(MODERATORS NOTE: This topic was split off from an earlier one about an online test which can be found here:
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I thought Faber's thoughts on building blocks deserved its own space.)Samhlaim go bhfuil sé an ceart agat. But, I find if I can speak with anyone it helps. For me the thing is the using of the language coming out of my mouth and into my ears. As I've said before here, it is almost as though the writing and reading of it is a different language. What I lack are the simple building blocks of conversation, that I am hoping will come in time. I try to pick a few of those off of Gaeilge Amháin on Facebook. There are some very very good writers and a few of them are native speakers of Irish.
The building blocks are little phrases like:
I would if I could.
At least
What I lack are the basic building blocks
For the most part
My frustration in Irish is that I don't know how to say the most basic things. Things that you'd say in a household. I'm making a huge list and when I'm hopefully back in the Donegal Gaeltacht this coming summer, I'll ask the little grandson again how he'd say a list of about 500 things.
"It's up there on the top shelf"
"Can you guys come over here and help me start this tractor"
"Hey, come help, she can't start the car"
"Go hook up the disk and help me plow this field"
"I'm not sure I want to use the welder or not"
"I just saw a deer run under my back fence"
"Sometimes my back hurts so much I need to sleep on the sofa"
"It's time to worm all these cows"
"There's more jam in the jar on the middle shelf in the fridge"
I know this sounds crazy, but those sentences would take me so long to figure out the conversation
would have moved on to the next county by the time I figured them out. They need to flow mindlessly out of my mouth
if I ever hope to speak smoothly. But.....maybe I'll learn one more thing today!