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

[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)