age Celtic civilization which extended at one point as far as Asia Minor. During the last few centuries of its existence, the language has been primarily the vehicle for a rich and varied folk culture, unsurpassed anywhere in western Europe, and from the late 1800's it has also been the focus of a popular revival movement which has resulted in a flourishing modern literature.

This 1,400-word dictionary indicates pronunciation in English spelling and will swiftly acquaint visitors with a basic key vocabulary. Phrases cover travel, sightseeing, shopping, and recreation, and notes are provided on grammar, pronunciation, and dialect.Featuring a concise grammar and pronunciation guide and a brief history of the Irish language, this dictionary and phrasebook is an essential resource for anyone wishing to become acquainted with the Irish language.

Customer Reviews (7)

Irish- English Dictionary and phrasebook
the Irish English dictionary and phrasebook is an indespensible tool for those wanting to learn this venerable language, or those that wish to ingratiate themselved as visitors to the Gaeltacht- Irish speaking areas of Ireland.

small enough to slip into any pocket for quick and easy referance, the layout and content make basic translation simple.

Pronunciation Guide
I have looked at several Irish/English-English/Irish dictionaries and this is one that actually has a guide in the middle of the book that explains how things are pronounced in accordance with the groupings of consonants.Other more expensive dictionaries in this language do not have this.I ordered two of them.

great resource
this book was a great tool for learning gaelic before i went to Ireland. I stayed with a Gaelic-speaking host family for a month this winter, and this book became my best friend!

An extra piece for your collection...
If you have a basic idea for pronouncing Irish, this is just a handy little extra for travellers to have.Not too much vocabulary, but plenty of touristy phrases about food, music, holidays, family, etc.Use as a supplement only.

very basic
Only for beginners, not that many words and only basic phrases, but handy for people just wanting to get a feel of the language. ... Read more

Product Description

Specially written by experienced teachers, this easy to use and completely up to date course offers you a step-by-step approach to spoken and written Irish with no prior knowledge of the language required.

What makes Colloquial Irish your best choice in personal language learning?:

• emphasis on the language of East Connemara, with a clear pronunciation guide and an appendix on dialectal differences within Irish
• stimulating exercises with lively illustrations
• effective combination of language points, dialogues and cultural information
• Irish/English and English/Irish word lists.

By the end of this rewarding course you will be able to communicate confidently and effectively in Irish in a broad range of everyday situations.

This pack contains the book and two 60-minute audio CDs.This audio material has been recorded by native speakers and will help you perfect your pronuncation, listening and speaking skills.

Customer Reviews (6)

Colloquial Irish for Beginners Review
I have high praise for Colloquial Irish with CD's.Each chapter consists of a realistic, modern,topical Dialogue in both Irish & English with full translation. This makes it easy to study for comparison and review.Many beginner CD's have endless repetition but without the script to look at, can be impossible to decipher and follow.In addition, it has fun, practical exercises: Word scrambles, Fill-in the-Blanks, Question and Answer quizzes, Bold Text for Emphasis, Pronunciation Guides, local maps, personal stories, customs and photographs of Irish culture in the Gaeltacht. Grammar explanations are brief yet to the point. This book does not leave the new student guessing as to whether they have gotten the right answer.The answers to all the Exercises are given in English at the back of the book. Many beginner Irish books that do not have that feature only confound a "foghlaimeoir"It is written for adult beginning learners.I found it easy to follow and would recommend it as a school study book or for independent study.

You Could Certainly Do Worse...
Caveat: I don't have the audio yet, so my comments pertain to the book only.

Generally, I'm not a fan of Colloquial Series language books; none that I've seen until now rate any higher than so-so. In an attempt to introduce material by `function' (family, lodging, pastimes, employment, skills, food, drink, holidays, shopping, etc), they often ignore clarity, completeness, and language patterns; vital grammar/structure topics are often introduced in a chaotic and half-hearted manner, if at all. Inadequately transcribed conversations, vocabulary lists, and glossaries are typical. Practice problems are lacking, and what's there tends to be fluff. I could go on, but you get the picture...

So, how does Colloquial Irish compare? Well, actually, I feel better about this book than any other Colloquial Series book I've had. As is typical, grammar/structure topics are a bit lacking; but what's there is actually a decent intro. There is also a grammar summary in the back of the book. This is a step in the right direction at least. Vocabulary is introduced in cohesive groups when possible--around the house, pastimes, time, greetings, travel, days/dates, work, etc (very helpful for memorization). Useful vocabulary lists ARE presented--imagine that! Dialogs ARE all transcribed (some on the same page and the rest at the end of the book). Wow! And shockingly enough, there ARE quite a lot of exercises, giving the impression that drilling and study ARE of value in language learning. I know! I almost had a coronary, too! Pronunciation is addressed throughout the book, implying that pronunciation could very well be important in language learning. I think someone must have awakened at the `Colloquial Series Think Tank.'

As for specifics: first are some sections on language/culture, the alphabet, pronunciation, and study suggestions. Then you have 14 thematic chapters. Most chapters also include pronunciation pointers. There are good dialogs and some grammar topics. There is quite a bit of cultural/general information along the way. At the end is a grammar summary (about 17 pages), dialect appendix (kind of nice), exercise key, some transcribed dialogs, a two-way glossary, and an index.

I won't get into the debate about dialect. This book goes with Galway (the appendix does contrast it with the others, though). Most of my previous study has been Ulster (because I love the sound), but all in all they aren't THAT very different. It shouldn't really be a concern for the complete beginner anyway.

Overall, this book isn't a bad intro at all as long as you keep in mind that it is an INTRO, not a magic trip to fluency. It's quite light on the grammar, but better than many other offerings I've seen. How does it compare with the venerable Learning Irish? Well, it doesn't. Simple. But then again, is it really supposed to? This is an introductory book with simple communication/understanding as a goal. The goal of Learning Irish is much loftier. It's really unfair to compare them. Personally, I like them both for what they are.

Ultimately, if you want to really dig into the language, you are going to want to work through Learning Irish. But that's a tall order and will take you a lot of time and effort. I'd have to say that Colloquial Irish is going to be a bit more enjoyable and user friendly for most folks as a first exposure. Work through this one first, and then dig into Learning Irish if you want more.

Good for colloquial language
As the one other reviewer says, this textbook is good for the colloquial spoken language spoken in Galway and nearby parts of Ireland. It actually is a good complement for the other major textbook available for Irish, Learning Irish

Whereas 'Learning Irish' gives an excellent overview of grammar and vocabulary, 'Colloquial Irish' adds to the vocabulary in 'LI' and accounts for the way it is actually spoken, rather then written.

Where as I would not recommend this textbook on it's own, as the grammar is not as comprehensive, nor is the vocabulary, I would recommend the the book as a supplement with 'Learning Irish.' It is actually uncanny that the two textbooks deal with the same dialect of Irish.

Not the best course for Irish, not even for Cois Fhairrge Irish
Scheduled for publication five years ago, Colloquial Irish has finally been published. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a disappointment. In recent years, Routledge has turned to publishing shorter and shorter books in the Colloquial-series, giving its readers ever less value for the money. For some languages, the person interested in learning it may not have a choice, but that's not the case for Irish. Small as it may be, there are some excellent courses and this new course is nowhere near them.

For some reason, the authors decided to pick the Irish dialect of Cois Fhairrge for this book. That's a brave choice, given that an excellent and very extensive Irish course (Learning Irish) focuses on exactly the same dialect. So, the learner eager to learn Irish (or Cois Fhairrge Irish in particular) has got two courses at hand, which one should he pick? My answer is Learning Irish, for the following reasons:

- Learning Irish is by far the more extensive of the two courses. While Colloquial Irish will only give a vocabulary of about 800 words, Learning Irish will see to it that you finish with around 2.500 words. As the average vocabulary of everday conversations is 4.000-5.000 words, Learning Irish brings you a good way towards that while Colloquial Irish doesn't.

- The grammar is explained in great detail in Learning Irish, making sure that the reader really learns it and reducing the risks for misunderstandings. Colloquial Irish gives a much more rudimentary grammar presentation, and the likely result is that the reader will be more confused than helped. If not when reading this book, then at least by the time he goes to the Gaeltacht and tries speaking Irish only to discover that he doesn't know all those things Learning Irish would have taught him.

- There are many more excersises (with answers) in Learning Irish, so the learner really has the opportunity to practice.

Having worked my way through Learning Irish, I went to Ireland and managed to live in the Gaeltacht for many months, speaking only Irish. Of course my Irish improved a lot during my time there, but I would never have come so far without the very solid foundation Learning Irish had given me. Colloquial Irish is much to short and basic to come anywhere near that.

Poor
I must agree with the other negative reviewer: this language course is totally inadequate. Lessons are badly organized, with far too much fluff and far too little useful, substantive material. Grammar is poorly explained, so that each lesson becomes little more than a list of indecipherable phrases to the uninitiated beginner. The exercises are largely useless. And this thin book gives you a truly scanty vocablury. The CDs might offer a few hours of listening practice, but they are hardly worth the price on their own. Go for 'Learning Irish' instead: as the previous reviewer said, it is simply the best option on the market for the serious learner. ... Read more

Product Description
An introductory text to the Irish language as spoken around the eighth-century c.e., covering all aspects of the grammar in a clear and intuitive format.

David Stifter's Sengoídelc (SHAN-goy-delth) provides a comprehensive introduction to Old Irish grammar and metrics. Ideally suited for use as a course text and as a guide for the independent learner, this exhaustive handbook is also an invaluable reference work for students of Indo-European philology and historical linguistics. The author’s step-by-step presentation in an engaging styles lead the novice through the idiosyncracies of the language, such as initial mutations and the double inflection of verbs. Filled with translation exercises based on selections from Old Irish texts, the book provides a practical introduction to the language and its rich history. Sengoídelc opens the door to the fascinating world of Old Irish literature, famous not only for such gems as the Táin Bó Cúailgne (The Cattle Raid of Cúailgne) or lyrical nature poetry but also as a major source for the political and legal history of Ireland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A modern approach to an ancient tongue
I'm writing this as someone with a lay (but serious) interest in Old Irish, who learned Modern Irish as a child, and has a reasonable fluency. I've also studied several languages over the years, ranging from Breton to Arabic. I've read the Lehmanns' book too, and compared to this, it feels like it's from another century. Oh wait, it IS from another century!

Seriously, this is a modern approach to Old Irish. I found it generally accessible, and the charts showing reconstructions all the way back to proto-IndoEuropean were interesting too. Where Lehmann provides a numbered list of sentences to be parsed or translated, during which the grammar is apparently expected to be assimilated by osmosis, Stifter provides actual prose describing the grammar.

The main shortcoming in my view, is that there's little comparison with modern Irish. What amazed me was how much of the structure has been preserved over the centuries, from VSO word-order to mutations to personal prepositions; even much of vocabulary has changed relatively little. Although students who are completely new to any form of Irish will find it strange in its grammar and orthography, much of that strangeness hasn't changed all that much over time, and will be perfectly familiar to anyone acquainted with modern Irish.

Personally I would have found it helpful to highlight the aspects that have REALLY changed or disappeared over the intervening millennium (e.g., deponent forms, dual forms, etc.) After all, as fascinating a link as Old Irish is to our ancient European roots, it's also the relative of modern Irish, which is still a living spoken language. I realise that this would satisfy a minor fraction of the readership, but it's so comprehensive, Stifter might have included it. Maybe in a future edition?

The new gold standard
This is THE book for learning Old Irish, period.Old Irish is a notoriously forbidding language, probably the most difficult of all the older Indo-European languages.Stifter makes it come alive, through his mix of detailed yet clear grammatical explanations, translation exercises, and quirky humor (gotta love those sheep cartoons!)As an Indo-Europeanist, I wish I had had such a textbook when I first studied Old Irish, instead of having to slog my way through Quin's workbook like the last three generations of students ("The hero hit the two birds in the two trees with his sword"...)
Perfect for those interested in Celtic and Indo-European languages or medieval Irish literature!

Highly recommended
I've been studying Old Irish, with varying degrees of diligence, for over two years and I find this textbook to be the most helpful of all.Not only does David Stifter present the material in a logical manner, building gradually and explaining each step thorough, but he explains each of the rather esoteric grammatical terms commonly used for this complex language, a great help for someone not an accomplished scholar of linguistics.

A few things that I particularly appreciate:early introduction of a few bits of poetry to give a sense of the rewards of studying this beautiful language, the easy to read layout of the book, and the bits of humor contained in the small drawings of sheep, especially the one with a grimace subtitled "A sheep after having tried to master Old Irish orthography."

Old Irish is never going to be an easy subject and taking it one piece at a time, learning each one thoroughly before going on to the next, is the best method I've come up with."Sengoidelc" is of great help on the journey.

Old Irish well explained.
An well explained and methodical book about the old irish language. Easy to study and very complete study.

Good
Best resource available for an amateur, but explanations are sometimes lacking. Still, you can't do any better. ... Read more

Product Description
The 54 chapters and exercises in this introduction to the Gaelic language are presented in a step-by-step format, from basics to more complex grammar lessons, making this book a valuable guide for classroom use and for individuals learning on their own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Latest Edition of an Excellent Grammar
Earlier reviewers are probably right in suggesting that this may not be the best book for complete beginners. For instance, when this book first appeared nearly a century ago (in 1911), its readers, even with an elementary school education, would probably have had a grasp of basic grammatical concepts that today even most college graduates lack (exceptions being made, of course, for linguists and other students of language). But for someone who has a firm grasp of grammatical concepts and enjoys the systematic approach of a traditional grammar, this book will not disappoint.

Since my interest is primarily in the older written language, it is this book's traditional approach to the grammar of Gaelic that initially attracted my attention. Overall, the presentation of the grammar looks to be fairly thorough. The fact that this book predates the spelling reforms later imposed is an additional definite plus for learning to read the older literature (my own focus being on poetry). There are a total of 54 lessons, exercises in reading and translation, a nice table of irregular verbs, Gaelic-English and English-Gaelic vocabularies, and a key to the exercises.

An earlier reviewer said not to purchase this edition by Hippocrene, 1999, because there was a later edition. In my case I purchased this book yesterday in a local bookstore and find that I have the 4th printing (2006) of this Hippocrene reprint (1999) of the "New Revised Fourth Edition" of 1935. (It's probably safe to assume that the author, James MacLaren, will not be revising this further!)

So while this book does not anticipate the needs of many modern students of Gaelic (how could it?), it does appear to meet my needs and I suspect perhaps the needs of others of a similar predisposition.

- - - - - - - - - -
Some comments related to earlier reviews: It's a pity so many reviewers of books on learning foreign languages (I've read a good many here on Amazon over the years) will disparage a book and give it a low rating if it doesn't cater to their particular learning preferences. Why can't people accept diversity and realize that what works for one might be anathema to another?

For example, an approach that makes me want to gag myself with a spoon is the making of vocabulary cards -- been there, done that -- and it never worked for me -- but others report great success! Also, I personally do not like the watered down, look-say, approach of so many current learning materials -- but that does not give me the right to give such items a low rating! To me, to do so would be arrogantly unethical.

In my case, give me a decent grammar, dictionary, and something good to read in the target language and I'm content.

So, to each our own, I say.
Peace and long life!

This is an old Edition !!!
Do not buy the 1999 edition.There is a Fourth Edition, published 2003 available.

It's very good, but ...
This is a very good book, and every serious student of the Scottish Gaelic language should have it. I do not recommend it as a first book for a new learner, for several reasons:

1. There is no audio material for it. It does have a phonetic system to indicate pronunciation, but like all such that do not use the International Phonetic Alphabet, it is very nearly useless unless the student has already developed an ear tuned to the sounds of the language. There is too much phonetic structure in Gaelic that does not exist in English for simple phonetic systems to be useful. Once the student has learned the sounds of Gaelic as spoken by a native speaker, the phonetic system used in this book can be read and is then quite useful.

2. It predates the spelling reform of modern Gaelic. Although this reform is controversial and is not universally used, much currently published Gaelic uses it, or something similar,including the important dictionaries produced by scholars such as Angus Watson and Colin Mark.

3. It is densely packed with information. This makes it a very useful second book for a learner, but it is a very tough row to hoe for a complete beginner.

Having said all of that, if you have already learned some of the language and can pronounce the sounds, get this book. The huge amount of information in it makes it immensely useful to anyone who has completed an introductory course in the Gaelic language.

Comprehensive but Difficult
This book is pretty darn comprehensive, especially for something of its size.It wastes no time getting right to the nitty-gritty about the language, but in order to fit so much information into the space available, it's very technical and hard to follow at times.The lessons are best taken in small doses to reduce frustration.Overall it's a pretty decent book, but I would seriously recommend having already learned another (preferably European) language.This book says it's for beginners, but it helps to be familiar with learning another language to make the lessons easier to follow.

Beginner's?... Yes.... ....and no.
If you've got experience in learning other languages; the format is extremely formal and logical. Yet because of this, even just as a beginner, one can find it very useful: the lessons are very condensed, short, andcover a lot of ground for a book of its size. (Mastering 'ty' books can getyou back to the airport in a breaze... Mastering this book can have yousharing anechdotes with strangers once you're there.) To avoid grunting:find a friend to help you with more casual grammar and pronunciation. (theonly REAL way to do it) ... Read more

Product Description
In this groundbreaking work, Timothy McMahon reexamines the significance of the Gaelic Revival in forming Ireland's national identity. United in their determination to preserve and extend the use of Irish as a spoken language and artistic medium, members of the Gaelic League profoundly influenced Irish culture and literature in the twentieth century. McMahon explores that influence by scrutinizing the ways in which society absorbed their leaders' messages, tracing the interaction between the ideas propagated by the League and the variety of meanings ordinary people attached to Ireland and to being Irish.

Comparing press and police reports with census data and local directories, the author establishes the first comprehensive profile of League membership. McMahon's ability to access both English- and Irish-language sources offers readers a rare and richly detailed analysis of primary materials. Grand Opportunity addresses questions that are central to understanding modern Irish identity and makes an indispensable contribution to the wider study of national identity formation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The role that the Gaelic cultural revival played in transforming Ireland's national identity
Timothy G. McMahon (Assistant Professor of History, Marquette University) presents Grand Opportunity: The Gaelic Revival and Irish Society, 1893-1910, an in-depth study of the role that the Gaelic cultural revival played in transforming Ireland's national identity during the turn of the past century. Members of the Gaelic League had a reverberating effect upon Irish culture and literature through their determination to preserve Irish as a spoken language and artistic medium. Drawing upon press and police reports as well as census data and local directories, Grand Opportunity assembles the first comprehensive profile of League membership, and excerpts primary testimonies to put forward a convincing case. Recommended for college library shelves and especially for students and scholars of Irish history.
... Read more

Product Description

Intermediate Irish is a jargon-free workbook examining the most commonly used grammatical structures within the Irish language. Focusing on the repeated use of grammatical patterns, the Grammar develops an understanding of the structures presented, making the forms familiar and automatic for learners.

This user-friendly workbook includes:

• terminology introduced and explained with multiple examples
• exercises in the grammatical forms introduced in the text
• translation exercises
• an exercise key.

Customer Reviews (2)

Needs a 'pronunciation' CD
A pretty good grammar primer!The only missing link is a 'pronunciation' CD.In my opinion, all foreign language books need to provide 'pronunciation' assistance.In this case, an Irish grammar book -- where Irish does NOT pronounce as it is spelled -- and is subject to at least three different dialects -- sorely needs to provide all the assistance it can.Absent that, this volume does provide helpful information to fill in the gaps that other books -- such as the Christian Brothers Grammar book does not!I would, however, recommend the purchase of this book!

Intermediate Irish by Nancy Stenson
Nancy Stenson's Intermediate Irish is a well written book, especially for those of us not born and raised in Irland. It explains some of the problems that foreigners have with the grammar, especially when confronted with three different dialects. I highly recommend this book as a follow-on to her Basic Irish. ... Read more

Product Description
The spotting and naming of familiar objects, such as toys, animals and parts of the body is encouraged in this book, in which words and pictures are grouped together thematically. Each word is given its name in Irish and is shown with a model to encourage word association. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful Book

I bought this book at Amazon as my introduction to Irish. It is a wonderful start. I liked the idea of the pictures illustrating each word. The boardbook is sturdy, the colors lovely and the print easy to read. I just wish there were a sequel with the second hundred words. ... Read more