Talking Irish

So, most of you know I'm a little fanatical about Ireland. My friend Brita says I'm special and am probably more "Irish" than actual natural-born Irish people. Case in point: I drink Irish tea for breakfast every morning (and often during the day), I have Ireland in Irish (Eire) tattooed on my body, I wear a Claddagh ring, I wear Celtic Knots as earrings almost daily, read Irish authors, my favorite poet is William Butler Yeats and for as long as I can remember, I've wanted to learn the Irish (Gaelic) language. And speaking of the Irish language, I sooooo want to purchase the Rosetta Stone software that would teach me Irish quickly, but it's like $500 for the full set, so that might have to be a Christmas present (hint, hint...).

In the meantime, I found a podcast through iTunes called One-Minute Irish and it's small lessons on learning Irish! I went through six of them today and have already learned how to say hello, goodbye for now, please, thank you, and, Irish, I speak Irish, I speak a couple of words in Irish, I don't understand, I'm sorry, I'm learning Irish, it's quite difficult, my name is, what is your name and the numbers 1-10. Now, this is all audio, so I'm not actually looking at words, so as I'm learning this, I'm writing down the words phonetically so I remember them.

So, one-minute lesson for you!! (sorry I can't put the long and short punctuation marks over the vowels)

Jeer-ditch: hello
Slongo-foal: goodbye for now
Jeeismorehditch: standard reply to hello
Moshe-deholay: please
Lede-holen: please
Gorev-maahaagot: thank you
Augus: and
Gwale-gah: Irish
Tah gwale-gah agon: I speak Irish
Tah cupla fukal gwale-gah agon: I speak a couple of words in Irish
Nee higum: I don't understand
Tah bronerum: I'm sorry
Tah may egg-foalem gwale-gah: I'm learning Irish
Tashe jackergalore: It's quite difficult
Iss misha Karin: My name is Karin
Cod-iss anum ditch? What is your name?
a heyn: one
a doe: two
a tree: three
a cahar: four
a quieeg: five
a shea: six
a shocked: seven
a hocht: eight
a knee: nine
a je: ten

Now my kids humor me pretty well. I know they think I'm a little off kilter here (as does the rest of my family), but my youngest son sure knows how to work it to his advantage. I'd given both Micah and Nathan two pieces of candy for dessert tonight. Nathan desperately wanted a third piece. So, he walks over to my notebook, looks right at me and says, "Can I have a third piece of candy, lede-holen?" I was so charmed, of course, I said YES!!! Micah followed suit!

Someday, I'll head back out to Ireland, go to the Aran islands and strike up a conversation with a local. God put this love of Ireland in me for a reason - I don't doubt His purposes. In the meantime, I'll put my time to good use and keep learning Irish. Slongo-foal!!