Saturday, 31 March 2007
Fourth Podcast Review - Chinese Pod
Chinese Pod is of course the King of podcasts. I was very interested from the start of the lessons. I love the lessons and the instruction given on the lessons. The main hosts are Ken Carroll, Jenny Zhu, John Pasden and Aric Queen. The Saturday Show is a very entertaining side of the Chinese Pod experience (Aric, Jenny and Colleen). The lessons cater for the Newbie right up to the most Advanced student. I did Chinese back in primary school but have forgotten some of it now so Chinese Pod is the place (where as much as I can) I learn Chinese. I do recommend Chinese Pod because of the great community and multitude of resources directed at learners of Chinese.
Friday, 23 March 2007
Irish - let's speak it!
Just the other day I saw two videos on AtomFilms. Both of them were by a guy called Daniel O'Hara. Daniel comes from Ireland and made 2 short films which he posted there.
The first one is called "Fluent Dysphasia".
Here is a plot summary by an IMDB member on IMDB:
A father in Ireland goes to watch a football match with his buddy while his daughter has to study Irish, or Gaelic - the ancient language of Ireland. After over-celebrating his club's victory, he awakes in the morning and finds he only speaks Irish, and that he doesn't even understand English. His buddy is aghast at this situation, believing his friend to have become possessed, but his daughter manages to translate his friend's assertion that this change may have been caused by a blow to the head during the revelries of the past evening's celebrations. They decide to hit him again, and use a frying pan for the job. Disastrous results ensue.
The second video is called "Yu Ming Is Ainm Dom" which in Irish means "My name is Yu Ming".
This plot summary is taken from Wikipedia:
Bored with his life in China, shop worker Yu Ming decides to visit a random country and picks Ireland by spinning a globe. He goes to the library where an atlas informs him that the official language of Ireland is "Gaelic". Consequently he learns and becomes perfectly fluent in Irish before his trip.
The film follows his adventures in trying to be understood in Dublin, where most of the population has little or no grasp of the language. For example, when he arrives at a Dublin hostel, Yu Ming says, "Ba mhaith liom leaba anseo" ("I would like a bed here"). The Australian receptionist assumes that Ming is speaking Chinese, and explains that he doesn't understand.
Yu Ming then heads to a bar in order to seek work and again his "Gaelic" lets him down. He asks the barman, "An bhfuil aon obair?" ("Is there any work?") and the barman stares blankly at him, not understanding a word. An old man at the end of the bar listens in awe as the Chinese man can speak the Irish mother tongue and he invites him for a drink and explains the misunderstanding.
I think that it is very important to keep a language like Irish alive because it could die out like it did in the second video. I also think that for those of you who live in Ireland that you should encourage your children to learn their mother tongue. If you are looking for a random language to learn it hopefully won't take a globe for you to choose but you may just choose Irish. If you're looking for a challenge then I recommend Irish.
I know that one reason that I am interested in learning Irish is because of the challenges that it brings with it. I see them as challenges but you may see it differently.
Irish - let's speak it!
The first one is called "Fluent Dysphasia".
Here is a plot summary by an IMDB member on IMDB:
A father in Ireland goes to watch a football match with his buddy while his daughter has to study Irish, or Gaelic - the ancient language of Ireland. After over-celebrating his club's victory, he awakes in the morning and finds he only speaks Irish, and that he doesn't even understand English. His buddy is aghast at this situation, believing his friend to have become possessed, but his daughter manages to translate his friend's assertion that this change may have been caused by a blow to the head during the revelries of the past evening's celebrations. They decide to hit him again, and use a frying pan for the job. Disastrous results ensue.
The second video is called "Yu Ming Is Ainm Dom" which in Irish means "My name is Yu Ming".
This plot summary is taken from Wikipedia:
Bored with his life in China, shop worker Yu Ming decides to visit a random country and picks Ireland by spinning a globe. He goes to the library where an atlas informs him that the official language of Ireland is "Gaelic". Consequently he learns and becomes perfectly fluent in Irish before his trip.
The film follows his adventures in trying to be understood in Dublin, where most of the population has little or no grasp of the language. For example, when he arrives at a Dublin hostel, Yu Ming says, "Ba mhaith liom leaba anseo" ("I would like a bed here"). The Australian receptionist assumes that Ming is speaking Chinese, and explains that he doesn't understand.
Yu Ming then heads to a bar in order to seek work and again his "Gaelic" lets him down. He asks the barman, "An bhfuil aon obair?" ("Is there any work?") and the barman stares blankly at him, not understanding a word. An old man at the end of the bar listens in awe as the Chinese man can speak the Irish mother tongue and he invites him for a drink and explains the misunderstanding.
I think that it is very important to keep a language like Irish alive because it could die out like it did in the second video. I also think that for those of you who live in Ireland that you should encourage your children to learn their mother tongue. If you are looking for a random language to learn it hopefully won't take a globe for you to choose but you may just choose Irish. If you're looking for a challenge then I recommend Irish.
I know that one reason that I am interested in learning Irish is because of the challenges that it brings with it. I see them as challenges but you may see it differently.
Irish - let's speak it!
Sunday, 11 March 2007
Shivna
I would like to share that I have discovered a new passion. I am going to start learning Irish. The reason that I was inspired to do this is because of a song called Shivna.
Shivna - Bill Whelan
The song can be found above.
The song was sung in the show Riverdance. The song was written in Middle Irish. I really like the arrangement of the song. Here are the lyrics in Middle Irish:
A Bhennáin, a bhúireadáin;
A bhéicedáin bhinn,
Is binn linn in cúicherán
Do ní tí 'sin ghlinn.
A dhragnéin, a dhelgnacháin,
(dil, dol, doh, roh day)
A mhinéin na chonaire
(dil, dol, doh, ray)
A dhriséoc, a dhruimnechóc
(dil, dol, doh, roh day)
A chaillech, a chuirrechennach
in raga for ech?
A Bhennáin, a bhúireadáin;
A bhéicedáin bhinn,
Is binn linn in cúicherán
Do ní tí 'sin ghlinn.
Is mé Suibhne sirthechán;
lúath reithim thar gleann;
Nochan é m'ainm dligthechán;
mó is ainm dam Fer Benn.
Here are the lyrics translated into English:
O little stag, thou little bleating one;
O melodious little clamourer,
sweet to us is the music
thou makest in the glen.
O little blackthorn, little thorny one,
O minen of the pathway,
O briar, little arched one,
O hag, O round-headed one,
wilt thou go on a steed?
O little stag, thou little bleating one;
O melodious little clamourer,
sweet to us is the music
thou makest in the glen.
I am Suibhne, a poor suppliant,
swiftly do I race across the glen;
that is not my lawful name,
rather is it Fer Benn.
Shivna - Bill Whelan
The song can be found above.
The song was sung in the show Riverdance. The song was written in Middle Irish. I really like the arrangement of the song. Here are the lyrics in Middle Irish:
A Bhennáin, a bhúireadáin;
A bhéicedáin bhinn,
Is binn linn in cúicherán
Do ní tí 'sin ghlinn.
A dhragnéin, a dhelgnacháin,
(dil, dol, doh, roh day)
A mhinéin na chonaire
(dil, dol, doh, ray)
A dhriséoc, a dhruimnechóc
(dil, dol, doh, roh day)
A chaillech, a chuirrechennach
in raga for ech?
A Bhennáin, a bhúireadáin;
A bhéicedáin bhinn,
Is binn linn in cúicherán
Do ní tí 'sin ghlinn.
Is mé Suibhne sirthechán;
lúath reithim thar gleann;
Nochan é m'ainm dligthechán;
mó is ainm dam Fer Benn.
Here are the lyrics translated into English:
O little stag, thou little bleating one;
O melodious little clamourer,
sweet to us is the music
thou makest in the glen.
O little blackthorn, little thorny one,
O minen of the pathway,
O briar, little arched one,
O hag, O round-headed one,
wilt thou go on a steed?
O little stag, thou little bleating one;
O melodious little clamourer,
sweet to us is the music
thou makest in the glen.
I am Suibhne, a poor suppliant,
swiftly do I race across the glen;
that is not my lawful name,
rather is it Fer Benn.
Saturday, 3 March 2007
Third Podcast Review - Learn modern and ancient Greek
Yes, I'm back now. And finally I have been able to find a podcast that teaches my mother tongue which is Greek. This podcast is called Learn Modern and Ancient Greek. It is from the website HitGreece.com. The interesting thing about this podcast is that it teaches both the modern and ancient Greek. Very interesting! I am very happy that the Greek text is provided along with romanization. However I would like to have pdfs with tables showing the ancient and modern Greek vocabulary/expressions apart. But overall it is a good podcast. I'll certainly continue with those lessons. Πολύ καλό podcast!
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