Nótaí galaxyrocker - Ancient Celtic Languages, (Old) French, Latin, Old English

[galaxyrocker]

You're not missing much by not having Lehmann, honestly. It was just one of the first books I bought for Old Irish and I ended up keeping (partly because I forgot about it). I figure since I still got it, might as well put it to use when I do crack into some Old Irish. It does have reading material in it, but nothing spectacular. Tiggles should be enough for a start. I've also heard that there were a few errors in Lehmann (depending on which printing you obtain), but I can't say for certain one way or the other. But even if you do decide to check out Lehmann, the other resources should help keep things level.

That's fair. I was turned off Lehmann after seeing this book in UCD's library, with the note added. If McCone doesn't like it, then it's probably not great. Stifter has also spoken out against it on Twitter I believe, as well as Seanghaeilge gan Dua, the one entirely in Modern Irish which I also have a copy of.

[księżycowy]

It certainly isn't the best book pedagogically. I feel qualified enough to at least say that. Though I would be interested to hear what other scholars have said.

I'd love to get my hands on a copy of Seanghaeilge gan Dua, but it's hard to find even used copies. Or so it seems at first glance anyway. But then again, that's more because I figure it might give me the kick in the pants that I need to actually learn some Irish. Kind of like how I have materials in German for learning Sorbian and Frisian. But I probably don't need any more distractions at the moment.

(I'm also eyeing that Scots course on Litríocht that is written in Irish Gaelic.)

Edit: Mistook the book on Scots for a book on Scottish Gaelic. Luckily I'm interested in both.

[iguanamon]

Wow! If you were a raw beginner coming here to announce these overly ambitious plans, I'd be shaking my head and not even responding. Well, when you break it down, you aren't aiming for C2 in Middle Welsh; or Old Irish; or Breton; or Latin, just gaining knowledge and maybe being conversational in modern Breton. So, it's do-able. Still, if you can handle all this you will, indeed, be a "Galaxy rocker"! Iverson, look out!

[galaxyrocker]

I'd love to get my hands on a copy of Seanghaeilge gan Dua, but it's hard to find even used copies. Or so it seems at first glance anyway. But then again, that's more because I figure it might give me the kick in the pants that I need to actually learn some Irish. Kind of like how I have materials in German for learning Sorbian and Frisian. But I probably don't need any more distractions at the moment.

(I'm also eyeing that Scottish Gaelic course on Litríocht that is written in Irish Gaelic.)

Just to tempt you more... there is a copy on sale on Abebooks for £30. Easily shippable to Ireland. I actually got my copy (first edition) for free from a friend who got it at a used bookstore in Dublin then found a second edition for like 10 quid.

That said, that Scottish Gaelic course is neat. I have a pdf copy of it and have been tempted for a while, as I'd at least like reading skills in Gaelic.

Wow! If you were a raw beginner coming here to announce these overly ambitious plans, I'd be shaking my head and not even responding. Well, when you break it down, you aren't aiming for C2 in Middle Welsh; or Old Irish; or Breton; or Latin, just gaining knowledge and maybe being conversational in modern Breton. So, it's do-able. Still, if you can handle all this you will, indeed, be a "Galaxy rocker"! Iverson, look out!

Honestly, you probably should be shaking your head anyway, it's likely way too overambitious. But, yeah, I'm just aiming for general knowledge of the three Classical languages as, if I move to France, I'll be taking more courses in them. Just trying to get a headstart and maybe some basic reading skills of edited editions of the texts. Breton I would like conversational as I'd be moving to Brittany, but it's still mostly knowledge at this stage. But, really, it seems worse the more I think about it!

[księżycowy]

I'd love to get my hands on a copy of Seanghaeilge gan Dua, but it's hard to find even used copies. Or so it seems at first glance anyway. But then again, that's more because I figure it might give me the kick in the pants that I need to actually learn some Irish. Kind of like how I have materials in German for learning Sorbian and Frisian. But I probably don't need any more distractions at the moment.

(I'm also eyeing that Scottish Gaelic course on Litríocht that is written in Irish Gaelic.)

Just to tempt you more... there is a copy on sale on Abebooks for £30. Easily shippable to Ireland. I actually got my copy (first edition) for free from a friend who got it at a used bookstore in Dublin then found a second edition for like 10 quid.

That said, that Scottish Gaelic course is neat. I have a pdf copy of it and have been tempted for a while, as I'd at least like reading skills in Gaelic.

You toy with my heart, sir!

But, since I'm in Ireland I can capitalize on reduced shipping rates for both! Sold!
(Not that I need more distractions, or any more books to have to lug back in the Summer. But too late now. )

[Amandine]

Exciting, good luck with your plans. I came across this canadien guy Justin where he was doing videos about reading in French and now he’s doing Latin so I’ll share the link in case it’s interesting to you. The most recent video has his “optimized” reading list, the order he thinks is best to do things in etc https://youtu.be/3D4thZJBnk0

[Le Baron]

Just reading the plan outline made me tired! Though it likely appears more frantic and full-on than it would really be. It's not like you're coming to this cold and naively.
The decision around adding things other than languages is one I've taken, but it involved doing fewer language-based activities, not more. I must have crunched the numbers incorrectly.

[galaxyrocker]

The most recent video has his “optimized” reading list, the order he thinks is best to do things in etc

Many thanks, this does look interesting and helpful.

Just reading the plan outline made me tired! Though it likely appears more frantic and full-on than it would really be. It's not like you're coming to this cold and naively.
The decision around adding things other than languages is one I've taken, but it involved doing fewer language-based activities, not more. I must have crunched the numbers incorrectly.

Yeah, it's a big worry. One of my biggest issues in Ireland is lack of hobbies outside Irish. It was great when I was in school and could do Irish on the side and weekends to enjoy it, but now that I'm using Irish regularly at work I need something else. It'll also help me spread out socially. Not sure exactly what I'll end up doing as expenses are a bit of an issue since I don't make much post-rent and need to save for France. Thankfully I'm aiming to capitalise on my commute time. I've got 30-45 minutes on the bus every morning, and I tend to walk back of an afternoon unless it's raining, which takes about an hour. I can do some Irish stuff while at work too, so that's nice. And will likely walk to work in the mornings once the days get nicer, simply because it's an easy walk and I enjoy it. This would give time for French podcast listening, and Breton Assimil as well as French reading while on the commute (where I intend to do a lot of the Irish stuff too, outside of work). So that really only mainly leaves me with Old Irish/Middle Welsh and French writing to balance language-wise. If I could do a lesson or two a week that'd be perfect, especially as I'm just mainly looking for passing familiarity at the moment and not in-depth philological study and do a longer writing prompt every weekend, still leaving me a few days to incorporate some other activity. And for math if I just read a section/do a problem a day; there's absolutely no rush there At least, that's how I hope it all happens. We'll see if it all does as you're most likely right: non-language activities will reduce the time for languages. It helps I'm planning on doing a dry January; going out in Dublin is expensive, even drinking non-alcoholic beverages. So water it is after the first non-alcho pint.

But I need more non-language stuff, as I need to expand my social circle and make new friends. I knew I missed my friends here, but never realised how much until I came home for the break and spent New Year's with them. It's hard to break into social circles there as so much of the country just moves to Dublin right after secondary school and a lot of those groups just hold over (or they have their friends from university who all stayed in Dublin), which makes it hard to break in to a group that's had so many years to bond, etc. That's one reason I was leaning towards something like martial arts, since I can't run yet due to a foot injury; hopefully that sports-like structure will allow some bonding. I've got friends there, but for the most part they're all tied up in Irish stuff, and, while we don't just talk about Irish, a lot of it still revolves around that.

Really, though, we'll just have to see how it all goes. Thankfully I do have plans to drop Latin and then Breton if need be, but I really need to keep up with OI/MW for the masters in France if I decide to do it (which is looking more and more likely), so those take priority long-term, as much French.

[sfuqua]

It's interesting to see you get a little disillusioned with Ireland; I'm in the grips of a huge desire to get back to Ireland. I've missed it the past few years since COVID. I've also had a bunch of wanderlust for Irish. It is such a cool language connected to such an amazing culture. As a terribly rusty advanced beginner in Irish, I might have to start over from basics....
Anyway, I miss Ireland and Irish.

One of the big regrets of my life is that I never got a PhD in linguistics. My life has been great, but I was good at that whole graduate school thing, and it would have been a great experience, even if I never tried to climb the whole academic ladder. There are so many things that I only got to look at superficially during my MA in second language studies. My MS in computer science that I got a few years later was a completely different direction, and it might have been better to stay focused on linguistics. I could have skipped a couple of years of decadence in Asia to spend in graduate school.

Anyway, I just wish I had completed a terminal degree.

[galaxyrocker]

It's interesting to see you get a little disillusioned with Ireland; I'm in the grips of a huge desire to get back to Ireland. I've missed it the past few years since COVID. I've also had a bunch of wanderlust for Irish. It is such a cool language connected to such an amazing culture. As a terribly rusty advanced beginner in Irish, I might have to start over from basics....
Anyway, I miss Ireland and Irish.

I do still love Ireland (and I definitely think you should come back to Irish... give in to the wanderlust, even as I try not to myself), and I think a lot of my issues with the country are more of a personal thing than anything else. Or a problem with Dublin and just how damn expensive everything is here, without the salaries to match. But, really, the main issue is that it's difficult to find hobbies and such, and break into friend groups. Especially being a 30 year old expat. I'm beginning to understand why expats generally stick together when they move, even if they can speak the local language. It's just difficult to get into friend groups where they've known each other and hung out for years. I've had some success, but all of them come from Irish-language oriented things and while I probably could live my entire life through Irish except a few things (shopping and interactions with my house mate), it also puts a limit on what I can do because it's a minority language. There's not any martial arts groups, for instance, nor any board game groups. There are the GAA teams, but I've injured my foot in 2021 and it still hasn't completely healed to enable decent running. And most convesation in Irish somehow always turns to talking about the language as well. Which I love, but does get somewhat old. It's another change I'm going to make this year hopefully at the conversation circles. Less talk about Irish in Irish.

One of the big regrets of my life is that I never got a PhD in linguistics. My life has been great, but I was good at that whole graduate school thing, and it would have been a great experience, even if I never tried to climb the whole academic ladder. There are so many things that I only got to look at superficially during my MA in second language studies. My MS in computer science that I got a few years later was a completely different direction, and it might have been better to stay focused on linguistics. I could have skipped a couple of years of decadence in Asia to spend in graduate school.

Anyway, I just wish I had completed a terminal degree.

This is the big thing, honestly, especially being 30. I don't want to look back at the time I spent in Europe (especially as I'm leaning towards moving back to the States for reasons I've talked about here previously) and regret not taking this amazing opportunity. Even if it ends at the masters, it'd be a huge regret for me not to do it

It's also funny how you have such different MAs, and ended up teaching as well. My undergrad was in physics with a minor in Irish. My first masters was my teaching one, then I did the one here in Applied Math and Theoretical Physics (focusing heavily on the applied maths part), and now I'm considering Celtic Studies for a third one (and PhD). My research topic would be very philology-based, as opposed to cultural based, as I'm interested in idioms and commonalities across the Celtic languages, particularly before mass amounts of English influence (so I want Middle Welsh/Breton and Old Irish, which Brest offers). Though I'm unsure if I have any desire to do academia. It'd be nice to be a professor and teach and research, but the politics and other stuff do not appeal to me. I'd almost rather just return to high school teaching in the States and use my holidays to do the research that interests me, without being beholden to a funding organisation or 'publish and perish'. It's really a tough decision though, as going to France now does likely mean I give up on Irish citizenship, etc., and thus means I likely will have to return to the States at one point, even if I change my mind again. And, if there's one thing about me...I'm fickle. For instance, your log has already gotten me interested in picking up Japanese again, despite my already overly ambitious goals for 2023.