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[Owlbread]

I honestly couldn't tell ya, although I'll try.
First of all, I assume you know what a Gaelscoil is? If not, well... It's a school in which everything, save for English, is taught in Irish. And I mean everything.

We have a few of them in Scotland. I know people who went to a secondary school version of it in Glasgow.

For kids who already have one language, their native one, an English, that'd make it very difficult for them to actually learn much of anything. Expecting a 6-year old to be able to learn and be proficient with 3 languages is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

In Ireland and Scotland in the 18th and 19th centuries kids were forced to learn through the medium of English, but they only learned things in a kind of parrot-like fashion and forgot most of it when they left because they went back to speaking Irish or Scottish Gaelic. The same thing happened in Wales. I don't know how we can avoid that (the reverse of it - kids learning through medium of Gaelic and not absorbing anything), but from what I've seen kids who go through GME in this country usually achieve quite a lot. Our Gaelic schools do very well in league tables in comparison with other schools, and for that reason they're very popular among middle class families who want their kids to be at a near-private education level but on the cheap. There's lots of problems in ensuring the kids use the language outside of classes but they all end up fluent one way or another as far as I can tell.

We shouldn't underestimate the plasticity of 6 year old's brains, however - especially with regard to learning languages. A child could easily learn 3 languages and become quite proficient if they are exposed to them in the right way. It's when you get older that you lose your receptiveness.

And while all teachers have some grasp of Irish, relatively few of them, in my experience, have a good enough grasp to teach their subject in Irish.
I might be wrong though. It's quite likely, in fact.

I was worried that might be the case. It's probably like in Scotland where most primary school teachers need to be able to teach at least French out of textbooks. Maybe then the answer is to focus on preparing teachers to teach through the medium of the language.

[BlitzDungeoneer]

I think part of the problem with that is, well, it's just easier for schools to not be all Gaelscoils, you know what I mean?
Making all schools Gaelscoils would leave some people jobless too, I'd imagine. I doubt that every teacher ever in Ireland is, in fact, Irish or got their teaching degree in Ireland, unless there's some law I don't know about that means you can't get a teaching position unless you're Irish.

[Owlbread]

I think part of the problem with that is, well, it's just easier for schools to not be all Gaelscoils, you know what I mean?

It would be a lot easier, I'll give you that. Saving Irish is going to take a lot of time, capital and effort, however.

Making all schools Gaelscoils would leave some people jobless too, I'd imagine. I doubt that every teacher ever in Ireland is, in fact, Irish or got their teaching degree in Ireland, unless there's some law I don't know about that means you can't get a teaching position unless you're Irish.

You may be surprised - I believe in order to teach in Ireland you need to have certain qualifications from the Irish government.

[BlitzDungeoneer]

I figured as much.

[Owlbread]

Am bu chorr dhuinn bruidhinn beagan Gaidhlig/Gaeilge? Chan eil fhios agam co dhiu a bhiodh uile sibhse gam thuigsinn air sgaths gu bheil an canan agam (Gaidhlig na h-Alba) gu math eadar dhealaichte bho Gaidhlig na h-Eirinn/Gaeilge. Leig fios dhomh nuair nach eil thu a tuigsinn facal sam bith.

[Icefire2314]

What have you gained from speaking irish? Does it have things other languages don't?

It gives you access to Irish culture, literature, music and history in a way no other language can. If you are interested in those things then it's fun to learn it. If you're Irish or of Irish heritage it's an excellent way to connect with your ancestors/Ireland in general, and by learning it you can feel good that you've helped an endangered language on the road to recovery.

Icefire, if you don't mind me asking, in which US state do you live? I have a link here to the Gaelic League of New England's website. Don't let the web-page design put you off, they have links to beginners classes being held in the Spring and Autumn in Manchester/New Hampshire, Webster/Massachusetts, Brattleboro/Vermont and North Haven/Connecticut. They also recommend contacting them for more information. This article may be of use - it says Irish language classes are taught at the University of New York, one of 11 institutions that offer Irish language classes in New York City. Then there's this website which shows Irish language classes across America (as far as I can tell). Then there's the Irish Language Society of Boston... there's loads of stuff out there. I've only given these cursory looks but you may find stuff on them.

According to this page there's an Irish language class/society of some kind in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Pennsylvania. That sounds really cool but unfortunately I'm only 17 so I can't go running off to these places.. yet

Am bu chorr dhuinn bruidhinn beagan Gaidhlig/Gaeilge? Chan eil fhios agam co dhiu a bhiodh uile sibhse gam thuigsinn air sgaths gu bheil an canan agam (Gaidhlig na h-Alba) gu math eadar dhealaichte bho Gaidhlig na h-Eirinn/Gaeilge. Leig fios dhomh nuair nach eil thu a tuigsinn facal sam bith.

A bit hard for me to understand unfortunately, although I do recognize a few words in the text. Are h-Eirinn and Gaeilge synonymous? From what I knew only Gaeilge was the word for Irish but I guess it's only natural that there be other words for it also.

(Edit: My understanding of Irish at the moment stretches only to some phrases and a string of unrelated words that I can individually translate. So far I don't know the grammar too well save for a few things, and my vocabulary is not developed enough to form most sentences)

[Icefire2314]

Super bump because I'm in the process of making a forum for learning Irish, on part of both teacher and learner. the forums are VERY much so still a work in progress but you can still come on an still talk. Basically its concept is Irish immersion, and the more people that join in, the more successful it will be. It doesn't matter if you have *no* experience speaking Irish, since the concept is learning through immersion. We need a small handful of speakers who have some level of skill, and a base of dedicated people, the more the better.

If you do join, head to an open topic and join the active discussion, or make your own topic. Ask questions or discuss things, anything that makes people think, because it makes them think in the language and that's how you learn.

My Irish is definitely still at a beginner level. There will be typos on the site, as well as grammatical errors. If you catch one, please let me know, I won't be offended, I'll actually be grateful I need to polish the site.

Consider joining! Please D:
http://igaeilge.proboards.com/
At least check it out, even if you have no plans to stay. Maybe you'll find you're interested after all?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOdtUzWdR3g
Just a really nice song. In Irish, in case you needed another reason to start learning.

Go raibh maith agat! Le do thoil ceangal!

[BlitzDungeoneer]

Hm.
Is it alright if I point out the spelling mistakes here for now? I don't really feel like using an iPod to register, logging in is annoying enough as it is...
At any rate, I'm fairly sure it's 'Ceisteanna', not 'Ceistanna'. Might be a fada in there too, but I doubt it. Not enough elongated vowel sounds.

[Icefire2314]

Perfectly fine. If you want to join later you are welcome to do so.
I do think you are correct that it is Ceisteanna.

[Owlbread]

Super bump because I'm in the process of making a forum for learning Irish, on part of both teacher and learner. the forums are VERY much so still a work in progress but you can still come on an still talk. Basically its concept is Irish immersion, and the more people that join in, the more successful it will be. It doesn't matter if you have *no* experience speaking Irish, since the concept is learning through immersion. We need a small handful of speakers who have some level of skill, and a base of dedicated people, the more the better.

If you do join, head to an open topic and join the active discussion, or make your own topic. Ask questions or discuss things, anything that makes people think, because it makes them think in the language and that's how you learn.

My Irish is definitely still at a beginner level. There will be typos on the site, as well as grammatical errors. If you catch one, please let me know, I won't be offended, I'll actually be grateful I need to polish the site.

Consider joining! Please D:
http://igaeilge.proboards.com/
At least check it out, even if you have no plans to stay. Maybe you'll find you're interested after all?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOdtUzWdR3g
Just a really nice song. In Irish, in case you needed another reason to start learning.

Go raibh maith agat! Le do thoil ceangal!

Meal ur naidheachd, Icefire. Tha e uabhasach fhein math ri fhaicinn gu bheil sibh ag ionnsachadh Gaelige fhathast. Bheir mi suil air an forum sin a dh'aithghearr; tha mi an dochas gum biodh an larach-lin ur agaibh a soirbheachadh gu math. Guma maith a dh'eireas dhuibh.

"That's good to hear/good news, Icefire. It's fantastic to see you're still learning Irish. I'll take a look at the forum soon; I hope the new website works/prospers well. Best of luck."

Ma tha duine sam bith eile airson a bhith ag eisteachd ri oran Gaelige ainmeil, carson nach oran ainmeil Metal Gear Solid 1? Is docha nach biodh fhios aig a h-uile sibhse gun robh an oran sin nan oran Gaelige. Cha robh fhios agamsa nuair a chuala mi sin, co dhiu. Chuala mi gun do sgriobh Rika Muranaka an t-oran sin ann an Seapanais agus an uair sin eadar-theangaich Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh an t-oran sin.

"If anyone wants to hear a famous Irish-language song, why not the famous track from Metal Gear Solid 1? Perhaps not everyone here knows that this song was in Irish. I didn't know myself, anyway. I heard that Rika Muranaka wrote the song in Japanese, then Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh translated it."

Seo agaibh na liricean:

Spoiler: "The Best is Yet to Come" (click to show/hide)

As Gaelige:

An cuimhin leat an grá
Crá croí an ghrá
Níl anois ach ceol na h-oíche
Táim sioraí i ngrá
Leannáin le smál
Leannáin le smál
Lig leis agus beidh leat
Lig leis agus beidh grá

Cuimhne leat an t-am
Nuair a bhí tú sásta
An cuimhne leat an t-am
Nuair a bhí tú ag gáire

Tá an saol iontach
Má chreideann tú ann
Tug aghaidi ar an saol is
sonas sioraí inár measc

Céard a tharla do na laethanta sin
Céard a tharla do na h-oícheanta sin
An cuimhin leat an t-am
Nuair a bhí tú faoi bhrón

An cuimhin leat an t-am
Go sioraí sileadh na ndeor
an ormsa nó orainne a bhí an locht

Ag mothú cailte s'ar fán
Cén fáth an t-achrann is sileadh na ndeor
Tá áilleacht sa saol Má chuardaíonn tú e
Tá gliondar sa saol
Creideann sé

English:

Do you remember love
Love from a tormented heart
Not fleeting, as with music at night
But an eternal love
Now tainted
Now tainted
Go now and reclaim it
Go now and love

Recall the times
when you were happy.
Recall the times
when you laughed.

Life is wonderful
Do you have faith in it?
Turn your face to life,
To eternal joy.

What happened to those days?
What happened to those nights?
Do you remember
How you turned to grief? Do you remember
How you turned to sorrow?
Is the blame mine or ours?

Our feelings grew faint
What caused our grief and fighting?
Can there be beauty in life?
If you seek it out.
Can there be happiness in life?
Let's seek it.

Sin agaibh e.

[Icefire2314]

Sorry Owl, never saw your post
That's an impressive amount of vocab you have under your belt. I hope I get there Also, I did not know the MGS soundtrack was in Irish, that's really cool to hear I'll have to check it out and see if there is any others.

As for the forums guys, so far we're up to six members! Keep them coming and maybe we'll improve:D