{"id":10887,"date":"2018-09-30T07:05:09","date_gmt":"2018-09-30T07:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/?p=10887"},"modified":"2018-10-05T11:14:50","modified_gmt":"2018-10-05T11:14:50","slug":"review-a-charming-retelling-of-goldilocks-in-irish-with-animated-video-cinnin-oir-agus-na-tri-bhear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/review-a-charming-retelling-of-goldilocks-in-irish-with-animated-video-cinnin-oir-agus-na-tri-bhear\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: A charming retelling of Goldilocks in Irish with animated video (Cinn\u00edn \u00d3ir agus na Tr\u00ed Bh\u00e9ar)"},"content":{"rendered":"

(le R\u00f3isl\u00edn)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Cl\u00fadach an leabhair: https:\/\/www.forasnagaeilge.ie\/fuinn\/leitheoireacht-foilsitheoireacht\/an-gum\/cinnin-oir-agus-na-tri-bhear\/<\/a> ; t\u00e9acs Gaeilge na grafaice seo le R\u00f3isl\u00edn, 2018<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

A charming retelling of a classic tale, with an animated video, to boot.<\/p>\n

While I have enjoyed many Irish videos, animations, and cartoons, going back at least as far as \u201cBouli<\/em>\u201d (early 1990s),\u00a0 many of them have very rapid-paced dialogue and sometimes I\u2019m a bit reluctant to recommend them to elementary learners because the speakers can be difficult to understand.\u00a0 Of course, the mission of such cartoons is not to be educational as such, but to provide entertainment.\u00a0 Similarly, I probably wouldn\u2019t recommend that ESL learners start with Bugs Bunny or Groucho Marx, although it\u2019s always a good goal to strive for enjoying humor in the target language one is studying.<\/p>\n

But the 2017 book and video of Cinn\u00edn \u00d3ir agus na Tr\u00ed Bh\u00e9ar<\/em> (ISBN\u00a09781857919356) is a sheer delight for children, adult learners at the elementary level, or anyone who enjoys reading picture books. \u00a0The story is retold by \u00c1ine N\u00ed Ghlinn.\u00a0 The pictures by Laura Jane Phelan are lively and the text has a bouncy rhyme scheme, perhaps not poetry as such but with catchy pairs of sounds like \u201cdul a lu\u00ed<\/strong>\u201d and \u201ca haon, a d\u00f3, a tr\u00ed<\/strong>,\u201d or \u201cCinn\u00edn \u00d3ir<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cgo leor.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also some great pronunciation practice, with the alternating broad and slender b sounds (b leathan agus b caol<\/strong>).\u00a0 In particular the combinations \u201cbeag b\u00eddeach<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cbeag bu\u00ed<\/strong>\u201d occur numerous times.\u00a0 Both \u201cbeag<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cb\u00eddeach<\/strong>\u201d have a slender \u201cb\u201d sound, and \u201cbu\u00ed<\/strong>\u201d has a very broad \u201cb\u201d sound, like \u201cbwee.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also practice with s\u00e9imhi\u00fa<\/strong> (lenition) and ur\u00fa<\/strong> (eclipsis).\u00a0 The phrase \u201cbeag b\u00eddeach<\/strong>\u201d also shows up as \u201cbheag bh\u00eddeach<\/strong>\u201d (with s\u00e9imhi\u00fa<\/strong>) after \u201cleaba<\/strong>\u201d and \u201ccathaoir<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because \u201cleaba<\/strong>\u201d and \u201ccathaoir<\/strong>\u201d are grammatically feminine, which triggers the change.\u00a0 \u00a0We also see some alternation between \u201ccathaoir<\/strong>,\u201d \u201cchathaoir<\/strong>,\u201d and \u201cgcathaoir<\/strong>,\u201d with the phrases \u201can chathaoir mh\u00f3r<\/strong>\u201d (with s\u00e9imhi\u00fa<\/strong>) and \u201car an gcathaoir<\/strong>\u201d (with ur\u00fa<\/strong>).\u00a0 It may not have been the author\u2019s original intention, but it\u2019s good reinforcement for this tricky aspect of Irish spelling and pronunciation.<\/p>\n

There are two nice examples of \u201cuaillbhreasa<\/strong>\u201d in the text, one perhaps international, at least well known in English (\u201cGrrrr!<\/strong>\u201d for the bears growling), but also a second one that might surprise \u201clucht labhartha an Bh\u00e9arla<\/strong>\u201d (\u201cNeam, neam, neam!<\/strong>\u201d which means \u201cYum, yum, yum!\u201d).\u00a0 Given that the \u201cn\u201d is slender, the phrase actually sounds a lot like \u201cnyum, nyum, nyum.\u201d\u00a0 Certainly a useful phrase for anyone raising their children in Irish.<\/p>\n

But from the perspective of the young child enjoying this book, it\u2019s not a matter of s\u00e9imhi\u00fa<\/strong> and ur\u00fa<\/strong>, or vocabulary, or sentence structure.\u00a0 It\u2019s a fun text with just the right amount of repetition to tickle a young child\u2019s fancy.\u00a0 The counting bits (a haon, a d\u00f3, a tr\u00ed<\/strong>) work almost like a refrain in a song, and no doubt children will chime in and read along with their parents at that point.<\/p>\n

The voice of the narrator (Br\u00edd N\u00ed Neachtain) is crystal clear and the pacing is perfect.\u00a0 She also modulates nicely between the higher pitched child\u2019s voice and a deeper but appealing narratorial tone.<\/p>\n

All in all, I would recommend this book, and the video that An G\u00fam has posted (YouTube, Vimeo) very highly for families with young children and for learners.<\/p>\n

For teachers, I\u2019ve added a short list of questions and exercises here that might make the book even more beneficial for classroom use.<\/p>\n

1.. C\u00e1 bhfuil na tr\u00ed bh\u00e9ar ina gc\u00f3na\u00ed?<\/strong><\/p>\n

a) in uaimh\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 b) i bpluais \u00a0\u00a0 c) i dteach beag gleoite i gcoill<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another way to ask this question, for slightly more advanced vocabulary, is \u201cC\u00e1 bhfuil na tr\u00ed bh\u00e9ar ag cur f\u00fathu?<\/strong>”
\n2.. C\u00e9n dath at\u00e1 ar an mb\u00e9ir\u00edn beag?<\/strong><\/p>\n

a) donn \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 b) dubh\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 c) bu\u00ed<\/strong><\/p>\n

3.. C\u00e9ard at\u00e1 sna babhla\u00ed sa chistin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

a) anraith\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0b) leite\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 c) cal\u00f3ga arbhair<\/strong><\/p>\n

And for a little vocabulary stretch: \u00a0d) maistre\u00e1n<\/strong><\/p>\n

4.. C\u00e9ard a deir Cinn\u00edn \u00d3ir nuair at\u00e1 a bolg l\u00e1n?<\/strong><\/p>\n

a) H\u00e9 presto!\u00a0 \u00a0b) A thiarcais!\u00a0 \u00a0c) Neam, neam, neam!<\/strong><\/p>\n

5.. C\u00e9ard a chuala Cinn\u00edn \u00d3ir nuair a bh\u00ed s\u00ed ag rith \u00f3 na tr\u00ed bh\u00e9ar?<\/strong><\/p>\n

a) Chuala s\u00ed na b\u00e9ir ag canadh.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>b) Chuala s\u00ed na b\u00e9ir ag feada\u00edl.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>c) Chuala s\u00ed na b\u00e9ir ag dorra\u00edl.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another exercise would be to rephrase the text in the present tense, which would involve changing the endings of the past-tense verbs and making some adjustments for irregulars.\u00a0 The past tense forms are: bh\u00ed, bhris, chonaic, chuaigh, chuala, d\u2019ith, d\u2019oscail, l\u00e9im, luigh, rinne, rith, \u00a0shuigh, th\u00e1inig, tharla, thit (Freagra\u00ed, na foirmeacha san aimsir l\u00e1ithreach, th\u00edos)<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, sin \u00e9 moladh ard don athinsint seo ar sc\u00e9al a bhfuil seantaith\u00ed againn air.\u00a0 T\u00e1 s\u00fail agam go mbainfidh t\u00fa sult as an leabhar agus as an bhf\u00edse\u00e1n at\u00e1 ar YouTube agus ar Vimeo. \u2013 SGF \u2013 R\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. T\u00e1 l\u00e9irmheas suimi\u00fail eile le P\u00f3l \u00d3 Muir\u00ed ar f\u00e1il ag<\/strong> https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/culture\/treibh\/an-damh%c3%a1n-alla-agus-cinn%c3%adn-%c3%b3ir-1.3198056<\/a> \u201cAn damh\u00e1n alla<\/em> agus Cinn\u00edn \u00d3ir<\/em>: Dh\u00e1 leabhar nua don tseomra ranga \u2013 agus don duine f\u00e1sta\u201d Mon, Aug 28, 2017<\/p>\n

Freagra\u00ed: \u00a01.. c, 2. c, 3. b, 4. c, 5. c. \u00a0Briathra san aimsir l\u00e1ithreach: t\u00e1, briseann, feiceann, t\u00e9ann, cloiseann, itheann, oscla\u00edonn, l\u00e9imeann, lu\u00edonn, d\u00e9anann, ritheann, su\u00edonn, tagann, tarla\u00edonn, titeann.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Naisc YouTube agus Vimeo<\/strong>: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=91Aa8lBXUos<\/a> agus<\/strong> https:\/\/vimeo.com\/214672971<\/p>\n

According to the publisher\u2019s website https:\/\/www.forasnagaeilge.ie\/fuinn\/an-gum\/ceannach\/<\/a>, the book can be purchased (list price \u20ac8.50) at the following sites:<\/p>\n