I saw that Rosetta Stone came out with an Irish language version and before I buy it I was wondering if anyone could tell me if it is a good prgoram?
thanks.

Well,

if you search the forum you'll get few (interesting and helpful) threads on Rosetta Stone.

I started it a couple of months ago, and I was quite satisfied with it, but then my computer broke and I'm using other methods 'till my computer is fixed. That said, I still think it's my favorite Irish learning method!

For a beginner, Rosetta Stone is great. It has Munster dialect pronunciation, and lots of it! You'll be quite pleased how fast you progress through first lesson and how much you learn. There is a definite plus to this method. You also get Audio CD with trimmed multimedia lessons that you can use on your iPod or in a car. You'll learn pronunciation, reading and writing and quite a lot of common words. I think this method will eventually give you enough knowledge to listen to Raidió na Gaeltachta or watch TG4. Even after first couple of lessons it's fun to watch TG4 because it's subtitled in English, but you'll recognize some words or phrases from Rosetta Stone lessons. This definitively gives you an (ego) boost in learning Irish.

There is a negative aspect of it as well.

Their marketing is smart. There is no 2nd with 3rd course pack, and there is no price reduction when buying 2nd and 3rd pack together. This way they force you to buy all three, BUT!, Rosetta Stone cost is quite steep. Even if you profit from buying whole course, I'd almost recommend buying only first course to see if their method suits you. If you don't like it you'll have expensive coasters... For each course you need at least 6 months or so, so the price difference in buying separately may not matter much since you'll buy in three smaller installments.

Second. The method is based on Irish only learning process. It's much like an active picture dictionary. It's easy to follow but in the later lessons, you'll start to wonder what some sentences mean. For example:

Green snake:
Dath glas atá uirthi

It took me a while to figure out that uirthi means "she" (She is green). Dictionary didn't help here, grammar book did...

or

Picture with a man and a dog:
fear agus madra

Picture with a woman holding a dog with a leash:
bean agus a madra

It's up to you to figure that 'a' in this context means "her (dog)", but genitive form in other lessons up to this point. Grammar book helped me here too...

I've read that all Rosetta Stone courses use the same picture set. Since Irish is my first course from them I don't mind it. That said, I really doubt it I'd buy any other language course from them, since I wouldn't like to watch the same sequence of pictures for another year or more with the other language set.

Moreover you'll want Irish dictionary, because in some rare cases it'll be your only help. And you'll need it if you're serious about Irish anyway.

You'll rather soon scream for some grammar lessons. That is, it'll be apparent from the start that that there is a pattern in the multimedia lessons, but you'll not quite nail it what it its. A couple of sentences from grammar book will save you hours of frustration.

If you purchase it, here's a few advices:

Progress slowly. First lesson is a breeze, and it'll give you much confidence in this method. That said, lessons tend to become harder as you progress, so repeat lessons even if you pass them with 90% or more accuracy. As you do repeating, you'll see how new Irish words creep in your mind in daily situations.

From the start set the voice recognition system to maximum value. It'll help you to pronounce good enough from the start (since the system isn't perfect) and the difference from the initial setting is not prohibitively harder.

Be sure to print PDF files from the Help menu. So when you repeat lessons with Audio CDs, you'll have written Irish in front of you as well. It helps a lot to memorize Irish spelling, and to quickly refresh past lessons.

As said above, buy a small irish dictionary. It'll help you to translate a word you have trouble with.

Consider buying a grammar book also. I have learned a lot from just flipping one randomly (I'm not thrilled yet to read it from front to back). That way I found clarifications and solutions to my problems from the Rosetta Stone lessons.

You may, as myself, fall back to other methods of learning Irish as well. But be careful with dialects. You'll tend to mix pronunciation of Munster dialect from Rosetta Stone with the dialect of that other method (most probably Connacht - Cois Fharraige). It's most apparent with difference in slender and broad consonants. So in pronunciation of leaba (bed), the 'l' is pronounced quite differently in Munster. Foclóir Póca is a nice little dictionary, but pronunciations tend to be different to those spoken in Munster.

Most of all, have fun. Rosetta Stone method definitively promotes it with it's multimedia approach.

Sorry for the longer post, I hope you've fond some wanted information in it :o)

A Hinvisible,...(:))

Go raibh míle agat for the critique and your experience with Rosetta Stone Gaeilge....

I would like to try it but find the price too much so your advice on what and how to buy is useful. Maybe can get one of my family to give to me as a gift ...but don't know how much they really want to spend on me... (:))

I have several dictionaries, grammar, and "teach yourself" books..so your opinions on that are well received.
Am interested in the Munster dialect as well...Also you say it should take about six months (of, I assume, daily "studious" intent) but maybe that would mean the first course would be the least expensive route as I am in my seventies and in six months I could be dead of old age.. OR dead from a stroke caused by the the exasperation of learning this language.

Jeannette

The software comes with a license for two computers, each with five users. You may also find it helpful to go in with a friend or family member and split the cost.

quote:

Also you say it should take about six months (of, I assume, daily "studious" intent) but maybe that would mean the first course would be the least expensive route as I am in my seventies and in six months I could be dead of old age.. OR dead from a stroke caused by the the exasperation of learning this language.

Jeannette (a Shinéad (?))

If you are brave enough to tackle Irish in your seventies, I have no doubt you will live to be 100. In the meantime, Irish will certainly keep your brain active!

Nár lagaí Dia thú! (More power to you!)

Dia dhuit, a Jeannette

I know a couple of people your age, who are pretty active at learning various topics, from guitar to geology, so I don't see any reason why you can't learn Irish :o) I admire all of you, and hope I'll be a learner at your age too...

As I have said you'll get at least 6 months of study time with one Rosetta Stone Level. For me, going slowly, and now without main computer, it'll be at least a year. I don't mind going slowly as long as I continually see my progress :o)

Also notice what Antaine said... maybe you can split the cost with members of your family, or friends...

Speaking Irish preserves eternal youth...it also washes your car and dishes.

But seriously, if one does one core lesson (about 30 mins) or two short lessons (about 30 mins combined) every day, you'll go through all twelve units in 10-12 months. That also seems to be the magic pace for maximum retention and reinforcement.

quote:

Speaking Irish preserves eternal youth...it also washes your car and dishes.

Actually, a Antaine, I didn't mean that Irish itself would extend anyone's life.

Research has shown that people who get to a certain age by maintaining a positive attitude and challenging new things tend to live longer than those who, say, spend their days sitting in front of the TV complaining about their various ailments and grumbling about the state of the world, instead of getting up and doing something about it.

The research I read looked at people who had reached 100 and what made them different from average and found that those people had made more stable healthful positive life choices at a much earlier age and kept an active interest in life itself, while the others who were negative, inactive or less careful with their health tended to die off around the statistical mean.

And the ones who get past the statisitical mean tend to be able to go well beyond it because they generally have the right attitude and healthful habits.

Other more recent research is confirming that staying mentally active also staves off dementia. What better way than to learn a language!

Anyone in their seventies who is actively seeking information on the internet to pursue a new hobby is on the right track for leading a full life in my book. However long or short the journey may turn out to be, it certainly won't be a boring one.

So, I will join with Invisible in saying "I admire all of you, and hope I'll be a learner at your age too... "

"Actually, a Antaine, I didn't mean that Irish itself would extend anyone's life."

No, that was all me (but it's true just the same)...miracle stuff, it is...more people should learn it...

Heh...when I was in college one of my friends bumped into an Irish speaker in his 70s that used to hang out on campus...he was telling her how Irish was actually the divine language and one greatly increased one's chances of getting into heaven if he/she could talk to God directly in his own tongue.

being silly, of course, but it made me smile on the inside.

Well, you are right about that, a Antaine, it's a magical language (with links to God and to the mythical gods) and it gives me a warm feeling whenever I meet people who speak it, no matter what their age. Forget y'r pills, it'll cure all ills... ;-)

Ar chuala sibh an ceann faoin mbean san Rúis soibhéideach a bhí ag foghlaim Gaeilge as leabhar sa Pháirc?

Chuir poilín ceist uirthi cén fáth go raibh sí á fhoghlaim?

Chun bheith in ann labhairt le Dia má théim ar Neamh!

Agus más ar Ifreann a théann tú?

Nach bhful Ruisís agam cheana?

(Mo léithscéal le Peter, ach is mar sin a chuala an scéal)

Bhuel, in Ifreann beidh rogha ag daoine, is dócha - Rúisis nó Béarla. ;-)

can someone please give me a direct translation for the phrase "eternal beauty" being used as no matter what comes or how superficial things can become, through society's garbage, the person you have made yourself if the beautiful part that will last eternally. i am an artist and have been attempting to research this for some time, with no such luck in terms of correct grammar and phrasing once translated into irish gaelic.. thank you immensely

Áilleacht buan

or

Áilleacht síoraí

"Other more recent research is confirming that staying mentally active also staves off dementia. What better way than to learn a language!"

But Breandán,...am not sure about that...that studying Geailge will "stave off demntia"...as sometimes the studying sends one into "exasperative mode" which might be construed as "dementia"! (Sorry, I couldn't resist this silliness.)
But one other thought and then I'll be still.. the studying of same whereby one must frequently use the very LARGE Irish /English Dictionary...is VERY good for building up the biceps as one picks it up to find a word, however, there could be negative results for one's health if one drops it on one's toe....

Ah, THAT'S what I like to see, Jeannette! - a positive attitude.