Folks often ask what's the best book or the best tape to acquire for the learning of Scottish Gaelic. That's a hard question to answer definitively, because each of the items below has strengths and weaknesses.

Usually, the SG learner who must work without benefit of a teacher (which describes most of us) is going to want to own at least two or more of these items. They compliment each other, and one's learning will be enhanced by exploring the different approaches and topics covered in the various courses. Some are more heavily weighted in the grammar department, and some go more towards conversational Gaelic. My initial recommendation would be for the beginner in the US first to purchase the texts most easily available over-the-counter in the US: TEACH YOURSELF GAELIC (Robertson and Taylor -- with the audiotapes!) and Renton and MacDonald's SCOTTISH GAELIC-ENGLISH/ENGLISH-SCOTTISH GAELIC DICTIONARY. They're both very reasonably priced and will get you up and running. As to where to go from there -- read on!

Following the book reviews below are some suggested books for starting a beginner's library.

Gaelic Instructional Books, Tapes and Videos

• SPEAKING OUR LANGUAGE is a massive, made-for-television language-learning series consisting of 72 twenty-five-minute videotaped shows, supporting audiotapes and coursebooks, published by Canan, the publishing arm of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Scottish Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

  Divided into Series 1 through 4, consisting of 18 twenty-five-minute shows per series, the first half of the series -- lessons 1 through 36 -- are currently available in North American video format. The value of seeing Scottish Gaelic being spoken by live people just cannot be stressed enough. Priced at between $35.00 and $49.00 for each two-tape, nine-episode set, and worth every penny. The supporting audio tapes, numbering two-or-three 90-minute tapes per series, covering the same material as in the videos, but more compactly, are designed to be usable without the books or videos. They are priced around $35.00 per series, and excellent.

  The great value in SOL as an approach to the language is that the learner gets to see as well as hear the words spoken as they would appear and sound in real life. The series consists primarily of dramatized scenes, with extensive opportunity to hear and observe Gaelic being used in real-life situations. And the sheer largeness of the course allows for taking your time in learning, and for absorbing a wide variety of Gaelic idioms.

  SOL can be expensive if you purchase several of the videos. The video lessons beyond lesson 36 are in the European (PAL) video format, and will have to be re-recorded (converted) into the North American video format (NTSC), which, though doable by your local photo shop, can add substantially to the overall cost. An alternative to conversion is if a group of people want to purchase lessons 37-up, they can each buy the video, then pool their funds to convert one copy of the tape(s), from which all members of the group can each make a copy for themselves. Cànan does not officially approve of this approach, but as long as they're receiving payment for each original tape that is acquired by any group member, this way is ethically clean.

  Both Cànan, the publisher, and the Gaelic Books Club, a major mail-order outlet, offer bargain deals for part or all of Series One's learning materials. These prices can be confirmed by accessing Cànan's web site, or by e-mailing the GBC, both of which may be done from our Mail Order web site (see next paragraph).

  The only knock on SOL is that it is light in the grammar department -- but that shortcoming is well-compensated for by the superior help you receive in learning everyday spoken Scottish Gaelic. The Scottish Gaelic Learners Association Gaelic Classes use both the videos and the books as a substantial part of the coursework. The SOL materials are available from a number of mail-order and web site sources, including from Cànan, whose mail order and web site addresses may be found on our Mail Order page.

• The complete book and tape set of TEACH YOURSELF GAELIC, by Robertson and Taylor (NTC Pub.). An unbeatable value at $26.00. Rather disorganized, but full of useful stuff. It tries to cram too much material into its 300+ pages, and consequently, it's hard for the new learner, working solo, to get beyond the early lessons without becoming overwhelmed. But as a reference book -- the kind you like to browse through to pick up random information and useful phrases -- it's excellent. And some learners swear by it for use in a class setting, though I've found it a little ambitious to use in a beginning-level class. Available over-the-counter in the USA -- Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com carry it. Also easily special-ordered through your local bookstore. Caution -- don't buy it without the tapes!

• BUN-CHURSA GAIDHLIG, by Bill Blacklaw (Glasgow University) Simple, clear approach to grammar. An underrated and excellent first grammar text for the beginner.. Around $17.00. Excellent for the learner with little knowledge of any sort of grammar in general. This is the class grammar text in use in the Gaelic classes offered through the Scottish Gaelic Learners Association. Available by mail order.

• GAIDHLIG TROIMH CHOMHRADH (GAELIC THROUGH CONVERSATION), Books One, Two, and Three. Conversational Gaelic course. Best pronunciation tapes available. Catriona Parsons has a lovely speaking voice, and is her manner is clear and precise. Virtually every word in the book is also recorded on the three lengthy audiotapes that accompany each book. Especially helpful to isolated learners who have no access whatever to someone who can teach them how to pronounce Gaelic. The down-side is that few people in the Gaelic-speaking areas (the Gaidhealtachd) of Scotland will speak so slowly and precisely in everyday conversation as does Parsons on the tapes -- consequently, you'll learn how to pronounce Gaelic, but not how it actually sounds when someone is speaking it to you, at a normal rate of speech. For that, SPEAKING OUR LANGUAGE will be of the most help. The series is shy on grammar, but when augmented by BUN-CHURSA GAIDHLIG it's a worthy addition to your library. Available by mail order from the Nova Scotia Gaelic College (see our Mail Order site). The price for each of the three book-and-tape sets can range from $30-$45.00. Each set contains one book, and three 90 minute tapes.

• EVERYDAY GAELIC by Morag MacNeill (Gairm Pubs.) A phrasebook rather than an instructional book. It contains a categorical listing of useful Gaelic phrases, indexed by topic, i.e. shopping, writing, traveling, etc. Fun to browse through. Not a coursebook. There are no explanations, beyond a cursory grammar section near the front of the book -- it resembles the type of book you'd buy for a trip abroad, to help you to be able to communicate with the locals. Phonetic pronunciations are included. Around $23.00 Available by mail-order.

• SCOTTISH GAELIC IN THREE MONTHS by Roibeard O Maolalaigh (Hugo Pub.) Another useful book and tape set. Covers some important points of grammar that the others miss. If your inclination is towards grammar, this book is especially helpful. The UK version sells for around $15.00 -- with the two accompanying tapes, $39.00. A US version published by DK publishing, selling for $15.00 and $25.00 in its respective formats, has gone in and reportedly out of print within a year of its initial publishing in the US -- one hopes that those issues will be sorted out soon so that the set will be available regularly in the US.
• DEALBH IS FACAL (PICTURE AND WORD), By Heather Amery and Iain MacDhòmhnaill (Acair Pubs.). A delightful,large format children's book. Each page is themed by locale, activity or subject, and is full of cute pictures with accompanying names in Gàidhlig. Approximately 1000 words covered. Excellent vocabulary builder -- a great resource. Designed for children, but adults will love it. Around $18.00 by mail order.

• COTHROM IONNSACHAIDH by Ronald Black (University of Edinburgh). The final word in grammar-based, instructional texts. An excellent, comprehensive, surprisingly user-friendly college textbook. Designed to be the coursebook for the first-year Gaelic classes held at the University of Edinburgh. Packed with tons of useful info. The serious Gaìdhlig learner will find it absolutely indispensable. Depending on whom you acquire it from, the price for the book can range from 20 dollars to nearly 40 dollars. Worth it, an any price. There is a set of four audiotapes available, for around 15-20 dollars extra, but they are not as useful as the tapes in some of the above courses. They consist primarily of recitations of word lists. Available by mail order.

To get your Gaelic learners library started, the first thing to do is to go out to your local book store and pick up (or special order) a copy of Teach Yourself Gaelic, with tapes. It's not perfect, but you'll be glad you have it, later, if not sooner, and it'll give you a flavor of the look and sound of Gaelic while you're waiting for your mail orders to arrive.

My next recommendation is to get yourself into the SOL series as soon as you can, especially if you are working on your own. You can acquire SOL lessons 1-9 on videotape in North American format for around $35.00 by mail order (Siol Cultural Enterprises in Nova Scotia is a good source. The supporting SOL audiotapes will also be a great help, but they're not essential at this point. Round that off with a copy of BUN-CHURSA GAIDHLIG for answering your questions on elementary grammar, and you'll be in good shape to get started. When you are feeling more confident, in addition to hopefully building your SOL library (finances allowing), you will eventually want to acquire COTHROM IONNSACHAIDH.

As I mentioned above, the key to getting a solid grasp of Gaelic while working on your own is to draw from a variety of texts -- they each have much to give, and each have gaps. The more you investigate and absorb, the more you'll benefit.

Recreational Reading

The term "Recreational Reading" is perhaps wishful thinking for the newcomer to any language, and Gaelic is certainly no exception. Being more work than play in the early going, reading Gaelic will obviously present a struggle, but also be of great benefit to the new learner. The following are a few texts that work well for reading practice, especially after the learner has had a little while to accustom him-or-herself to the language.

• FEALLA-DHA NO TRI (A JOKE OR TWO [OR THREE]) by Dòmhnall Greumach (Leabhraichean Beaga, Pub.) A silly joke book, but good practice for the beginner with a little Gaelic already under his-or-her belt. Some of the jokes are clever; most are real groaners. Those of us who grew up reading the joke and riddle books of Bennett Cerf will recognize the same tone in this book. The jokes are short, and in idiomatic but not impenetrable Gaelic, which makes this a good practice book for those who already have a little Gaelic. Around $4.00. Available by mail order.

• BIOBALL NA CLOINNE (CHILDREN'S BIBLE) by Pat Alexander and Anna NicSuain (Acair, Pub.) Whether you've been raised with the Bible or not, it's such a familiar document to many people, that reading a story version of it in simple Gaelic is easier to approach than would be many another text. The price is right, and the opportunity to read side-by-side with the actual Bible gives the reader a head start. You'll want to have a dictionary by your side, but the Gaelic is not dense, and there are lots of pictures. Around $20.00. Available by mail order.

Gaelic Dictionaries

• SCOTTISH GAELIC-ENGLISH DICTIONARY by Renton and MacDonald (Hippocrene Books). A must for beginners, and the only other Scottish Gaelic book besides TYG that you can find in your local bookstore in the USA. Around $9.00. The most commonly available beginner's dictionary. Barnes and Noble carries it, as do many smaller bookstores . Easily special-ordered through your local bookstore. Also available by mail order from Scotland under its original title, ABAIR!

• NEW ENGLISH-GAELIC DICTIONARY by Derick S. Thomson (Gairm Pubs.)

  And --

• THE MODERN GAELIC-ENGLISH DICTIONARY by Robert C. Owen (Gairm Pubs.). These two texts, though created separately over 10 years apart, have been recently reformatted to serve as two volumes of the same text. Priced under $20.00 each, they are highly recommended for the learner who desires a dictionary a little more sophisticated than Renton and MacDonald's. Both are available by mail-order. Owen's text has an excellent explanation of how Gaelic verbs work appendixed at the end of the book -- worth the price just for that alone.

• DWELLY'S GAELIC-ENGLISH DICTIONARY by Edward Dwelly (Gairm Pubs.; and Birlinn Pubs.), a massive work, considered the final word in Gaelic-English dictionaries. For the serious student of Gaelic (as well as the more committed part-time learner), Dwelly's is an eventual must-buy. Available by mail-order -- anywhere in price from $30.00 to $50.00 paperbound.

• AN STOR-DATA BRIATHRACHAIS GAIDHLIG (THE GAELIC TERMINOLOGY DATABASE) (Published by Clò Ostaig) Another massive work, sponsored by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye, Stòr-Data is a recently prepared 90,000-word wordlist, organized in book-form like a dictionary. It contains terms for scientific, industrial, medical, political and other professional disciplines, as well as most of the words a standard dictionary would carry. As well as quite a few you won't find in a regular dictionary. Though it doesn't give the detail in its definitions that a dictionary would give, its sheer variety of entries make it a worthy companion to Dwelly's and another must-buy for the serious learner of Gaelic. Available by mail-order -- around $40.00 paperbound.

• GAELIC-ENGLISH/ENGLISH-GAELIC DICTIONARY by Dougal Buchanan (Hippocrene Books). A fun read. Really more a word-list than a dictionary, it's especially enjoyable for just browsing through and finding new words to play with. It shouldn't be a first choice for dictionary, despite its petite size, inexpensive price ($12.95), and impressive collection of terms, because it gives only the bare necessary information on each headword -- just gender and definition. Renton and MacDonald's dictionary is much more comprehensive, but has far fewer headwords. Get this one when you need to find a word quickly, but need little in the way of background info. Like Teach Yourself Gaelic, it's great for browsing. Available domestically in the U.S. over the counter, online, or by special order.

Acquiring Gaelic dictionaries can operate pretty much on a timetable. You may start out with Renton & MacDonald, an excellent beginners dictionary. When you feel the need for a more flexible dictionary, purchase as a pair the Owen Gaelic-English and the Thomson English-Gaelic. And finally, when you're ready for a truly comprehensive dictionary, pick up Dwelly's and Stòr-data.
(And have someone put Buchanan in your Christmas stocking) --