I got a letter back in response to my request of information. I only attempted a contextual translation. Below is what I *think* he's asking, and below that his actual letter. If someone could please take a look and let me know if I'm going to be misanswering any of his questions due to my translation:

hello anthony

thank you for your message

I need more information regarding what dissertation you you intend to do with us here.

some questions:

what dialect of irish do you have and how much study have you completed in the language, literature, and culture?

what steps (courses?) have you taken and what is your GPA?

When do you intend to be starting your courses (here)?

On what matter would you research? or have you thought about it?

what about money matters (finances) - how much (have you saved? do you think it will take?)

I am writing in Irish because it is in the Irish language we work at this school. - I hope you understood (enough) to read.

write back to me soon



A Antaine, a chara,

Gura maith agat as do theachtaireacht.

Bheadh suim againn níos mó eolais a fháil uait maidir le tráchtas PhD a dhéanamh linn anseo.

Roinnt ceisteanna:

1. Cén caighdeán Gaeilge atá agat agus cé méid staidéir atá déanta agat ar
an teanga/litríocht/cultúr srl.

2. Cén chéim/na céimeanna go díreach atá agat agus cén GPA nó toradh?

3. Cén uair a mbeadh sé i gceist agat tús a chur le cúrsa?

4. An bhfuil ábhar taighde agat? Nó aon mhachnamh déanta agat air sin?

5. Céard faoi chúrsaí airgid - táillí etc.

Táim á scríobh seo i nGaeilge chugat mar gurb í an Ghaeilge teanga oibre na Scoile anseo - tá súil agam go dtig leat é a léamh.

Cuir scéal chugam go luath,

A Antaine, a chara,

I'd define "caighdean" here as "standard," ie, what level of Irish have you achieved.

And "ceim/ceimeanna" in this context would be "[academic] degree/degrees."

Sorry for the lack of fadas.
Some glitch, I guess.

Beir bua, Paul

see, I thought standard, but figured dialect in this case. i think what you said would make more sense, tho.

okay..degrees, makes sense too...great...

anything else i mistranslated?

thanx

okay...here's my response...a little tweaking to be sure I'm not making an asail of myself would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

1) Tá Gaeilge meánach agam, ach tá foclóir-beag agam leis. Thóg mé "Irish Renaissance Literature" agus "Modern Irish Literature" ag Montclair. Gráim an stáir na hÉireann.

2) Tá Bachelors i Litríocht Sasanach 's Meiriceánach agus Scríbhneoireacht Cruthaitheach. Beidh Masters' in the Art of Teaching agam i 2006. Tá mo GPA 3.584 (as 1-4)

3) Tá súil agam go tionscnaí NUIG i Méan Fómhair 2006.

4) Níl fhíos agam cén ábhar taighde agam.

5) An bhfuil "fellowship" agat? Tá "teachers assistants," "graduate assistants" agus "adjunct/associate professors" i Meiriceá. Níl fhíos agam a bhfuil rudaí sin i nÉirinn.

(Conas an raibh é?)

1) Tá Gaeilge meánach agam, ach tá foclóir-beag agam leis. Thóg mé "Irish Renaissance Literature" agus "Modern Irish Literature" ag Montclair. Gráim an stáir na hÉireann.

(Do you mean your standard is medium, but that your vocabulary is small?)

2) Tá Bachelors i Litríocht Sasanach 's Meiriceánach agus Scríbhneoireacht Cruthaitheach. agam Beidh Masters' in the Art of Teaching agam i 2006. Tá mo GPA 3.584 (as 1-4) agam.

3) Tá súil agam go tionscnaí tosnú i NUIG i Méan Fómhair 2006.

4) Níl fhíos agam cén ábhar taighde agam.
4) Níl ábhar taighde faoi léith ar intinn agam.

5) An bhfuil "fellowship" agat? An bhfuil "fellowship" ar fáil?
Tá "teachers assistants," "graduate assistants" agus "adjunct/associate professors" i Meiriceá. Níl fhíos agam an bhfuil na rudaí sin in Éirinn.

táillí are fees: a Masters will cost you, even if you are Irish! I don't know what funding would be available.

I mean my level (standard) is intermediate (medium) but i have a small vocabulary, yes

true, but it's a PhD I am after. None of the professors going for their PhD at my college are paying for it...they're all teaching or managing a dormitory for a stipend plus their classes...

thank you soooo much for your editing...

Antaine, a chara,
The degree and funding structures are fundamentally different in Ireland.
There would be very little chance of finding the sort of teaching posts that you commonly get in the States to support yourself through a doctorate.
The fees involved in doing a self-funded PhD are huge - you can get details from the websites of any Irish university, as they vary a bit from college to college and programme to programme.
Your best chance would be to look for some sort of scholarship fund - there is plenty of information on the internet about various educational charities which offer support to different categories of student. It is well worth your while to look into these.
There would also be the possiblity of looking for a school in the States which is involved in exchange programmes with Ireland. That way you might get the chance to do part of your course in Ireland.
Other than that, the situation is pretty tough... unless you want to take on a mountain of student debt through loans.
Whatever you decide to do ádh mór ort!
Slán beo!
Chris

Tá méan chaighdeán gaeilge agam, ach tá m'fhoclóir srianta.

It would be worth detailing your informal study of Irish, and any Daltaí courses etc you attended.

You also mentioned in previous posts that you teach Irish. You should include that in your CV. By the way, where do you teach Irish? In New Jersey?

I stopped counting after 80 people, but over the years I have taught most of my friends and fellow Freeman Hall dormers some "ceacht1-10-buntus-type-stuff" I sent some of the materials I developed to Liam and they should be in the síopa this feb at esopus...