Can someone please tell me the differences (how they are set-up) between these dictionaries..
"Foclóir Gaeilge-Bearla" by O'Dónall, Niall and de Bhaldraithe, Tomás, (eds.) printed Dublin, 1977 and
"Foclóir Bearla-Gaeilga" by de Bhaldraithe,Tomás, Dublin 1959, and reprint 1998?

I just started using the "Teach Yourself Irish Grammar" book by Éamonn Ó'Dónaill, printed 2005. In it, Mr Ó'Dónaill mentions these two separate dictionaries...and I would like to know how they are different.
I am a beginning Gaeilge student, teaching myself, and, of course , have a well-worn Foclóir Póca, but want to advance with some of the grammar. From what I read in the TYIG book, the noun cases, nom. and gen., and the singular and plural are set out more than in the little Póca dictionary, but is that the only difference? Also what is the difference between English -Irish dictionary and Irish- English?
Guess I'm a little slow on this but would like to order the correct one for my best use.

Go raibh maith agaibh
Jeannette

Ó Dónaill's dictionary is an Irish to English dictionary. That means that it lists Irish words and gives their English meaning. So you have to know the Irish word in order to look it up. It also has a lot of grammar and examples of usage in the entries.

De Bhaldraithe's goes the other way around, from English to Irish. You look up an English word and it gives you the Irish translations. It also has many examples of usage.

I would say these dictionaries are complementary. I use Ó Dónaill's much more than De Bhaldraithe when I am translating something. I use them both when I'm writing in Irish.

If you are just getting started, I would consider the Collins-Gem or Oxford pocket dictionaries. They have both Irish-English and English-Irish parts. They are much cheaper than the big dictionaries and have a lot of information in them. I have both of them. Collins-Gem dictionary has an Ulster slant but it is useful for all dialects.

These little dictionaries are available in many larger bookstores. If you want to see an example of their pages look at the links below. Click on 'excerpt' near the top of the pages.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0004707532/sr=8-1/qid=1140305068/ref=sr_1_1/103 -0532452-4067843?%5Fencoding=UTF8

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198602278/sr=8-4/qid=1140305248/ref=sr_1_4/103 -0532452-4067843?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Jeannette,

I was looking into getting TYIG as well. How do you like it? How does it compare to TYI with ó sé and sheils? I'm curently using the ó sé book with cds(the newer one, 2004 I think)

A Liz, Go raibh maith agat, for the information on dictionaries.
I am ashamed to say I am not just getting started, but am using several Irish teaching books, and tend to like the grammar, (if I can figure it out) so would like a little more grammar in the dictionary I use.. the tiny Foclóir Póca An Gum does not have go leor. However, you have given me some new ideas on dictionaries to explore... and some are avbailable for viewing at local bookstores so maybe one of those will be good.
Go raibh maith agat arís.

A Chroga75,
Well, I'm trying to use and understand grammar a little more...and TYIG is DEFINITELY advanced grammar! I'm as far as chapter 4 so far, but still have to go back over each chapter each time I try to go ahead. The thing that's great about the book are the "tests" at the end of each chapter. I have had good success with those (as far as I have gotten) They do help to make the grammar stick in one's mind. As for the TYI (O Se and Shiels) I use that as well, and also Learning Irish (O'Shial) with the cassettes to help with pron. (I seem to be stuck in all of them in the first 5 chapters....BUT, I'm happy to have gotten this far.(;))
If you are easily confused with and like grammar in English language ..then the TYIG would be a good book for you.
Ádh mór ort.

Jeannette

Jeannette,

I don't know if you've looked here or not, but you'll find plenty of dictionaries, etc. at these shops:

http://www.irishbook.com/

http://www.schoenhofs.com/

Go raibh maith agat, a Aaron.
Yes, the Shoenhofs looks like a good possibility and have also gone to the Irishbook site..but that's too far away, (shipping fees an all that) Anyway, have found some of what I may want nearby. Seems like I collect language books more than I "collect" the language.
However, áris, go raibth maith agat...

Jeannette

if you already have a pocket dictionary, I'd go with both

Foclóir Scoile ISBN 1-85791-121-0 and
Briathra na Gaeilge ISBN 0-86121-649-0

the first is a dictionary and the second a verb table book. If only Barrons did a "501 Irish Verbs" like they do the other languages...

On a side note, I also wish Langenscheidt did a Universal Dictonary (their tiniest) in Irish...

Anyway, de Bhaldraithe and Ó Dónaill are fantastic, but for more heavy duty stuff. the foclóir scoile is one you can throw in your bookbag and not break your back carrying it around...

A Antaine, (or should that be "A hAntaine" ??)

Thanks, I am presently making a decision on several of these but it looks like Schoenhof.com (I really like their site ) will be my supplier, as the local bookstores don't have much.

Go raibh maith agat.. áris.
Jeannette

A Antaine, (or should that be "A hAntaine" ??)

It is "A Antaine". The vocative particle "a" puts h after an initial consonant (except l, n, r), but nothing on a vowel. In the cases you prefix h- to vowels, you never put lenition (ie. put h after the first consonant) on a consonant. It isn't the same mutation at all.