Dear all, I know that often some comments by Irish learners on this list are dismissed as comments that should not be made by learners. First learn the language, and then get back to us, they say. They can be comments on dialects vs. standard, the standard itself, how to revive the Gaeltacht etc. But I wonder if other learners experience the same feeling I do: that is a need to talk *about* Irish while learning it. You can feaasibly only learn slowly, say, one chapter a week. 7 chapters a week of a book would be unassimilable. So, when you've learned your chapter, and you are thinking about Irish a lot, you still feel the need to read about Irish, talk about Irish, to express your fascination in various ways, however amateurishly. This is why textbooks about Irish should contain more background cultural and historical information in each chapter. The way I feel at the moment, a book about the "story of Irish" would be devoured instantly. I think all this is normal, and so Daltaí is playing a useful role if it satisfies this need and desire or learners to talk about their new hobby!

You're not the only person who always wants to talk about Irish, a chara, because I "spend" or "waste" however one wants to look at it, lots of time reading about it online and what not, especially because of my ever-so-amature research about the few people who speak Irish and live out in remote places and have limited English and all that what not which probably doesn't matter since I'm in America and I have no way of knowing if I'll ever be in Ireland, let alone if I'll ever be somewhare remote enough to meet anyone like that. But anyway. I really need to find an Irish class or something to go to because I think that would be easier for me to learn with other people than trying to study my course on my own. Sure and I know I'm rambling a bit, the point was that I like talking about Irish all the time too. I've wanted to learn it and talk about it and all for years and years and finding out that there are people like the all of you out there and I'm not the only one who cares about it has really encouraged me.

Beir bua agus beannacht.

B'fhéidir gurb 'in é tábhacht taobh so an chláir chainte, Irish and English. One has to obtain some soul-food encouragement so as be able to take more pummeling at declensions or whatever. The language must reward one on occasions. For the words memorized there must be some magical moment/s obtained along the way in doing so. The dawning of a realization, pertinent to one's own situation. Discussion around such matters is a must.

There is a point when the uphill grade eases off and the day shall come when the pummeling stops and your journey becomes a downhill stroll taking in the view on all sides i nGaeilg.

Trí bhia an duine: bia anama, bia intinne agus bia colainne.
(Beidh a leathbreac ag Dennis as na Trécheng déarfainn.)

Go n-éirí sin libh go léir anseo.