Learn Gaidhlig online "Beag Air Bheag" i.e., "Little By Little"

[Nathan]

BBC has a a great website called Beag Air Bheag that will take you through Gaidhlig modules. It's very well done and there are built in tests and you can hear the pronunciation. As there is regional variation within Gaidhlig pronounciation, you'll just have to be happy for the examples they have even if that's not exactly how you remember your grandfather pronouncing it.

Check out the site and enjoy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/foghlam/beag_air_bheag/

[Nathan]

Bump...so...has anyone checked it out?

[O'Searcaigh]

Bump...so...has anyone checked it out?

Yes, I've "checked it out" but not sure yet how helpful it would be to me given my problems in trying to "learn" the language. For example, I clicked on the tab for "sounds" and didn't get to hear any sounds, just descriptions of long and short vowel sounds. Without being able to actually hear what a word (or even letter) actually sounds like (let alone what it means) -- or how spellings are to be understood vis-a-vis a language with which I am already familiar, I have considerable difficulty making either "hide or hair" of any of it. Thus, it remains for me much like Egyptian hieroglyphics -- how do you read or pronounce them/that? I would LOVE to be able to find a way into this language (the only other thing I've found is an exclusively aural approach (for Irish Gaelic)-- the complete opposite problem/end of the spectrum). I remember asking my French teacher once about how to spell something. She (from Belgium) said: "Just the way it sounds." Yea, right -- Fido? or Phydeaux? I would love to know how to learn how to be able to "read" (be at least minimally literate in) Gaidhlig -- but then I'm dyslexic (though not illiterate) even in my "home" language.

[Nathan]

Yes, I've "checked it out" but not sure yet how helpful it would be to me given my problems in trying to "learn" the language. For example, I clicked on the tab for "sounds" and didn't get to hear any sounds, just descriptions of long and short vowel sounds. Without being able to actually hear what a word (or even letter) actually sounds like (let alone what it means) -- or how spellings are to be understood vis-a-vis a language with which I am already familiar, I have considerable difficulty making either "hide or hair" of any of it. Thus, it remains for me much like Egyptian hieroglyphics -- how do you read or pronounce them/that? I would LOVE to be able to find a way into this language (the only other thing I've found is an exclusively aural approach (for Irish Gaelic)-- the complete opposite problem/end of the spectrum). I remember asking my French teacher once about how to spell something. She (from Belgium) said: "Just the way it sounds." Yea, right -- Fido? or Phydeaux? I would love to know how to learn how to be able to "read" (be at least minimally literate in) Gaidhlig -- but then I'm dyslexic (though not illiterate) even in my "home" language.

I'm not sure what's wrong with your system. I can hear lots of sound files when I click on it. Maybe you're missing a codec or your speakers are muted or something. :S The sound files were the best part of the series for me.

A few tips for you to make it easier:

Bh and Mh = "v" in both Irish and Scottish Gaidhlic

Like in the Irish name Siobhan - (pronounced Sha/u-vahn)

S attached to a slender vowel is usually pronounded "Sh"

like in Sean (Shawn) or Seamus (Shamus) or Sinead (Shin-aid) or Sine (Sheena)


With many other consonants, an H after the first letter make is silent.
Google broad and slender vowels in Gaidhlig and this will also help.

Seamus becomes Sheamuis (which is pronounced Hamish)...

Th is silent for example - tha (it) is pronounced "ha"

"t" followed by a slender vowel is pronounced like "ch" in "cheer"

So Slàinte Mhath is pronounced (slawn-cha va)

[creagdhubh]

Great website! Thanks for sharing.

Beannachd libh,

[Carlo]

Yes, I've "checked it out" but not sure yet how helpful it would be to me given my problems in trying to "learn" the language. For example, I clicked on the tab for "sounds" and didn't get to hear any sounds, just descriptions of long and short vowel sounds. Without being able to actually hear what a word (or even letter) actually sounds like (let alone what it means) -- or how spellings are to be understood vis-a-vis a language with which I am already familiar, I have considerable difficulty making either "hide or hair" of any of it. Thus, it remains for me much like Egyptian hieroglyphics -- how do you read or pronounce them/that? I would LOVE to be able to find a way into this language (the only other thing I've found is an exclusively aural approach (for Irish Gaelic)-- the complete opposite problem/end of the spectrum). I remember asking my French teacher once about how to spell something. She (from Belgium) said: "Just the way it sounds." Yea, right -- Fido? or Phydeaux? I would love to know how to learn how to be able to "read" (be at least minimally literate in) Gaidhlig -- but then I'm dyslexic (though not illiterate) even in my "home" language.

For the sounds I had to click on the words or sentences.

For example on this link
You have to click on Bha mo bhrògan daor and then you hear how it is said.
It's the one with my expensive shoes.
If you can't find it, press "Ctrl f" and write "Bha mo bhr" in the search field.

I hope that helps.

I started with a podcast once, but to be honest I have enough to do to keep my level in english and french.

[O'Searcaigh]

I'm not sure what's wrong with your system. I can hear lots of sound files when I click on it. Maybe you're missing a codec or your speakers are muted or something. :S The sound files were the best part of the series for me.

A few tips for you to make it easier:

Bh and Mh = "v" in both Irish and Scottish Gaidhlic

Like in the Irish name Siobhan - (pronounced Sha/u-vahn)

S attached to a slender vowel is usually pronounded "Sh"

like in Sean (Shawn) or Seamus (Shamus) or Sinead (Shin-aid) or Sine (Sheena)


With many other consonants, an H after the first letter make is silent.
Google broad and slender vowels in Gaidhlig and this will also help.

Seamus becomes Sheamuis (which is pronounced Hamish)...

Th is silent for example - tha (it) is pronounced "ha"

"t" followed by a slender vowel is pronounced like "ch" in "cheer"

So Slàinte Mhath is pronounced (slawn-cha va)

Thank you very much -- sincerely -- for not only the suggestions re: "my system" (not just a mute problem --- something missing on my programs?) but also for the very helpful tutorial on phonemes. Now if I can just get my computer to cooperate perhaps I can actually begin to learn something. Thanks again for this helpful post.

[Father Bill]

Thanks much for this link. I'm not ready to dive in yet, but I'm much intrigued!

[aonghas]

Thanks for the thread info, lots of work ahead.

[ML421]

My Great Grandfather spoke Gaelic. When I was a child I would asked him to teach me he would always ask "why, your an American?". Just hearing the language takes me back and I can almost smell his cigars again. Thank you so much for this.