Learning Irish by Rosseta Stone - Or tips?

jumpguy

Hello, I'm going into 5th year (before 6th year) and I'm thinking of ways to improve my currently DIRE Irish skills. Anyone got any tips for me? My basics are a major problem, it's like having a terrible foundation. What I learn is sort of rote-learned. I don't why I use it, I just do.

I see this Rosetta Stone thing being advertised, it says it's availiable for Irish. Does anyone know if this is anyone good or have any experience with it?

Go raibh maith agat! :pac:

Redbhoy

Id advise you to listen to as much Irish as possible. That way when you're writing you'll be thinking that doesnt sound right and check over.
Read as much as possible too.
I re-sat (after 14 years) my Leaving Cert Irish this year and think I did ok. I listened to Turas Teanga Cds, Labhair Liom and a couple of other Cds as I was falling asleep. A lot of it stuck.
Pimsleur.com have a beginners Irish CD set. The method is how you picked up English as a child , Listen and repeat. (the CIA use Pimsleur for foreign operatives apparently)

Once you actually WANT to learn it you will find it relatively easy. Dont mind people cr*pping on about how difficult it is and going on about verbs and tenses. Once you're enjoying it you wont even notice these things.

Go n-éiri an t-adh leat

Micilin Muc

I can't vouch for Rosetta Stone as I've never seen it (very new). However you definitely can't go wrong with Turas Teanga.

I would recommend listening to Raidió na Gaeltachta for at least 30 mins every day (1 o'clock news is a good start, and with all RnaG programmes, is available for podcast).

If you'd like to read Irish, Nós* magazine is a great magazine. It's focussed on 18-35 year olds and has great articles.

Once you actually WANT to learn it you will find it relatively easy. Dont mind people cr*pping on about how difficult it is and going on about verbs and tenses. Once you're enjoying it you wont even notice these things.

This is great advice Redbhoy! But don't ignore the grammar altogether, understanding grammar will help you express yourself a lot more clearly.

Go n-éirí leat!

Prolatarian

I would suggest watching some of the cartoons on tg4.lets you listen to some fairly simple irish and its not to boreing.i would also advise a trip to the gaelthacht next summer on a summer course.theres nothing like being sourround by irish for 3 weeks to help your spoken irish.can b a bit expencive though.

jumpguy

I would love to go to the Gaeltacht for a summer but unfortunately it's too expensive, especially at the moment!

pog it

Pick up simple novels in Irish in your library/school/second hand bookshop, etc. and start picking out and looking up the words you don't understand.

gaelicireland

I'd agree with all of the above. Everyone learns slightly differently, for me its listening. A child learns how to speak from listening long before all the grammer and rules are explained. Pick a podcast off Radio na Gaeltachta, and listen to it about 10 times. My favourite is Cois cuan. At first, you will only understand some words here and there out of it. After a few listens, this will turn to 10% , then 20%, 30%, etc.

At the moment, from just doing this, I understand about 97% of what is being said. I can comfortably say about 80% of what I want to say. You never stop learning!

Dual language books are a great help too. Or get two versions of the same book - Irish and English, and read line for line.

Whatever works best for you. Don't get annoyed though. When your fed up, stop.