Learning Manx

Lessoon Daa Yeig / Lesson Twelve

2006-05-07T23:29:00.000+01:00

C'raad t'eh?

C'raad = where (cre 'what' + raad 'road' / 'place' = c'raad)
t'eh? = is he?

Vel shiu cummal ayns Doolish?

Vel = are

shiu = you (plural / formal)

ayns = in

Doolish? = Douglas?

Cha nel. Ta shin cummal ayns Rhumsaa.

Cha nel = (am not) / (is not) / are not

Ta shin = we are

cummal = living (literally holding / keeping)

ayns = in

Rhumsaa = Ramsey

There are three main types of placename in the Isle of Man; Manx, Norse and English. Many of the English placenames are fairly new, and have been pasted over the Manx names by ignorant officials. There is a link for Manx placenames here, and another here. The major towns in Manx are Doolish (Douglas), Rhumsaa (Ramsey), Balley Chastel (Castletown), Purt ny h-Inshey (Peel), Kione Droghad (Onchan), Laksaa (Laxey), Purt Chiarn (Port Erin) and Purt le Moirrey (Port St Mary). Neighbouring countries are Nerin (Ireland), Nalbin (Scotland), Sostyn (England), Bretin (Wales) and Y Rank (France).

Lessoon Nane Jeig / Lesson Eleven

2006-05-07T22:41:00.000+01:00

Shoh my lught thie

Shoh = Here (is)

my = my

lught thie = family

Shoh my neen

neen = girl (my neen = my daughter)

Shoh my vac.

mac = son (after my, mac changes to vac.)

Shoh my ghooinney.

dooinney = man (after my, dooinney changes to ghooinney, my ghooinney = my husband)

Shoh my ven.

ben = woman (after my, ben changes to ven, my ven = my wife)

Aareayrt as Roartys 1-10 / Review and Practice 1-10

2006-05-07T21:52:00.000+01:00

If you have worked your way through lessons 1 - 10 you have made a good start at learning Manx. Here are some of the key points again:

ta = am / is / are

vel ... ? = am ...? / is ... ? / are ...?

mee = me / I
oo = you
eh = he
ee = she

ta mee = I'm t'ou = you're t'eh = he's t'ee = she's

vel mee? = am I? vel oo?= are you? vel eh? = is he? vel ee? = is she?

Kys ... ? = How ... ?

ec = at, aym = at me, ayd = at you,

er = on, orrym = on me, ort = on you, er = on him, urree = on her.

There is another way of saying 'is', which is she. Knowing when to use she and when to use ta comes with experience. With she, mee changes to mish, oo to uss, eh to eshyn and ee to ish.

Try putting Manx on this short conversation:

Juan: Good morning, how are you?
Tom: I'm fine thanks, how are you?
Juan: Going and grumbling. And how is your woman, Aalish?
Tom: She's going well.
Juan: She's a good woman.
Tom: She is.
Juan: Good night Tom.
Tom: Good night.

Try making some other new conversations or just sentences.
You will find that you some words and phrases are easier to remember than others, and maybe that some things seem too difficult. Don't bother too much with the things you find difficult just now. Pick out the phrases you prefer and practice them. You will find that the things you find difficult will become easier as you get the flavour of the language.

Lessoon Jeih / Lesson Ten

2006-05-06T22:33:00.000+01:00

C'red ta jannoo ort?

c'red = what (thing) (cre + red = c'red)

ta = is

jannoo = doing

ort = on you

(What's the matter?)

B'vie lhiam gra ...

B'vie = Would be good (mie changes to vie after B')

lhiam = with me

gra = (at) saying

(I'd like to say ...)

Ta graih aym ort.

Ta = is

graih = love

aym = at me

ort = on you (er + oo = ort)

(I love you)

Cum dty hengey!

cum = hold

dty = your

hengey = tongue ('çhengey' changes to 'hengey' after 'dty')

If you worked you way through all the lessons 1-10 you will have noticed some things about Manx that perhaps need a little bit of explaining.

There are fewer verbs in Manx than in English. For example, there is no verb 'to have', to say 'I have a book' you say 'Ta lioar aym' - '(there) is (a) book at me'.
There are Gaelic versions of many English names. Some Manx speakers are known by two names - the English version and the Manx version. This can be useful as you can know what language to use by the name the person addresses you by!
The Manx orthography (writing system) differs a lot from Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and from English and Welsh. It has elements of all of these, but you will find it more systematic than English, but much easier than the other Gaelics. Once you get used to it you will find it is extremely easy to use. Some Manx speakers would like to switch to either the Scottish or Irish orthography, and many Irish and Scottish Gaelgeyryn wish we would. The great advantage of the Manx writing system is that it preserves the Manxness of the language.
Manx grammar is very different to English grammar.
The first letters of words can change depending on the words around it. This is called 'mutation' or 'ceaghley' in Manx. For a beginner it seems very difficult. In time you will find that it is part of the beauty of the language, and come to love it.
There are many ways of saying the same thing in Manx. Of course this is true in most languages (eg 'Hi!', 'Hello', 'Good Day', 'Awright', etc. in English) but you will find the variety of nuances you can build into your Manx, the rythmic sound options, the 'ceaghley' etc make it an extremely expressive language with a huge scope for poetry and word play.
It really isn't a difficult language at all.

Lessoon Nuy

2006-05-06T21:29:00.000+01:00

Vel oo toiggal shoh?

Vel = (are) is (questions only)

oo = you

toiggal = understanding - (root of English 'twigging on')

shoh = this (also means 'here')

Cha nel monney Gaelg aym.

Cha nel = (there) is not

monney = much (negative sentences only)

Gaelg = Manx Gaelic

aym = at me (ec + mee = aym)

Ta mee gaase ny share.

ta = (am) is

mee = I

gaase = growing (ec + faase = gaase, literally 'at growing')

ny share = better

Ta mee gynsaghey.

Ta = (am) is

mee = I

gynsaghey = learning (ec + ynsaghey = gynsaghey)

Lessoon Hoght / Lessoon 8

2006-05-06T20:38:00.000+01:00

Cooin lhiam!

Cooin = (give) Help

lhiam = with (to) me

Fuirree minnid.

Furrie = wait

minnid = (a) minute

Cre'n cheeall t'ec shen?

Cre'n = What's the (cre = what, yn = the, cre + yn = cre'n)

cheeall = sense/meaning

t'ec = is at (ta = is, ec = at, ta + ec = t'ec)

shen = that

Cur Baarle er shen my sailt.

Cur = Put

Baarle = English (language)

er = on

shen = that

my sailt = please (singular / informal)

Abbyr shen reesht my salliu.

Abbyr = say

shen = that

reesht = again

my salliu = please (plural / formal)

Lessoon Shiaght / Lesson Seven

2006-04-08T20:50:00.000+01:00

T'eh ceau fliaghey
T'eh = It's (Ta = Is, eh = it/he, Ta + eh = T'eh)

ceau = casting

fliaghey = rain

Ta ram fliaghey er ve jeant jiu

Ta = Is

ram = a lot of

fliaghey = rain

er ve = after being

jeant = made / done

jiu = today

She laa feayr t'ayn

She = It is

laa = day

feayr = cold

t'ayn = is in

As you can see, both two ways of saying 'it's' in Manx are used in this lesson. She is used mostly with nouns (eg laa feayr) and T'eh mostly with verbs (eg ceau fliaghey).

Lessoon Shey / Lesson 6

2006-02-25T11:10:00.000Z

Notes:
ayd = 'at you' when you are speaking to one person, eu = 'at you' when speaking to more than one person. Oo is the regular form of you, shiu is the plural and polite form. Manx is less formal than most languages and the oo form is favoured in most situations, eer rish yn Aspick - 'even to the Bishop'.
oo + ec = ayd = 'at you'
shiu + ec = eu = 'at you' (plural)
my has a few different meanings, in this lesson it means 'my' in gow my leshtal and 'if' in my sailt. There are very few cases of words having more than one meaning in Manx, but this is one of them.
She dty vea, 'it's your life' is the Manx way of saying 'you're welcome'.
The words for 'my', 'your' and 'his' can change the following word, but the word for 'her' can't.
my = 'my'.
dty = 'your'
e = his
e = her
bea = 'life'
so we get;
my vea = my life
dty vea = your life
e vea = his life
e bea = her life

Gura mie eu / Gura mie ayd

gura mie eu = thank you (plural)

gura mie ayd = thank you

She dty vea

she = it's

dty = your

vea = life

My sailt

my = if

sailt = you please

Gow my leshtal

gow = take

my = my

leshtal = excuse

Lessoon Queig / Lesson 5

2006-02-24T14:27:00.000Z

Notes
Most aspects of our behaviour and character are subject to change, I may be happy now, but who knows about tomorrow. Gaelic languages use ta for 'is' / 'are' / 'am' for all these temporary conditions, and before actions (ta mee goll - I am going). For conditions that don't change the 'she' form is used because we are defining the noun. We say she ben vie ish, = 'is woman good she ' = 'she's a good woman' when we are saying what she is, but to say how she is we would use the ta form -t'ee mie - 'she's good'. These are not hard and fast rules, don't panic, Manx is a very flexible language.

She kayt Manninagh mish

she = it's

kayt Manninagh = (a) Manx cat

mish = me / I

Nee uss Americaanagh?

nee = is it?

uss = you

Americaanagh = (an) American

Cha nee Americaanagh eshyn

cha nee = isn't

Americaanagh = (an) American

eshyn = he / him

She ben Sostnagh ish

she = it's

ben Sostnagh = an English woman

ish = she

Lessoon Kiare / Lesson 4

2006-02-24T02:34:00.000Z

Notes:
cre (what) + yn (the) = cre'n
er = on
er Britney = on Britney
er + mee = orrym = on me
er + oo = ort = on you
er + ee = urree = on her
er + eh = er = on him
These combinations are great aren't they? In English it is considered slangy to contract 'on her' to 'onna', in Manx the opposite is true er ee; bad, urree; good.
Say these to yourself a few times and you'll find they roll off the tongue.
Most words here are said as an English speaker would read them. The y sound in orrym and ennym is hardly pronounced in either word, and is closer to the modern English 'u' than it is to 'y'. Say 'anonymous', now drop the 'an' and 'ous' parts and change the 'o' sound to an 'e' (as in 'bed') and you've got it.

Ta'n ennym er SpongeBob

Ta'n = is the

ennym = name

er = on him

Ta'n ennym urree Britney

ta'n = is the

ennym = name

urree = on her

Ta'n ennym orrym Elvis

ta'n = is the

ennym = name

orrym = on me

Cre'n ennym t'ort?

cre'n = what's the

ennym = name

t'ort = is on you

Lessoon Tree / Lesson 3

2006-02-24T00:03:00.000Z

Notes:
oo hene = yourself
mee hene = myself
eh hene = himself
ee hene = herself
gaccan is often written as g'accan because the g at the beginning of the word signifies the person is 'at their' grumbling right now.
The çh sound in çhing is soft, similar to the 'ch' in cherry. Some writers prefer to write it ch. These lessons will always use the çh form.

T'ee çhing

çhing = sick

T'eh mie dy liooar

mie = good

dy liooar = enough / plenty

Ta mee goll as gaccan

goll = going

as = and

gaccan = grumbling

Kys t'ou hene?

kys = how

t'ou = you're

hene = self

Lessoon Jees / Lesson 2

2006-02-23T21:27:00.000Z

Notes:
Just as in English we shorten phrases in Manx.
ta + oo = t'ou
ta + eh = t'eh
ta + ee = t'ee
kys is a shortened version of kanys.
Have a go:
Try saying 'I'm happy', 'he's tired', 'she's fine', 'I'm tired', 'she's happy' and 'he's fine'.

Kys ta Shorus?

kys = how

ta = is

Shorus = George

T'ee skee

t'ee = she's

skee = tired

T'eh gennal

t'eh = he's

gennal = happy /cheerful

Kys t'ou?

kys = how

t'ou = are you?

Ta mee braew gura mie ayd

ta = am / is / are

mee = me / I

braew = fine

gura mie ayd = thank you

Lessoon Nane / Lesson 1

2006-02-23T19:41:00.000Z

Notes:
Oie is a feminine noun, so the word for 'good', mie, changes to vie after it.
Fastyr mie can be used as a greeting anytime from noon onwards.
Moghrey is pronounced as 'morra' in the phrase moghrey mie. People unfamiliar with Manx sometimes think this word comes from the English 'morrow'. Actually it comes from moghey the Manx for 'early'.

Oie vie

Oie = Night

vie = good

Moghrey mie

moghrey = morning

mie = good

Fastyr mie

Fastyr = 'afternoon' / 'evening'

mie = 'good'

Welcome / Failt Erriu

2006-02-23T19:28:00.000Z

This blog is for learners of Manx Gaelic. There will be at least one new lesson per week. The lessons will begin with the very basics, so don't worry if you have never studied Manx before.

These lessons are free. If you wish to contribute to the Manx Language in some way please contact Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh via the website http://www.ycg.iofm.net/

Click on the phrase to hear how it sounds. Soundfile links are being added quite frequently, if the one you want isn't there yet please be patient. Unfortunately you will need quite a fast connection for accessing the files. The sound files direct you away from the lesson page, so you will need to open it again in another window. Even with a broadband connection they will take up to one minute to get going. For people having difficulty with the sound files CDs will be made available.

There will be some exercises in the course that you can post to me for posting on the site, or you could post them yourself and just send me the link. The purpose of these exercises is to create an online Manx learners community. Enjoy the lessons and please pass on any suggestions for improving the site.

Manx is quite an easy language to learn, easier in many ways than its sister languages Irish and Gaidhlig. The spelling system is quite easy, but beware of y which usually sounds like 'uh' or the 'e' in 'the', ey at the end of words which usually sounds like 'ya' or 'a', and watch out for double letters which are a bit unpredictable. Correct pronunciation, correct grammar and correct word choice are difficult in most languages, even for native speakers, so don't expect to speak perfectly all the time -