Class Handouts

When feasible and appropriate, handouts from your class may be posted on the site. Depending on space and other considerations, we don't expect to keep most handouts up indefinitely, but we will try to give you an opportunity to get the materials you need if you happen to miss class.

02/12/07

Will's Class

Latest Developments | C urrent Core Conversation | Possible Questions | Back to Will's Class |

The Core Conversation

Latest developments

We have been working on questions you ask after a break. That is, if everyone has a few weeks off for Christmas break, say, what kinds of questions do you ask when you return?

Current Focus

We've tried out some questions on the break topic, so figure out what questions you would want to be able to ask what you expect to have to answer, and put that into Irish.

Meanwhile, we'll be reviewing the "Core Conversation". Remember, the goal is to have rote answers for most of these questions. Don't try to come up with something different to say every time.

Current Core Conversation

Here's what we are using as our standard conversation so far -- without the "break" questions worked in.

Basic
Dia dhuit.	Dia 's Muire dhuit.
Cén t-ainm atá ort?/Cad is ainm duit?	Mise X/X is ainm atá orm/X is ainm dom.
Cén aois thú? (Cén aois atá agat?)	Tá mé X bliana d'aois.
An bhfuil tú pósta?	Tá/Níl.
An Minnesotanach ó dhuchas thú?	Is mé/ Ní mé . . . Rugadh mé i . . .
Cén sórt oibre atá agat? Cén post atá agat?	Is X mé. Tá mé i mo X. Tá mé ag obair ag X.
An maith leat an obair sin?	Is maith/Ní maith.
An bhfuil an obair sin deacair?	Tá/Níl.
An maith leat an samhradh i Minnesota?	Is maith/Ní maith.
Cén fáth? (either way)	(appropriate answer)
Is that a scar on your nose, or a spider?	(just checking)
An mbeidh tú ag dul ar saoire an samhradh seo?	Beidh/ní bheidh.
Cá rachaidh tú?/Cén áit?	Rachaidh mé/muid go . . .
Learning Irish
Cé chomh fada atá tú ag foghlaim Gaeilge? (An fada atá . . . . . . ag staidéar . . . . . . ag labhairt . . .)	Tá mé ag foghlaim/staidéar/labhairt Gaeilge le (time) anuas.
Cén fáth? Cén fáth a bhfuil tú ag foghlaim Gaeilge?	Is maith liom . . . Níl mé ro-ghlic . . . Tá an iomarca ama agam . . . Mar gheall ar go bhfuil . . .
An raibh tú in Éirinn ariamh?	Bhí/Ní raibh. (when, where, other details, if you wish)
(If appropriate) Ar labhair tú Gaeilge nuair a bhí tú in Éirinn?	Labhair/Ní labhair.
An bhfuil teanga eile agat?	Níl. Tá, tá X agam chomh maith/freisin/fosta.
(If the respondent has other languages, you can ask the same questions about "Were you ever in France, Germany, etc.? Did you speak X while you were there?")
Weather
An maith leat an aimsir anseo?	Is maith liom í nuair a bhíonns sé . . . Ní maith liom í nuair a bhionns sé . . Is fearr liom an aimsir i X.
Cén fáth?	(much as above)

Possible Questions

This is a basic list of questions we have considered for our core conversation. You can use these for ideas to add to your own repertoire, even if we haven't done them in class yet..

Common follow up questions are nested under the topics that provoke them.

Introductions and Personal information

Hi, how are you?
Your name
Your age
Where you live, and where you came from.
- How long, where you live now?
- What brought you here (if not in ancestral home)?
- Where is that, what is it near?
- What's the weather like?
- Do you like it?
What is your job, what work do you do?
- How long? Do you like it? Is it a good job?
- I don't understand, can you explain a little more?
- Big company? Small?
- Do you like the people you work with?
What pastimes do you have? What do you like to do?
- Why?
- How long? How often?
- Solitary vs. group activity.
Do you take a vacation every year? Where do you go?
- Why?
- How long are you usually away?
- What do you like to do on vacation?
Your family
How long have you been learning Irish?

After Break

Did you have a nice break?
Did you go anyplace?
Did you visit family?
Did you do anything special, any special entertainment?

Boilerplates

(Expand each of these into several questions.)

Do you like X? (food, entertainment, bugs - list categories)
I don't like X. What do you think about it?
Have you seen X (movie, etc.)? Heard X (music, radio show)? Read X (book)? Gone to X (place, travel)?
- Did you like it? Why, why not?
- What X have you always meant to Y? e.g., book to read, film to see, skill to learn . . .
I hear a lot about X, but I've never seen (read, heard, etc.) it. Can you tell me why it is so popular?

Useful Responses

Continue, you don't say, etc.
I didn't understand that. What does that mean?
Really? You serious? Are you saying that . . .?
I don't know much about that. Tell me about it, tell me more.
I don't really want to get into an argument about that.
That's the same as saying . . .?
Follow-ups:
- Why?
- How?
- How long?
- When did that happen, when did you start?
- Can you tell me more about that?
- Do you like it?
- Is there something else you'd rather do/see/visit, etc.

You Speak Irish!

How long have you been studying Irish? Why are you learning Irish?
Have you ever been to Ireland?
Do you speak any other languages?

A little more challenging . . .

What activity (hobby, pastime) would you like to try, that you haven't done already?
Name someone you really admire.
- Why?
If you could meet anyone in the world, who would that be?
- What would you like to ask that person?
What job or profession would you really like to have?
- Why?
Tell me a story, one of your legends.
If you won the lottery (the sweepstakes), what would you do next?
What is your opinion about X? Do you believe that Y? (provocative subjects, like smoking in public places; drivers, politicians)
Do you think today's young people are as X as we were, when we were younger?