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#as gaeilge
akillerqueenyouare · 7 months
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starting a collection
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an-spideog · 3 months
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Don't Use Duolingo if You Really Want to Learn Irish
That title is a bit dramatic, but I really don't think that duolingo is a useful tool for Irish, especially in its current state, so I want to talk a bit about why, and I'll also talk about some alternatives.
Pronunciation
The first and most egregious issue is that at some point recently-ish, duo decided to start using Text-To-Speech for their Irish course, rather than recordings of a native speaker. The problem here is that their TTS is not trained on native speakers of Irish and pronounces words incorrectly. It doesn't make consistent distinctions between broad and slender consonants for example.
Irish has no standard pronunciation, so I understand how it can feel weird to choose just one dialect for the purposes of pronunciation (the old recordings were from a speaker of Galway Irish), but having just one dialect is much better than TTS which sounds like a learner, imagine if they had TTS for the French course which sounded like an anglophone schoolkid trying to pronounce french, and claimed they were teaching you how to speak french!
Grammar
Duo tends to be correct on grammar at least, which is a start. But often people using it get very confused about the grammar because duo doesn't explain any of it. I think there's a place for immersion in language learning, and I don't think everything has to be explained like that, but within duo's system of sentence testing and exercises like that, not having any explanation for why it's "mo chóta" and not "mo cóta" can be really confusing. Duo used to have more grammar information, it's a shame that they removed it, I wonder why they did it.
Money and Motivation
Duolingo is a business, and their motivation is not to help you learn a language 'fully', but to keep you using their app and hopefully have a higher chance of sharing it with others, competing with others, buying or causing others to buy memberships or lingots or any other in-app purchases.
I don't want to make it out like duo is some big conspiracy and they're tricking people, I don't think that's the case, but it's good to remember that their primary motivation is to keep people using the app, rather than help people move to a level in a language where they don't need the app anymore.
Keep this in mind whenever you see people trying to sell you stuff for language learning.
Why do people use Duolingo
I do get it, and I don't want to make anyone feel bad for using duo, there's a ton of reasons people tend towards it at first 1. It's really well known, so especially if you're learning a language and haven't heard of other resources for it, you'll check duolingo 2. It's very motivating for a lot of people, checking in every day and forming that habit is a really good way of sticking with a language 3. It's fun, people enjoy it
If you use it for reason 3. and you still like it, then don't worry about this post, I'm not trying to yuck anyone's yums, keep having fun!
If you use it for reasons 1. or 2. you can still keep using it if you like, but I want to suggest some other things which you might find helpful in trying to get to a higher level in Irish.
Other Resources
To address the pronunciation issue, I'd heavily recommend you disregard the pronunciation in duolingo, if you're looking for more reliable sources of pronunciation, I'd look towards recordings of native speakers, you can find that on:
Teanglann and Foclóir (they use the same recordings)
Fuaimeanna
and a really useful and underused one: https://davissandefur.github.io/minimal-pairs/ where you can hear the difference between similar sounds that English speakers often mix up in Irish.
A lot of people like duolingo because it's nice to have a clear path forward, a progression that you can get into without too much decision-making. For this I recommend getting a good textbook or course and working through it, the ones I'll recommend also have native speaker audio on them.
Learning Irish by Mícheál Ó Siadhail, this book teaches Galway Irish, not just in pronunciation but in grammar too. It's quite dense but it's well thought out and well explained.
Teach Yourself Irish (1961) this book is available for free online, and is a really good option if you're interested in Cork Irish (Munster), and have some experience with grammatical terminology. I used this book myself and really liked it, but it's very intense and not for everyone. (If you do end up using it, feel free to skip the appendices at the start, they're more of a reference and sometimes put people off from actually getting to the first chapter. Also if you have any questions about it or need any help just let me know.)
If you want a video course, there's a great course called "Now You're Talking" which is available for free online, along with audio files and worksheets here. It features Donegal Irish and leads into the more intermediate level course called Céim ar Aghaidh also available online.
There's other textbooks that I have less experience with (Buntús na Gaeilge, Gaeilge/Gramadach Gan Stró, etc.) but if they work for you, stick with them, there's nothing worse than not making progress because you keep switching resources trying to find the "perfect one"
Whether or not you continue to use Duolingo, I would really really encourage you to try engaging with media in Irish. People often shy away from this when they're learning because they don't feel like they're "ready" yet. But you basically never feel like you're ready, you just have to try and find something near your level and try to get comfortable with not understanding everything. This is where you learn a huge portion of the language, you hear how things are pronounced you see what words mean in what contexts, getting input in your target language is so important!
I know content can be kind of hard to find, so I'll make a few recommendations here: There's a wealth of content available for free online (more if you're in ireland but some internationally) on TG4 If you're still starting out, I'd recommend trying to watch some kids shows since they'll have simpler language and will be easier to follow. I wouldn't recommend using English subtitles when you watch them. Some good options include:
Dónall Dána: an Irish dub of Horrid Henry, silly and childish but the actors have good Irish and importantly the show has Irish language subtitles, they don't always match but if you're still beginning and can't necessarily get everything by ear, they're really useful. (Mostly Galway Irish)
Curious George: another dub, again with Irish language subtitles (I can't remember what dialects were in it off the top of my head but I'd assume mostly galway again)
Seó Luna: No subtitles, but a good option if you're aiming for Munster Irish, the lead character has Kerry Irish
Miraculous: No subtitles but a better show than most of the other kids' ones and more bearable to watch as an adult (Mostly Galway Irish)
Ros na Rún: Moving away from kids shows, a long running soap opera, this has Irish subtitles and a really good mix of dialects within the show. If you're finding the kids shows boring or too easy I'd really recommend it, but it can be complex because of the amount of characters, dialects, and plotlines. I'd recommend starting at the beginning of a newer season and just trying to catch on to what's happening as you go.
There are a lot of books, if you live in Ireland you can get nearly any Irish book for free from a library, so please check out your local library or request some of these from other libraries in the system:
There's a series of fairytales (Rápúnzell, Luaithríona etc.) by Máiréad Ní Ghráda which are illustrated and for children, which are a really good option for when you're just starting out reading
There's kids books about Fionn and the Fianna by Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin
There's a cute little kids' book in Kerry Irish about a cat named Mábúis
Leabhar Breac has a lot of graphic novels, some of them based on Irish mythology, some on other stuff. The fact that they're illustrated can make it a lot easier to follow even if you don't understand all the words at first.
Gliadar has just released their Scott Pilgrim translation
If you're looking for something a bit more advanced you can look at some of the books for adult learners by Comhar, they contain simplified language and glossaries but have full original adult stories.
And if you're wanting full, natural, native-level Irish there's a load of books by those same groups, and others like An Gúm, Cló Iar-Chonnacht, Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne, Éabhlóid, Coiscéim, and more.
And don't shy away from older books written in Seanchló either, they can be more challenging but it's a whole extra world of books
If you're trying to improve your listening comprehension, I definitely recommend listening to shows on Raidió na Gaeltachta, hearing native Irish speakers talk at full speed is really good practice. But I get that it can be overwhelming at first. Here are some things you can do as you build up to that:
Watching those same TV shows I mentioned without subtitles is a good way to build up listening skills.
Vifax is a website where you can practice listening to short news segments and answer questions on them, then getting to look at the transcript with notes afterwards.
Snas is kind of the evolution of vifax, now using clips from both the news and Ros na Rún.
I really hope that this post can help people move away from duolingo if they're looking to take their Irish learning to the next level, if you've got any questions, just let me know!
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saint-vagrant · 5 months
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🕊 ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine — we survive by taking shelter in each other.
[more information in alt text.]
we owe so much to each and every Palestinian citizen + exile turned educator, a people violently forced to plead the case for their humanity in front of the whole world. the burden is completely backward. this and every struggle of people vs coloniser calls for THE REST OF US to make a case for OUR humanity through how we choose to respond to these atrocities today, tomorrow, and the next.
from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free ❤️‍🔥 saoirse don Phalaistín.
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not to have a moment on main but seeing Irish media and movies have their moment in the spotlight recently and seeing people unreservedly enjoying the Irish language in Hozier’s new album has made me feel so incredibly joyful. (It’s also such a righteous fuck you and epic fail moment for the British Government frothing to exterminate it) You don’t have to be Irish to speak as Gaeilge or sing as Gaeilge, in fact I highly encourage anyone interested to pursue learning a little even if it’s just a few words because it’s a beautiful language that deserves life! Please keep loving it and enjoying it and promoting it. I can’t imagine the relief and happiness of those who passed before the ban on the Irish language was lifted if they could see today how many people across the world have come to value it and that it’s part of Oscar winning features and chart topping albums 🥹 after 600 years it’s finally getting the international recognition that it DESERVES!!!!
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dansnotavampire · 7 months
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man it's so easy to not make fun of the name of an endangered language. how the fuck are so many of you getting it wrong
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dduane · 8 months
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Hello! I hope you're having a good day. I was browsing Wikipedia at random when I decided to investigate fairy tales. That in turn led me to the phrase, 'Once upon a time.'
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Right below the introductory section is a section dedicated to similar story starting phrases in other languages.
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I was scrolling through the list when the Irish section caught my eye because of how long it was in comparison to the others. I was wondering if you might know if this is actually real or if it's someone just making it up?
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I genuinely have no idea. Can anyone else around here who’s got info chime in on this?
(I have to say, though, that the ones after the first one all sound as if they came from separate individual stories, rather than being widely-used “template” openings [or endings].)
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tricksterstudies · 7 months
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Bee vocabulary as Gaeilge
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Was watching a documentary about bees on TG4 so I decided look up some words to help me better understand Gaeilge - English Ál beacha - Bee brood Beach - Bee Beachaire - Beekeeper Beach bheala - Honeybee Beachlann - Apiary Beachnaireacht - Apiculture Beach oibre - Worker bee Bláth fiáin - Wildflower Bumbóg - Bumblebee Céir bheach - Beeswax Cíor mheala - Honeycomb Coilíneacht - Colony Coirceog - Beehive Cráinbheach - Queen bee Glóthach ríoga - Royal jelly Ladrann - Drone Larbha - Larva Mil - Honey Neachtar - Nectar Pailin - Pollen Pailneoir - Pollinator Pailnigh - To pollinate Saithe - Swarm
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ly0nstea · 4 months
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If you want to say "What's the story, morning glory" in Irish (i appeal to a wide audience i know) its "Cad é an scéal, glóir na maidine" by the way, I think it could use work but my friend said it has nice flow to it
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ashthenerdtheythem · 2 months
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cád é an fuck?
I nGaeilge atá 194 as 442 fhics ar AO3 a bhfuil clib orthu "Gaeilge". Tá an chuid is mó acu i mBéarla
194 out of 442 fics on AO3 that are tagged "Irish language" are in the Irish language. Most of them are in English
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mintyscuriocabinet · 11 days
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Cluiche agere do Lá Fhéile Pádraig!
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Lá fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh ón Éireannach is fearr leat! Tá súil agam go mbeidh lá álainn agaibh go léir ☘🇮🇪
Happy St. Patrick's Day from your favorite Irishman! I hope you all have a lovely day ☘🇮🇪
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bjfinn · 2 months
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AN CÚ DUBH (THE BLACK DOG)
I've struggled with depression for years, triggered by the death of my mother in 1998 -- it's mostly in remission now, but I can still always feel it scratching at the base of my mind.
I wrote this poem in Irish (with the help of Google translate) -- there's an English version under the cut.
AN CÚ DUBH (as Gaeilge)
Tagann an madra dubh,
Ag scríobadh go ciúin ar mo dhoras,
Ag iarraidh a ligean isteach.
Tá sé ann í gcónaí,
Foighneach,
Leanúnacht,
Daingean,
Dílis go dtí an deireadh.
Níl uaidh ach a bheith i
Mo chompánach leanúnach,
Mar a bhí sé ar feadh blianta fada -
Ach ní leomh liom an doras a oscailt,
Ar eagla go scriosfadh sé mé. Tá sé cú ifreann,
Rugadh le brón mór,
Le uaigneas agus aiféala,
Agus táim cinnte
É a ligean isteach,
Chun a ligeann isteach,
Ciallóidh sé deireadh mo shaol
Agus bás m'anama.
*****
THE BLACK DOG (English)
The black dog comes,
Scratching quietly at my back door,
Wanting to be let in.
He's always there,
Patient,
Persistent,
Insistent,
Faithful to the end.
He wants only to be
My constant companion,
As he was for so many years --
But I daren't open the door,
Lest he destroy me.
A hellhound is he,
Born of sorrow and grief,
Of loneliness and regret,
And sure I am
That to let him in,
To allow him entry,
Will mean the end of my life
And the death of my soul.
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Tá mo gaeilge chomh aiteach mar tá a fhios agam 'neamhspleáchas' agus 'difhostaíocht' ach ní a fhios agam like 'always' nó 'often'
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blackcrowing · 5 months
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Is there a traditional Samhain greeting for today?
I'm actually not fluent in Irish (I spend most of my time looking at Old Irish) but to my knowledge is the correct greating for today!
"Oíche Shamhna shona daoibh go léir"
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eggplant-dolma · 6 months
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ordered some books this week and am So Excite abt them!!
Motherfoclóir (by the folks who do/did a podcast by the same name. If you haven't listened before I suggest checking them out!! The podcasts may be "over" but it's a wonderful wonderful thing)
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat - I have been wanting this book for YEARS and finally bought it. It explores different neurological conditions and the wild ways it has changed people/affect how they perceive and move in the world
And finally, two Olly Richards books for language learning! I've never tried or used his books before, bit have heard some good things and am interested to see if and how they're able to help me with my lang learning!!
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an-spideog · 8 days
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👀
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