lamb@bambi.UUCP (John Lamb) (03/08/84)
I am a member of a folk music group that does a lot of Irish songs. I would love to be able to sing some of them in the original Gaelic but do not know the proper pronunciation for most of the words. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to go to Gaelic classes. Can anyone recommend an introductory level book that I might use with the occasional bit of help from a Gaelic- speaking friend? Thanks in advance. John Lamb, Bell Communications Research, ...!ihnp4!mhuxl!lamb
ellis@flairvax.UUCP (Michael Ellis) (03/28/84)
Sheesh! Gaelic spelling (both Scots & Irish) is godawful. And you thought English spelling was the pits... The only texts I've ever been able to locate are from the `Teach Yourself' series, which are easy enough to order through any bookstore. Their phonetic treatment strikes me as somewhat inconsistent (one uses IPA in the glossary, and sloppy english-esque transcriptions in the text...) but should be useful if you have a native speaker handy. The broad/slim consonant distinction is never explained correctly, though. You'll need reams of experience to learn how to pronounce either of these languages from written text. Good Luck! -michael