Product Description
A book that caused consternation among those who found the contents offensive and lacking in `Irish values', when the manuscript was first circulated in 1999. As the author writes in the preface, There is no such thing as bad language. It is raw speech and it comes from the essence of what makes us who we are, and is often colorfully manifested in idiom, common parlance, and slang."" Garry Bannister, the author of numerous language courses and Irish dictionaries, has a wide knowledge of both Irish literature and Celtic folklore. He has extensive experience teaching Irish both in Ireland and internationally. ... Read more

Product Description
Bejaysus and begorrah! The next best thing for anyone not blessed with the gift of gab - a grand tour through the language, lilt and laughter of Ireland old and new.So joint in the craic, forget the Blarney Stone, and wrap your tongue around English the way the Irish reinvented it.Features special section on Irish Gaelic.

Lonely Planet's English Language & Culture series goes behind the scenes of languages you thought you knew.Get into the culture and humour behind common - and not so common - English expressions and learn about the local languages that inspired them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Don't judge this book by its title
Caveat lector. Let the reader beware. Not the book you may be looking for.

One reviewer correctly diminishes this little guide for its lack (about ten pages) of attention to the Irish language itself (see my Listmania "Learning Irish Gaelic" for 39 other resources). The other reviewer celebrates how this pocket guidebook gave so much space to the Irish culture, largely through its Hibernicisms rendering into English often many terms and ideas derived directly from the Irish Gaelic. I therefore balance the one-star with the five-star ratings. It's not the book you might expect from the misleading title, but I did find, if you can put up with the relentlessly snarky tone adopted by so many of the Lonely Planet writers when telling us foreigners about how the natives are laughing at us, an array of witticisms and invective that no other printed source could likely provide for the non-linguist...and the clueless or the un-hip reader. Don't know exactly how useful this'd prove for many, but surely it'll lead to surprise or unexpected reactions from any Irish person you corner with these colorful and off-color effusions.

However, every culture should have its own book of such insider codes to turn the tables on each other in our global village, when tourists visit our own hometowns. Fair play to ye/yiz, as the Irish'd say themselves.

Amusing look at Irishness
This had me giggle and reading pieces out to my husband who almost tore it out of my hands to read. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to see the reality of Irish modern Language and culture and Irish English. Although it does miss out on some things for a small book it does capture a lot of Ireland and the Irish.It was interesting to see how sometimes those phrases I take for granted are actually Irishisms.

It has a little bit with the Irish Language but most of the book is actually about English as spoken in Ireland.Most of the Irish/Gaeilge in the book is actually useful conversational Irish.

I would recommend this book to writers looking to capture modern Ireland and Irish people.

Misleading and full of errors
Judging by the title of this book, you would expect it to be about the Irish language. It's not. Only a meager 14 pages of the book deal with the irish language, and these fourteen pages are filled with errors. You'll find errors in the pronunciation, errors in the grammar and errors in the vocabulary.

If you're interested in the Irish language, I recommend you to have a look at a course such as Learning Irish or other books on the Irish language that keep the promise expressed in the title. This book certainly doesn't. ... Read more

Product Description
This popular introduction to the Irish language is now accompanied by an audio CD. Irish, also known as Irish Gaelic or Gaelige, is spoken today by approximately one million people worldwide. It is also the basis of the Irish literary tradition, which is the oldest in Europe after Greek and Latin. This valuable guide, ideal for both individual and classroom use, teaches the basics of Irish grammar and vocabulary in 10 easy-to-follow lessons. The audio CD feature complements the dialogue and grammar sections of the lesson, aiding the reader in understanding the language as spoken. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

ok
Didn't pay much so can't really complain, but the book is pretty worthless without the audio CD, which broke the first time I put it in my player.

Hands-down the worst choice that someone interested in Irish could make
Gabriel Rosenstock's BEGINNER'S IRISH is yet another example of why Hippocrene is the worst publisher for language-related books around. Published in 2000, BEGINNER'S IRISH promises to give basic language instruction, but it would be a miracle if anyone gained even the simplest competency in conversational Irish from the book.

Teaching of the nuts and bolts of the Irish language doesn't even begin until page 39 of this 145-page book. The first several dozen pages are a rather absent-minded discussion of the Irish people and the phases of its language. Rosenstock's sources for the Celtic languages seem to be quite old and historically superseded. This initial pages contain a listing of Irish baby names and their etymologies, which is just fluff, but it ends with the only useful part of the book: an extensive bibliography of other textbooks and reference materials, and a listing of places in Ireland offering solid language courses.

The actual coverage of the grammar and lexicon of the Irish language consists of 10 short lessons. The lessons generally start with some conversational phrases, followed by Rosenstock's tiresome quips about how those boisterous Irishmen love to drink and carouse. Morphology is usually presented as a dry series of tables, and vocabulary comes in long lists much more than a student could ever be expected to absorb at a time. And you can forget about being able to apply what you learn, for exercises are so meagre they might as well not even be here. Cassettes or CDs are not available, and Irish orthography has such an unusual relationship to actual pronunciation that the student will have no clue of how to accurately sound out what he learns.

BEGINNER'S IRISH is a simply muddled and confused textbook. One wonders if the author has any training in language teaching at all; the little biography on the back cover calls him only an editor, poet, and translator. Would that Hippocrene have commissioned a real teacher of Irish, with plenty of now-competent speakers of Irish among his former students, to write a textbook for them.

If you want to learn Irish, I commend you for showing interest in such a colourful language, and a threatened minority language that could use all the attention it could get. However, pretty much any other textbook could beat Rosenstock's. Seek out, for example, TEACH YOURSELF IRISH.

Not very useful
The first star is for an interesting background on the Irish language. The second star is for the web addresses included in the book, which took me to some useful sites on Irish language. But that's all it gets - as a book to learn a language from it is not well written, especially for beginners. It doesn't give you all the vocabulary you need and assumes a lot of knowledge of grammatical terminology - nor are the exercises particularly good. I came away with the impression that Irish would be way too hard for me to learn because of its extremely complex grammar, which I'm sure was not the author's intent.

Start your 1000 mile journey through Irish here
I cannot parse the intricacies of grammar or usage to nit-pick as some Irish speakers might be able to do--a habit that intimidates those of us less fluent. This book, however, is for the latter category. As a refresher or a starter, this whets your appetite not by plunging you into the usual "Dia dhuit" conversation but a gradual grazing and nibbling about. Instead, the long history of this language--the oldest vernacular outside of Greek and Latin surviving in Europe--a look at male and female names, and the role of the language among tourists and in Ireland allows the reader to get a feel for the contexts within which today's learner will progress.

Rosenstock, of German-Irish parentage by the way, is a noted poet, critic, editor and translator. His wit and enthusiasm make this an ideal starting-point for not only those who wish to learn Irish but those curious about how the language works, what its grammar and vocabulary look like, how simple conversations might go, and what its proverbs and colloquialisms reveal about the native Irish character.

Rather than dive into another twenty-lesson textbook like Michael O Siadhail's admirable but daunting "Learning Irish," my advice is to begin here, see if you like the language, and then go on to the more linguistically oriented tapes and series.

This also accounts for the demotion of a star. Perhaps to appeal to the widest audience, almost no phonetic equivalents for the sounds of the Irish alphabet are given, since Scots, Aussies, ESL readers, and Americans might all say the sounds differently. Too often, Irish texts assume a learner with a standard English (as in the south-of-Britain version) dialect/accent. This avoidance, while admirable on one hand, detracts from a learner's "ear," necessary for anybody needing to get a grasp of the peculiarities of Irish pronunciation. Still, you can read and get a feel for the layout and mentality of the language here and gain a valuable foundation upon which to later sound out...

Adh mór/good luck! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Longmans, Green and co. in 1875 in 563 pages; Subjects: Irish language; Celts; Irish literature; Foreign Language Study / Celtic Languages; History / Ancient / General; History / Ancient / Greece; History / Ancient / Rome; History / Ancient / Egypt; History / Europe / Western; Literary Criticism / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh; Social Science / Archaeology; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I didn't realise Gaelic would be so hard !!!
The book is both informative and fun but this language is like nothing else I have ever dealt with so I am not sure that I will ever master it from a book.

The Title Tells the Truth
After you finish reading page one of this book you will agree, Irish IS fun!This is the book which revitalized my lethargic Gaeilge studies. Whether you just want something light to peep at now and again or wouldlike a splendid basic course, this little book covers everything with comicflair and puts you at your ease.By the end of the book you will havelearned the usual "tourist" phrases, butyou will also have agood basic understanding of how the language works.That is its strength,although I mostly give high marks for making Irish very fun indeed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The essential book for studying Old-Irish
Although Thurneysen wrote this book many, many years ago, his book is still the absolute number one. Every student who studies Celtic languages must have this book on his desk. Some things Thurneysen wrote don't match with the information we now have of the Old-Irish language, but the most he wrote is still valid. Celtic scholars, buy this book!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1881.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
6 x 9, softbound, 120 pages, second edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Unique Book on a Neglected Subject
The subject of Irish titles and stylings has been neglected
for centuries. Actually worse than neglected. It has been
totally rejected by the British writers who themselves had no
comprehension of Gaelic laws and procedures; and who saw
everything in the light of their own British system. They
in effect 'forced' the Gaelic system into their own, or rejected
it as 'tribal' when it didn't fit. Truth was the loser.
This work, the first ever serious effort on the subject, is a
goldmine of truth. While not perfect, it gives the correct
overview of the Gaelic/Irish system and puts the historical
perspective in proper focus. Not scholarly (and some scholars
will object to the lack of bibliography and footnotes), it was
designed for the general reader and is clear and to the point. Nevertheless, the scholarly
basis is referenced and the work provides a steppingstone to more
serious study if one is so inclined. It is as the author says,
another step out of the Celtic mist.
I am delighted with this little work, and refer to it time and
time again. It does an Irish nationalist and republican proud,
as it captures our own traditions in history without arguing for
any nobiliary agenda. ... Read more

Product Description
This title has been revised, with Internet links offering opportunities to hear the language spoken by a native speaker. Grammar is clearly explained, and puzzles provide plenty of practice. This title is part of a series providing a thorough grounding in useful, basic foreign language skills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Just the Facts, Ma'am
You get what you pay for...the price was right so I thought I'd give it to help a friend understand me when I rant a bit as I speak Gaeilge myself. This book gives you just a few stock phrases in a variety of situations, many of which would be rare to the individual making a first trip to the Gaeltacht. At best, it gives you a few polite one liners, but doesn't give you enough to engage in much of a conversation with anyone.

Cute, but not very useful.
The illustrations in this book are neat and the CD helps but there are virtually NO pronunciation guides and the dialogue in the CD is frighteningly fast. I could say "hello" and super basic stuff but even for the casual learner this books fails, in my opinion.

Interesting and Easy to Follow
I got a copy in Ireland with a CD instead of the tapes.I've tried other Irish language books, but this one worked best for me.Very straightforward, and focused on getting you speaking Irish as quickly as possible.If you want to try your hand at Irish, this is a really good first choice.

Slán leat! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
My publisher must take at least some of the responsibility for reviving these essays. All bear the marks of the period at which they were written; and some of them deal with the beginnings of movements which have since grown to much greater strength, and in growing have developed new characteristics at the expense of what was originally more prominent. ... Read more

Product Description
The Oxford Pocket Irish Dictionary is the essential reference for anyone writing, studying, or speaking Irish as it is used today. The comprehensive grammar section provides clear guidance, and there are easy-to-read verb tables for all regular and irregular verbs. Also, frequently used words that can be difficult to master are given a special layout and usage notes to help you use them correctly. With over 100,000 phrases and translations, as well as pronunciation of the three main regional systems--Ulster, Connacht, and Munster--shown at every entry, this is the ideal reference for student, traveller, and the general user. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Gaelic is not for the faint of heart
A difficult language to learn, and even harder to master.The letters have a different sound to them than any lanquage based on the Latin forms.However, it is helping a great deal in my quest to conquor this old, and very melodic tounge.Now I just need to work on my brogue.

Gaelic is not for the faint of heart
A difficult language to learn, and even worse to master.The letters have a different sound to them than any lanquage based on the Latin forms.However, it is helping a great deal in my quest to conquor this old, and very melodic tounge.Now I just need to work on my brogue.

Very good Irish/English dictionary
As a learner of Irish I have purchased several Irish-English dictionaries. I was very pleased with my purchase of the Oxford Irish Pocket Irish Dictionary (which is a bit bigger than the Oxford Irish Minidictionary, and requires a fairly big pocket). This dictionary includes much more help for beginning learners of Irish going into a lot of detail about common multipurpose Irish words. It also includes entries for many irregular verbs in several tenses. These entries merely point you back to the main entry for the verb, but this is of great help when you don't recognize the main verb from the tense you are looking up. The complaint that it doesn't have pronunciation for the headwords is a fair one. I wrote the editors, and they told me that they had hoped to include it, but didn't get it into this edition. Pronunciation for Irish headwords can be found in two other Irish/English dictionaries: Foclóir Póca Gaeilge/Béarla and the larger version of it called Foclóir Scoile (which has larger print and more words than Foclóir Póca) both published by An Gúm the publishing arm of the Irish Government's Education Ministry. I would highly recommend this book to anyone serious about learning the Irish language in spite of the lack of pronunciation for headwords.

The Oxford Pocket Irish Dictionary:Bearla-Gaeilge/Gaeilge-
I'm extremely disappointed with the dictionary.The main reason I ordered it was to get phonetic pronunciation with every word. I read a lot of historically based novels about Ireland and would like to know how to say the words in Irish that appear in the books.I returned it immediately (along with the Scottish/Gaelic dictionary that was equally lacking).

If you're learning Gaelic, you'll need this.
The Oxford Irsih pocket dictionary is one of the best sources for learning Gaelic. Not only does it provide a very wide range of Irish vocabulary, it explains pronounciation and grammer, such as past and present tense, plurals, verbs, nouns, and independents and dependents. It is a very good companion for learning Irish courses, and I found it to be especially helpful with the Michael O'Siadhaill Learning Irish Course. In fact, this dictionary provides more information and references than any on-line course I've every seen. It's probably one of the best Oxford has to offer because it has more helpful information about the Irish language than the Oxford Spanish dictionary has about the Spanish language, as I have also been learning Spanish. So anyone learning the Irish language will find it much easier with this minidictionary.

In response to these negative reviews, this dictionary does have pronounciation tips. It does not have as much information as pronouncing as language courses do, but remember that the purpose of learning language dictionaries is NOT to teach you the entire language, but to accompany the language course. Look in the beginning of the book and see the pronounciation guide, but also take a course, like the Michael O'Siadhiall Learning Irish Course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Solid Introduction to Conversational Irish
Progressively more detailed lessons that can get you speaking a bit right away. Starts very simply and builds in a logical way. While it doesn't explain grammar, it does lead you through examples and repetitions that will make many of those rules intuitive. You will want to combine it with sound files or recordings by native speakers. Many of these can now be found on the internet, or in one of the other learning sets that include audio. Grammar needs to be studied as well, but many people enjoy how this approach gets them speaking right off.

One of the best modern Irish workbooks.
I have studied modern Irish off and on for many years, and I have found that this book is a marvellous workbook for the beginner in learning Irish. However, it is necessary to have a dictionary and a grammar book available as well as this one. This book is wonderful for those people who already have a few hundred words of Irish in their vocabulary and have a basic grasp of pronunciation.

This book is very simple in format. It contains a series of numbered lessons that slowly increase in complexity. Most of the lessons present a few new words, and then give advice concerning grammar in plain terms as well as some lessons that utilise the new terms.

The lessons build on all the previous lessons in the book, so the learning process is quite logical. Further into the book, the sentence structure becomes a little more complicated, but the bits of advice on usage and sentence formation are quite adequate if a beginner has a handy Irish grammar book nearby. Lessons are presented in English and Irish; do not worry about getting lost quickly. This is not an 'immersion' sort of text.

There is a glossary of Irish terms used in the text located in the rear part of the book. Nouns are noted with their proper gender, which is helpful at a beginner's level.

The only real lack of information in this book is a guide to pronunciation or sample phonetic transcriptions. However, that data is very easily found in this Irish dictionary:

Foclóir Póca (Focloir Poca in Anglicised letters)
publisher: An Gúm (An Gum in Anglicised letters)
ISBN: 9781857910476
latest edition: 1992

The Foclóir Póca is available at many different bookshops online, though it has to be bought used rather than new these days. Each headword in the dictionary has an approximated pronunciation oriented toward English speakers.

Excellent Supplement
The Best book on the rules to Irish Grammar is "New Irish Grammar by the Christian Brothers". However, to really understand what the rules mean you need a good amount of examples which their book lacks. That is were "Progress in Irish" excells. However, Progress in Irish is very sparse when it comes to describing the rules -- so you need both books.

Great!A must-have for those learning Irish
While this book is not appropiate for complete beginners, it's a great addition to those who've had a little Irish Gaelic already and want to learn more, or for those who would like a review.A little gem of alanguage book! ... Read more

Product Description
If language and culture are intimately connected, then cultures involving people who speak more than one language must have special characteristics, as well as particular social issues to negotiate. What are the challenges faced by a people with two or more languages as their heritage? How does that multiple heritage affect cultural forms, including literature and the arts? How does linguistic difference influence the conceptualization and writing of history? And if the meeting of languages within a people has involved contestation and power, how are those conflicts negotiated?

This volume uses the tools of critical theory to explore such questions with respect to the complex, multilingual history of Ireland. Avoiding the simplistic polarized oppositions popular with cultural nationalists, the contributors examine the nexus of language, tradition, and authority in Ireland that has created such a rich, multivalent culture.

Although the linguistic interface of Irish and English has dominated cultural negotiations in Ireland over the last five hundred years, the island has an even longer history of linguistic and cultural exchange. Arguing that tradition is never static, the essays in this volume challenge the concept of a monolithic cultural origin, while insisting on the importance of inherited discourses in the continuity of culture through time and across linguistic difference. The chapters cover a broad range of topics from early Irish narratives and Latin hagiography to literary works by such writers as Yeats, Joyce, Friel, Montague, and McGahern, as well as other cultural forms, including traditional Irish music. Several chapters address issues of politics and power, from the role of interpreters in the relations between linguistic communities in Ireland to the politicization of language in Northern Ireland since the 1980s. Taken together, the essays illuminate scholarly domains as varied as postcolonial theory, the relationship between language and nation, the nature of tradition, and Irish literature of all periods.

In addition to the editors, contributors include Michael Cronin, Joanne Findon, Helen Fulton, Declan Kiberd, Jeremy Lowe, Gordon McCoy and Camille O’Reilly, Catherine McKenna, Cóilín Owens, Thomas Dillon Redshaw, and Sally K. Sommers Smith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best book of its kind, anywhere, ever..
This book gives lots of examples where others give a few. It answers questions that students actually ask, and clears up lots of misconceptions that other books ignore, or whose authors (not being students) don't even realise exist. It says that is not a complete grammar book, but rather a workbook. If so, it is the best workbook ever.

I have been using it for some time now, and the practicality of its presentation never ceases to amaze me.

Linguistic more than a Learner's Guide, but it's necessary!
This book is not hardcover (despite Amazon's data) but spiral-bound, so it's more useful for readers. It's not cheap, but compared with poorly-made paperbacks on Irish grammar, LGI's worth the investment for the serious learner who's already worked through simpler explanations of how Irish works. This book, however, is not the right choice if you simply want to pick up pub phrases or survey the context for Irish. The small Hippocrene (Paul Dorris) Irish-English phrasebook- dictionary meets casual needs for the inquirer. An overview of the language is Darerca Ní Chartúir's 2002 guide; cogent background and short lessons are in "Beginner's Irish" by Gabriel Rosenstock. (These three books are reviewed by me.) Tapes & booklets "Buntús Cainte," and Máiread Ní Ghrada's primer "Progress in Irish" are suitable for the uncertain or the curious. LGI suits instead committed "gaeilgoirí" -- those self-convicted as lifers!

Too often, hefty language texts are either doomed to spine-breaking and pages falling out if flimsy pulp paperbacks or too expensive and recondite in university- press hardcovers for the budget buyer or beginning reader. LGI in its attractive fonts and practical design fills a need for an explanation of the language aimed at foreign learners. LGI does not describe the history of Irish. It does not offer exercises. Neither does it serve as a phrasebook or a workbook per se. Donna Wong, an American professor who learned Irish at universities here, gives rather the first in-depth grammatical survey of the language meant for international students by an adult learner from outside of Ireland.

Her approach is very academic. She organizes her main text by grammatical classifications. She recalls that she knew no technical linguistics or grammar when she began studying Modern Irish. I'd add that certainly she progressed rapidly and far! By courses, intensive tutors, visits to the Gaeltachtaí, and her own diligent study, she found herself "grappling with grammar until the fascination of what's difficult resolved into the elation of what made sense." (8) Dissatisfied with texts that taught her college-level learners too much or too little grammar, she made her own handouts and then this book, appealing to the intelligent newcomer rather than a linguist or a dilettante. Having enjoyed her memorable chapter on Irish folklore in the recent "Cambridge History of Irish Literature" (also reviewed by me), I recognize in LGI Dr Wong's continued determination to energize what most of her scholarly predecessors often deadened. (What's up with her "'Táin Rúttapaca Cuailnge,' a creative and health- conscious retelling of the "Táin Bó Cualinge'" according to the jacket blurb?) Welcome wit enlivens what as an instructor she knows may frustrate those who are-- as she once was-- a student, likely Americans with no daily connection to Irish outside classroom and textbook. (I add that LGI'spublished by Dublin-based Cois Life, a fine source for mostly Irish-language books, but is not likely to be stocked by foreign bookstores. Cois Life does have an internet store for mail order.)

Does LGI make easy sense on the page? I'm not a linguist, but I do have a doctorate in English lit. Yet LGI at first overwhelmed me. She intends this book for those "with no prior knowledge of Modern Irish and minimal knowledge of English grammar" (9) as well as a reference for instructors and advance students. It does focus on grammar as the way into the language; compared with a purportedly introductory "self-tutor" such as Michael Ó Siadhail's formidable "Learning Irish," LGI takes its time with grammar and provides many more examples for each section. It's also written with far more awareness of its intended use in the classroom.

LI teaches the Conamara "central" dialect in its Cois Fharraige form. LGI uses the "caighdean" standard Irish as taught in schools; dialectal differences diminish as only a few arise, largely in footnotes. Unlike LI, LGI's layout's much easier on the eye (although the pages are numbered in magenta- colored squares that are hard to read). Boldface, italics, and wide margins with readable type combined with the spiral binding result in this far more (than LI) reader- friendly text.

Part One shows spelling, how to consult three common dictionaries of Irish (a useful entry that no other comparable book offers), pre-verbal particles, verbs, and regular verbs. Terms such as "Syncopating Polysyllabics with Final -igh, Imperfect and Conditional" comprise subsections. Honestly, such terms once understood are not difficult, but the attention to this manner of presentation does show Dr Wong's predilection for an organization unlike other Irish-language textbooks. LGI does not present gradually longer conversations or vocabulary lists or sentences to translate. It's meant to supplement such introductory texts.

The eleven irregular verbs and the substantive vs. copula follow. These last two categories challenge many English-speaking students. Dr Wong's careful chart comparing "is" to "bí" is the best I've seen to explain crucial contrasts for the "to be" verbs.

Part Two explores the Copula, Verbal Nouns, Definite Articles, and Nouns (genitive, plurals, five declensions, irregular, mutations). Again Dr Wong presents many more examples than other books do, demonstrating the depth of LGI that may discourage some but encourage others. Part Three looks at adjectives, pronouns, prepositions, independent vs. dependent clauses, "if" and "if not," syntax, numbers, interrogatives, lookalikes, and ends with footnotes. This variety proves her classroom testing of the contents-- numbering in Irish I find one of its most difficult aspects, and she takes pains to list in great detail all sorts of ways to number--even fractions such as 6/7 or 1.11-- a feature other books ignore.

Lookalikes such as the three uses of "a" or the four types of "an" finally get detailed-- other books merely define each use but fail to clearly distinguish confusing instances of the same "particle" -- LGI tells you the differences and gives multiple examples of each use. Glossaries or dictionaries merely enumerate them. Too much information for casual learners, but LGI does meet a previously unfulfilled need for a non-technical, student-directed reference where non-fluent Irish learners can look up answers in a grammar not written entirely "as Gaeilge" (in Irish itself). This book pays back its purchase and I recommend it. ... Read more