Hallo! American Here!

[electricscream]

Hallo!

I just registered a few days ago, so I suppose an introduction is the best way to start (though it seems like no one's posted in the intro section in quite a while, but this feels most appropriate!).

'S mise Amanda. Tha mi às na Stàitean Aonaichte.

And, unfortunately, that's roughly the extent of my Gàidhlig skills; when I say I'm a beginner, I truly mean a beginner. I'm struggling to get through the Teach Yourself Gaelic course (pronunciation was a challenge and a half to get through),but I feel as though every time I get a section down, I always have to go back and repeat it a short while later. I think that one of my biggest issues when it comes to learning the language is that I have no one to practice with or help me if I'm having a dilemma. In addition, I have no way to completely immerse myself in the language; I've been attempting to find even an online radio station that speaks Gàidhlig so I get my head around the way the language sounds, but I haven't had much luck there.

I happened upon this forum which I'm hoping will help aid me in my struggle. I've already noted a number of posts which look to be written completely in Gàidhlig, so I'm hoping I can use this as a way to immerse myself in the language (which is pretty impossible to do here in America). If anyone has any tips that might aid me while I work my way through learning the language, my ears are always open.

So, halo! Lovely site you have here; I'm happy I stumbled upon it. Carry on!

[faoileag]

Halò, Amanda, agus fàilte!
Math d' fhaicinn!

Welcome, and it's good to see you here - new members always welcome, and there is a lot more to this site than this forum, useful though it is, so I think you'll find plenty to help you.

have a look here, under Goireasan / Resources:

http://www.foramnagaidhlig.net/index.php?page=4

And here, under Ceanglaichean / Links:

http://www.foramnagaidhlig.net/index.php?page=28

One course we always recommend is the free BBC online short course, Beag air Bheag, where you hear the pronunciation too:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/foghlam/beag_air_bheag/

If you're looking for a more interactive, longer-term online / Skype course, the Atlantic Gaelic Academy, based in Canada, offers structured courses where you hear and speak Gaelic as well as do grammar, and at all levels, including beginner. New courses start end of September, so enquire now:
http://gaelicacademy.ca/

Once you have a bit of Gaelic, there are also good online/phone classes with SMO, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, in Skye, the Cùrsa Inntrigh (Access course):
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/Foghlam/Tagh-C ... ex_en.html

There's also an American Gaelic Association: http://www.acgamerica.org/

Things to read and listen to:
http://www.foramnagaidhlig.net/index.php?page=32

including Radio nan Gàidheal: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/gd/radio/b ... listenlive


So have a look round and get started! We're here to help!

(See the bilingual threads on the forum).

[AlasdairBochd]

Fàilte ort. Welcome.
Also helpful is Guthan nan Eilean http://guthan.wordpress.com/ with 5 minute videos that you are free to download, many with transcripts so you can read and listen at the same time.

[GunChleoc]

Fàilte ort, Amanda!

Don't hesitate to ask if you have further questions

[electricscream]

Wow! Thank you all for the welcome! I'm definitely going to give some of those websites a look-through--thanks so much for linking them all! I didn't realize there were actually a number of resources available to me over here, so this is awesome

Slowly but surely, I'll get there. I was very excited when I saw the few Gàidhlig words you guys posted in here and I understood them out without looking them up (not a big accomplishment, but still exciting for me)!

Once again, tapadh leibh!

[Gordon Wells]

Fàilte ort. Welcome.
Also helpful is Guthan nan Eilean http://guthan.wordpress.com/ with 5 minute videos that you are free to download, many with transcripts so you can read and listen at the same time.

Thanks for the plug, Alasdair! Amanda, these materials are not designed for beginners, but if one of the things you want to do is just "tune your ear in" by hearing Gaelic spoken, and you have decent bandwidth, you could do worse than trying some of the playlists:

http://guthan.wordpress.com/playlists/

Get the haund-knitted online "box set" experience - there are 4 "feature-length" playlists in each language - and it will give you some sort of idea of life in the Hebrides. For transcripts/translations you will need to refer back to the Guthan site.

Gach dùrachd,

Gordon

[GunChleoc]

Slowly but surely, I'll get there. I was very excited when I saw the few Gàidhlig words you guys posted in here and I understood them out without looking them up (not a big accomplishment, but still exciting for me)!

Rightly so and it is an accomplishment and an important step - the first of many I hope!

[sr3nitygirl]

Amanda,

I'm Stephanie, and I live in Baltimore, MD.
Following on from the links that faoileag posted above, I am starting the beginner's course (Skkpe-based) at the Atlantic Gaelic Academy (AGA) at the end of this month. From the information I have so far, they have various slots open right now (Atlantic time), and they also have an installment plan available if you need it (3 payments over about 6 months). Now my Monday evenings are going to be busy

[GunChleoc]

I hope you'll enjoy the course!

Don't hesitate to pratice here what you have learned or to ask us questions

[faoileag]

Gur math a thèid leat! Good luck!

Sounds as if you don't let grass grow beneath your feet!

If you have questions or need to check things, go right ahead.( Use the bilingual threads or the Grammar thread, not this Introduction one, so people see your posts.)