Beginner's Gaelic (Hippocrene Beginners Language Series)

Beginner's Gaelic (Hippocrene Beginners Language Series)
by James MacLaren

Beginner's Gaelic (Hippocrene Beginners Language Series)
List Price: $14.95
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions

Buy Beginner's Gaelic (Hippocrene Beginners Language Series) at Amazon.com
(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: James MacLaren
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1999-07
ISBN: 0781807263
Number of pages: 232
Publisher: Hippocrene Books
Product features:

Book Reviews of Beginner's Gaelic (Hippocrene Beginners Language Series)

Book Review: The Latest Edition of an Excellent Grammar
Summary: 5 Stars

Earlier reviewers are probably right in suggesting that this may not be the best book for complete beginners. For instance, when this book first appeared nearly a century ago (in 1911), its readers, even with an elementary school education, would probably have had a grasp of basic grammatical concepts that today even most college graduates lack (exceptions being made, of course, for linguists and other students of language). But for someone who has a firm grasp of grammatical concepts and enjoys the systematic approach of a traditional grammar, this book will not disappoint.

Since my interest is primarily in the older written language, it is this book's traditional approach to the grammar of Gaelic that initially attracted my attention. Overall, the presentation of the grammar looks to be fairly thorough. The fact that this book predates the spelling reforms later imposed is an additional definite plus for learning to read the older literature (my own focus being on poetry). There are a total of 54 lessons, exercises in reading and translation, a nice table of irregular verbs, Gaelic-English and English-Gaelic vocabularies, and a key to the exercises.

An earlier reviewer said not to purchase this edition by Hippocrene, 1999, because there was a later edition. In my case I purchased this book yesterday in a local bookstore and find that I have the 4th printing (2006) of this Hippocrene reprint (1999) of the "New Revised Fourth Edition" of 1935. (It's probably safe to assume that the author, James MacLaren, will not be revising this further!)

So while this book does not anticipate the needs of many modern students of Gaelic (how could it?), it does appear to meet my needs and I suspect perhaps the needs of others of a similar predisposition.

- - - - - - - - - -
Some comments related to earlier reviews: It's a pity so many reviewers of books on learning foreign languages (I've read a good many here on Amazon over the years) will disparage a book and give it a low rating if it doesn't cater to their particular learning preferences. Why can't people accept diversity and realize that what works for one might be anathema to another?

For example, an approach that makes me want to gag myself with a spoon is the making of vocabulary cards -- been there, done that -- and it never worked for me -- but others report great success! Also, I personally do not like the watered down, look-say, approach of so many current learning materials -- but that does not give me the right to give such items a low rating! To me, to do so would be arrogantly unethical.

In my case, give me a decent grammar, dictionary, and something good to read in the target language and I'm content.

So, to each our own, I say.
Peace and long life!

Summary of Beginner's Gaelic (Hippocrene Beginners Language Series)

The 54 chapters and exercises in this introduction to the Gaelic language are presented in a step-by-step format, from basics to more complex grammar lessons, making this book a valuable guide for classroom use and for individuals learning on their own.

General Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Scottish Gaelic Language & Culture
The Modern Gaelic-English Dictionary: Specially Recommended for Learners, Containing Pronunciation, Irregular Verb Tables, Grammatical Information, Examples ... Usage (Gairm (Series), Leabhar 108.) ImageThe Modern Gaelic-English Dictionary: Specially Recommended for Learners, Containing Pronunciation, Irregular Verb Tables, Grammatical Information, Examples ... Usage (Gairm (Series), Leabhar 108.)
by Robert C. Owen
Gairm Publications; Published: 1993-06; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops: $29.95
Lazy Way to Gaelic ImageLazy Way to Gaelic
by Flann O'Riain, George Jones
Lolfa; Published: 1995-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $69.20
Gaelic Identities: Aithne Na Ngael ImageGaelic Identities: Aithne Na Ngael
by Maolcholaim Scott
Dufour Editions; Published: 2001-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $19.95
Scottish Gealic to English and English to Scottish Gaelic Dictionary ImageScottish Gealic to English and English to Scottish Gaelic Dictionary
French & European Pubns; Published: 1991-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $59.95
Hippocrene Children's Illustrated Scottish Gaelic Dictionary: English - Scottish Gaelic/Scottish Gaelic - English ImageHippocrene Children's Illustrated Scottish Gaelic Dictionary: English - Scottish Gaelic/ Scottish Gaelic - English
Hippocrene Books; Published: 1999-07; Hardcover; Book
Price in other shops: $14.95
Dic Scottish Gaelic English English Scottish Gaelic ImageDic Scottish Gaelic English English Scottish Gaelic
by R. W. Renton, J. A. Macdonald
Hippocrene Books; Published: 1994-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops: $9.95
Illustrated Gaelic-English Dictionary ImageIllustrated Gaelic-English Dictionary
by Edward Dwelly
Gairm Publications; Published: 1994-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $186.72
Rob Roy MacGragor: His Life and Times ImageRob Roy MacGragor: His Life and Times
by W H Murray
Canongate U.S.; Published: 1993; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.39
Price in other shops: $11.95
Hugo Language Course: Scottish Gaelic In Three Months ImageHugo Language Course: Scottish Gaelic In Three Months
by DK Publishing
DK ADULT; Published: 1999-06-01; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops: $14.95
Teach Yourself Gaelic Complete Course ImageTeach Yourself Gaelic Complete Course
by NTC Publishing group
McGraw-Hill Companies; Published: 1995-01-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $20.25
Price in other shops: $27.95
Similar Books and other products
Gaelic-English/English-Gaelic Dictionary (Hippocrene Practical Dictionary) ImageGaelic-English/ English-Gaelic Dictionary (Hippocrene Practical Dictionary)
by Dougal Buchanan
Hippocrene Books; Published: 1999-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.24
Price in other shops: $12.95
Teach Yourself Irish Complete Course, CD package ImageTeach Yourself Irish Complete Course, CD package
by Diarmuid O Se, Joseph Sheils, Diarmuid O Se, Joseph Sheils
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2004-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.91
Price in other shops: $27.95
Highlanders: A History of the Gaels ImageHighlanders: A History of the Gaels
by John Macleod
Hodder Headline; Published: 1997-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.88
Price in other shops: $17.99
Irish-English/English-Irish Easy Reference Dictionary, New Edition ImageIrish-English/ English-Irish Easy Reference Dictionary, New Edition
by The Educational Company of Ireland
Roberts Rinehart Publishers; Published: 1998-11-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.46
Price in other shops: $16.95
Irish Grammar: A Basic Handbook ImageIrish Grammar: A Basic Handbook
by Noel McGonagle
Hippocrene Books; Published: 1998-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.19
Price in other shops: $9.95
Everyday Gaelic ImageEveryday Gaelic
by Morag MacNeill
Birlinn Publishers; Published: 2006-08-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.69
Price in other shops: $23.95
Colloquial Scottish Gaelic: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series) ImageColloquial Scottish Gaelic: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series)
by K. Spadaro
Routledge; Published: 2001-03-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.68
Price in other shops: $29.95
Teach Yourself Gaelic Complete Course Audiopack ImageTeach Yourself Gaelic Complete Course Audiopack
by Boyd Robertson, Iain Taylor
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2003-11-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.91
Price in other shops: $27.95
Dic Scottish Gaelic English English Scottish Gaelic ImageDic Scottish Gaelic English English Scottish Gaelic
by R. W. Renton, J. A. Macdonald
Hippocrene Books; Published: 1994-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.94
Price in other shops: $9.95
Teach Yourself Gaelic Dictionary (TY: Dictionaries) ImageTeach Yourself Gaelic Dictionary (TY: Dictionaries)
by Boyd Robertson, Iain McDonald
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2004-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.12
Price in other shops: $12.95
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories