1. List info
1.1. How do I
subscribe?
1.2.
How do I unsubscribe?
1.3. How can I change my mail settings and explore the capabilities of the
listserv?
1.4.
Where can I find archives of GAEILGE-B?
1.5. What other lists are there?
1.6. What are the
slashes '/' (and '\') in messages
1.7. What other conventions are used on this list?
1.8. How can I produce
proper accent marks?
1.9. Where can I get Gaelic fonts?
2. Classes
3. Books
3.1. What books and tapes are available?
3.1.1.
Primers
3.1.2. Dictionaries
3.1.3. Bilingual or dual-language books
3.2. Where can I buy
these books?
4.
Other material for learners
4.1. On-line materials
4.1.1. On-line dictionaries
4.1.2. Comhadlann
& Yeats
4.1.3. Sabhal Mór Ostaig
4.1.4. GaelFAQ.
4.1.5. Online Courses
5. Grammar and language
questions
5.1.
What grammar books are available?
5.2. When do I use "Is" and when do I use
"Tá"
5.3. How do you say "I love you"?
5.4 When do I use
"atá" and when do I use "a bhfuil"
6. Changes to the FAQ
1. List info
Gaeilge-b is a mailing list for learners of Irish Gaelic.
It has a homepage at http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/liosta/gaeilge-b/
and its welcome message can be read at
http://www.lsoft.com/scripts/wl.exe?SL2=4552&R=303&N=GAEILGE-B@LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
1.1. How do I
subscribe?
Send an email to listserv@listserv.heanet.ie (NB not to gaeilge-b).In
the body of your message, write
subscribe
Gaeilge-B john smith
Replace john smith with your name,
obviously.
1.2. How do I
unsubscribe?
Send an email to listserv@listserv.heanet.ie (NB not to gaeilge-b).In
the body of your message, write
Unsubscribe
Gaeilge-B
1.3. How can I
change my mail settings and explore the capabilities of the listserv?
A short summary can be found at
http://listserv.heanet.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9704&L=gaeilge-b&P=R10719&D=0&H=0&O=T&T=1
For further info, send an email to listserv@listserv.heanet.ie (NB not to gaeilge-b).In
the body of your message, write
help
1.4. Where can I
find archives of GAEILGE-B?
Commands examining the
archive can be sent to the listserv by email.
To find
out more, see the section "How can I explore the
capabilities of the listserv?"
You can also browse the archives at
http://listserv.heanet.ie/lists/gaeilge-b.html or
http://yeats.csufresno.edu/GAEILGEB.HTML
You can also search the archives at
http://listserv.heanet.ie/cgi-bin/wa?S1=gaeilge-b
1.5. What other
lists are there?
Sister lists on the same listserv are
GAELIC-L, for general discussion in any Gaelic,
GAEILGE-A, for general discussions in Irish Gaelic,
GAIDHLIG-B, for learners of Scots Gaelic,
GAIDHLIG-A, for general discussions in Scots Gaelic, and
GAELG, for general discussions in Manx Gaelic.
Cousins on the same listserv are
WELSH-L, for discussions in Welsh
OLD-IRISH-L,
for discussions about Old Irish
Archives for all these lists are available as for
GAEILGE-B by
replacing the text "gaeilge-b"
by the name of the list whose
archives you want to
examine.
GAELIC-L archives are also available at
http://yeats.csufresno.edu/GAELIC-L.HTML
1.6. What are the
slashes '/' (and '\') in messages
Due to the
limitations of some mail servers, not everybody is
capable of receiving properly accented characters, even if you are
capable of producing them. In order to ensure that all
subscribers
can read all messages, we use the
convention that a '/' placed after
a vowel indicates a
fada, or acute accent, above it (for instance a/
means
a-acute); a '\' placed after a vowel indicates a grave accent.
Grave accents are not normally seen in Irish Gaelic, but are common
in Scots Gaelic. It is acceptable to send properly accented
characters
to the list, but if you do so, it is a
courtesy to also include a version
with slashes.
1.7. What other
conventions are used on this list?
This is a learners'
list, and many people feel strongly that an
English
translation of all Irish should be provided, or at least a
vocabulary list. Postings entirely in Irish will often elicit
complaints. Attachments are also to be avoided, for a
variety of
reasons. Note that some mail programs will
attach files
automatically to your email, without you
even knowing about it, so
check the settings on your
email program and switch off anything
unusual (for
instance, switch off read-confirmation, and html mail).
1.8. How can I
produce proper accent marks?
Although you may not want
to send properly accented characters to this
list, you
will often want to produce them for other purposes. Follow
the advice provided at
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/sracan/Failte.en.html
1.9. Where can I
get Gaelic fonts?
http://www.connect.ie/users/morley/cloanna.htm
http://www.indigo.ie/egt/celtscript/
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~smacsuib/fonts/
2. Classes
One of the best ways of learning Gaelic is from a teacher,
either in
a class or in a tutorial. Classes are run
world-wide, and some of
them are detailed in http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/ranganna/ ,
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/gaeilge.html#ranganna
and
http://eagle.cc.ukans.edu/~maclaoch/#courses
Some classes in Ireland are listed at
http://www.rte.ie/aertel/aertelplus/p483.htm
Summer school courses are also a good bet. Try
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/ranganna/Eire/
See also "Online Courses" below.
3. Books
3.1. What books and
tapes are available?
An Siopa Leabhar has put together
an excellent list at
http://www.indigo.ie/egt/lghlin/siopa6/catfhog.html
Galt gave a personal review of books at
http://listserv.heanet.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9904&L=gaeilge-b&D=1&O=D&F=&S=&P=50809
3.1.1. Primers
See http://www.indigo.ie/egt/lghlin/siopa6/catfhog.html#1 for a
comprehensive list. Most people on this list seem to me to
be using
either "Now You're Talking" (also
known as "Irish On Your Own"),
"Learning
Irish" and "Teach yourself Irish". Some reviews are at
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/3437/gaelfaq.html#E
3.1.2.
Dictionaries
See http://www.indigo.ie/egt/lghlin/siopa6/catfhog.html#2 for a
comprehensive list.
If you want a
pocket dictionary, then you simply must have either
Foclóir Póca or the Collins Gem (N.B. The Collins Pocket
Irish
dictionary is NOT pocketable). If you are serious
about learning
Irish, then you simply must have
Foclóir Gaeilge-Bearla by Niall Ó
Dónaill, and English-Irish Dictionary by Tomás de
Bhaldraithe.
Gléacht sell a DOS-based version of
FGB (see Computer Software
below).
3.1.3. Bilingual
or dual-language books
Many people find books with
Irish on one page and an English
translation on the
facing page to be useful. Here's a list of
these
"trots", which I have graded easy (E), medium (M) and
hard (H). You'll find easy texts suitable for somebody who has
completed about a year's study; medium texts for people
with about
three year's work under their belts; and
hard for more than that.
[moltaí eile?]
In addition to these books, there are any number of
dual-language
poetry anthologies available, and several
books originally written
in Irish for which English
translations exist.
3.2. Where can I
buy these books?
See http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/gaeilge.html#leabharthai for a
full list (also see http://eagle.cc.ukans.edu/~maclaoch/#books ). I
can personally recommend Kenny's bookshop in Galway
( sales@kennys.ie ), who will take email orders and bill your credit-
card in your currency.
4. Other material
for learners
4.1.
On-line materials
4.1.1. On-line dictionaries
There are no
online English-Irish or Irish-English general dictionaries.
However, see the lists at http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/ and
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/focloiri/ . Also, Gléacht sell
a
DOS-based dictionary (see Computer Software below).
An excellent Irish only online dictionary, based on
"An Focloir
Beag" is at http://www.csis.ul.ie/focloir/
4.1.2.
Comhadlann & Yeats
Over the years, GAELIC-L's electronic library has developed into a
very useful resource, including reading lists with vocabularies,
software, reviews etc. To see what's available send a message to
listserv@listserv.heanet.ie containing the message
index GAELIC-L
This will mail you a list of files which you can then order by
sending a message to listserv@listserv.heanet.ie containing the message
get filename filetype
For instance, you might want to get Marion Gunn's helpfile for new
members, listed in the index as
NEWCOMER NEWS "New to
G-L" A helpfile for new members, by Marion Gunn.
If so you'd send the listserv an email containing the message
get NEWCOMER NEWS
Jim Michael has also mirrored the GAELIC-L Comhadlann
on his
webserver, at http://yeats.csufresno.edu/GAELIC-L.HTML , which is a
more convenient interface for many.
4.1.3. Sabhal
Mór Ostaig
Sabhal Mór Ostaig, the Gaelic
college on the Isle of Skye has an
excellent website at http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk and in particular, an
Irish Gaelic section at
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/gaeilge.html .
This site is a treasure, as is evident from the number of times it is
referenced here.
4.1.4. GaelFAQ.
Ciarán Ó hAgáin has written an
excellent paper on Learning Irish
at http://www.geocities.com/Paris/3437/gaelfaq.html
4.1.5.Online Courses
See http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/gaeilge.html#foghlam
and
http://www.softcom.net/users/iasc/5saol.htm#Gaeilge
4.2.Computer software
The most useful pieces of software around for the advanced
learner
have to be Gléacht's Dictionary, and Dr.
Ó Duibhinn's GAELDICT
corpus.
Gléacht's dictionary, a version of Niall Ó Dónaill's
Focloir
Gaeilge-Bearla, runs on MS-DOS only and is
available from
Professor Cathair Ó Dochairtaigh
Department of Celtic
Glasgow
University
Scotland
Dr.
Ó Duibhinn's GAELDICT is a searchable database of texts by
well-known authors (mainly from Donegal), and is available
at
http://www.ceantar.org/Comp/soft.html and
For beginners, some CDROM-based lessons are available.
See the
section "Products for learning Irish"
at
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaeilge/gaeilge.html#riomhaireacht
5. Grammar and
language questions
5.1. What grammar books are available?
See http://ireland.iol.ie/~clarelib/focl.htm
Graiméar Gaeilge na mBráithre Críostaí is the
bible,
but it is out of print and impossible to come by.
5.2. When do I use
"Is" and when do I use "Tá"
When you want to translate the English verb "to be" into Irish,
you
have to choose between two verbs, "Is"
and "Tá". "Is" is called the
copula, and is used to define permanent state , either by
classification (e.g. "Is bean mé"), or by
identification (e.g. "Is
mise an bhean").
Otherwise use "Tá". For more, see
http://listserv.heanet.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9603&L=gaelic-l&O=T&P=14616
( http://listserv.heanet.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9603&L=gaelic-l&P=R7433
)
5.3.. How do you
say "I love you"?
There are many ways, but
"Is tú mo stór" should work
in
nearly all situations
5.4 When do I use
"atá" and when do I use "a bhfuil"?
Use "a bhfuil" (past:"a raibh") where English would
use "whose",
"whom", "of
which", "to which", "in which" or "by which",
etc.
Use "atá" (part:"a
bhí") where English would just use "who" or
"which".
For a fuller discussion, see any
grammar book under the
section on relative particles or
clauses, or look at
http://listserv.hea.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9804&L=gaeilge-b&P=R5971
and
http://listserv.hea.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9804&L=gaeilge-b&P=R6087
If you've already understood that, for another
viewpoint, see
http://listserv.hea.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9709&L=gaelic-l&P=R5415
and
http://listserv.hea.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9709&L=gaelic-l&D=0&P=12279
6. Changes to the
FAQ
If there are errors in this FAQ, or you would like
to request changes,
please write to bdalton@storm.ie . This is version 1.1 of the FAQ