Learning Manx

Just a post to find other people who are trying to learn Manx

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Ta mee er ve gynsagh rish bunnys mee :slight_smile:

I’ve been doing it on and off for a month or two – I’ve finished what there is on SSi, which breaks off in a rather sudden, we-didn’t-quite-finish-this sort of way, and I’ve been looking half-heartedly at some other resources: there’s the free Glossika course (which sounds like it’s also @adriancain doing the recordings), and quite a few different things linked to on learnmanx.com (all very conventional-looking and un-SSi-like, I’m afraid); I’ve also been trying to supplement it (without necessarily confusing myself too much… I hope) by looking at a bit of Irish on Duolingo and Scots Gaelic on Glossika. I’ve recently come across (but not yet made any use of) a free course specifically on Ulster Irish, which shares some features with Manx and Scots that are not found in other dialects of Irish (including the written standard).

Of them all, I think the Scots Gaelic seems the most similar, apart from the fact that it has an even more conservative spelling system than Irish, and a really weird accent: I’m hoping a bit of Ulster might help!

How about you? Craa t’ou er ve jinnoo? [Which may or may not mean “What have you been doing?” :smile:]

Hello. I’m working my way very slowly through SSi Manx. My memory is very auditory (probably because I’m dyslexic), so I tend to listen to the lessons more than other people. I’ve experimented with the Glossika course, but it requires memorizing a lot of spelling, which isn’t my strong suit.

I have many many grammatical questions to which “Practical Manx” may or may not contain answers. (Honestly, it’s one of the least practical books I’ve ever read.) Have you found a decent grammatical book? Preferably one that was written this century?

Kit

Bannaghtyn voish Mannin
Just making contact with those that are learning some Manx Gaelic.
Gura mie ayd for your interest and commitment and hopefully at some stage in the future there will be more of the language available on SSI.
Most of you will be aware of the learnmanx.com website but you can also sign up for all the Gaelic news on our mailing list here
You are also more than welcome to speak to me at Culture Vannin at gaelg@culturevannin.im
Gura mie eu as yeearreeyn share son 2020
Adrian Cain

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Hello, Manx-learners. I have a question that I don’t know if anyone (except maybe Adrian Cain) can answer, but I’m putting it out there anyway. Guesses are welcome.

When, exactly, does Manx use the infinitive form of a verb? That is, the form that in English would normally begin with “to,” such as “to ask,” or “to try.” I can’t for the life of me figure out when Manx uses it and when it doesn’t, but obviously Manx is using it under different circumstances than English.

For example, numerous Level 1 challenges include the phrase, “I want to learn Manx,” as “Ta mee geearree gynsagh Gaelg,” which more literally means “Do I want learn Gaelg.” Normally, in English, we’d say we want TO learn Gaelg. So why isn’t the correct phrase “Ta me geearree dy ynsagh Gaelg”?

At first, I thought, Okay, so Manx doesn’t use the infinitive form when one verb follows another, but then I began hearing, “Ta me prowal dy ynsagh Gaelg.” It seems like sometimes the infinitive form of a verb follows another verb and sometimes it doesn’t. Can anyone tell me why? Or when?

All Kelly has to say about it is, “The Infinitive Mood is known commonly by the sign to, or by its following another verb in the same sentence without any nominative case between; and, though the verb stand unvaried as to itself, yet doth it admit of three tenses, viz., the present, the preter, and preterpluperfect tenses,” which might as well be in Manx. (How can there be a nominative case between the verbs?)

Thank you to anyone who responds.

Kit

Hi , I’m not an expert for Manx, I only learn with SsiW as you do, but I think, it’s the same like in Welsh. The infininitive form of the verb " to learn" is " gynsagh". or in Welsh " dysgu". You don’t need a preposition. But there are some verbs, that use in English " to " where you have to use “i " in Welsh or “dy " in Manx. Like in Welsh: " I’m going to do …” = “Dw i’n mynd i wneud…” These a mostly expressions where the word “to” doesn’t only mark the infinitive form but means something like " in order to” or " for the sake of" . There are lists of verbs in Welsh that need “i” if followed by another verb, I’m sure there are also lists for Manx, but for now I’d say don’t worry, repeat and learn what you hear and you will start to say it the right way without thinking; and even if you say it the wrong way, you will be understood

I’m sorry, I’ve had this thread open in a tab for literally months intending to reply, but have been too distracted by life in general and Scots Gaelic on Duolingo… Also, I had nothing very helpful to say, but I’m going to say it now anyway.

No. However, you have alerted me to the existence of Practical Manx, so now I guess at some point I’m going to have to find out for myself if I find it as impractical as you do. Otherwise all I’ve got is Kelly, on Archive.org, which I take to be what you’re citing below.

I think @brigitte may be on the right lines in seeing it as some sort of prepositional construction rather than an infinitive as such, but I have to say that practically every time I make a guess as to whether it should be gynsagh or dy ynsach I seem to get it wrong; and when I second-guess myself I invariably get it wrong… So I’m just as mystified.

My guess that he’s trying to distinguish it from some completely different construction, where you have a new subject (i.e. nominative) because the second verb is finite (so not an infinitive). Something like “I saw (that) he went” vs “I saw him go,” where the second one in traditional grammatical terminology would probably be seen as a “bare infinitive” in English, and would certainly translate into Welsh as a verbal noun rather than a finite verb. Kelly is a little obscure and old-fashioned in his explanations, isn’t he? :grimacing:

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Hi All.
Anyone still learning that would like to practice together some time?
I’m currently on Level 1 Challenge 7, and loving it.