Irish or Welsh? Which is more easy to learn?
Alright so I'm thinking about learning Irish or Welsh. Which language is more easy to learn? There are some facts to consider:
I'm English and I can speak English, Spanish and Korean fluently. And I can read/write a little German, French, Italian and Japanese.
So what do you say? I know Welsh is a bit more widely used and probably more benefial for business but that's not what I'm asking. I just want to know which is more easy to learn.
Thanks 
Oh and if you recommend Welsh then tell me if I should learn South Welsh or North Welsh.
Both are hard to learn, yeah I know, that's why I want to try.
Tags: english spanish, learning irish, welsh
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
South.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/irish/blas/learners/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/
Refer to these links to get a feel for both languages
I speak English & Irish and as my joint 1st languages. I am reasonable in spoken and written French and Spanish, less so in Italian and German and studied Latin in school.
Irish grammar is very difficult as it has five declensions of nouns with the following cases for singular and plural: Nominative, Vocative, Accusative, Genative, Dative.
There are changes to the beginning and the end of nouns to reflect these and also changes internally.
Verbs are no more difficult that Spanish, although the structure does not follow the Latin grammar structure so familiar to languages descended from Latin
Irish is a sister language of Latin and Greek so there are many similarities between the roots of many words but sometimes these are not obvious at first sight
eg
Man – Fear – Vir(Latin)
Sight – Fis – Vision(Latin)
Horse -Capal – caballus(Latin)
Steed – Each – equus(Latin) – Hypo(Greek)
Woman – ban – Gyn(Greek)
Bright – geal – gala(Greek)
Bull- Tarbh – Tauros -(Latin & Greek)
Cow – Bo – Bovus(Latin)
English Irish Latin
One Aon Unus
Two Do Duo
Three Tri Tres
Four Ceathar Quattuor
Five Cuig Quinque
Six Se Sex
Seven Seacht Septem
Eight Ocht Octo
Nine Ne Novem
Ten Deich Decem
Eleven Aondeagh Undecim
Twelve Dodeag Dodecim
There are many other examples.
Irish is a Q Celtic language while Welsh is P Celtic,
ie P sounds are normally changed to Q or K sounds in Irish.
See – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_languages
I know little of Welsh but from that what I have seen of it, I find it completely incomprehensible with very little similiarity although there must be a lot of unseen similiarity at the "root" level.
For those who study comparative linguistics a knowledge of a Celtic language is useful.
They both have the distinction of being the first written European languages north of the Alps, also many Latin writers were of Celtic origin Virgil being the most famous.
Irish fear geal = bright or blond man
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Neither Welsh nor Irish are especially difficult languages. Both have some primitive Indo_Aryan aspects that can trip up people familiar only with modern European languages – but if you have mastered Korean these shouldn’t trouble you.
The one you will find easiest is the one you have most motivation to learn. If you have access to S4C (Welsh-language TV) or some Welsh-speaking friends, Welsh will be easier. If you spend holidays in the Gaeltacht, or have access to RTE – Irish might have the edge.
The differences between North and South Welsh are much exaggerated – largely it is just a matter of a few dozen common vocabulary words. You should learn whichever form your friends speak (or the one you can get the best learning materials in).
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
I can speak Welsh fluently but I’ve no idea about Irish Gaelic, the languages are so different. Irish Gaelic is very similar to Scots Gaelic.
Welsh is easy to learn to intermediate standard but to become fluent you must master the mutations which cause problems even to some first language speakers, especially those from South Wales.
Edit…Oh, I recommend North Wales Welsh…at least we know how to mutate properly…..I can help you if you like.
In reality, the differences aren’t that great, there are a few words that are different in the North and the South eg:
funnel….twmfat (N)…twndish (S)
out…..allan (N)…màs (S)
up…i fyny (N)…lan (S)
dirty…budr (N)….brwnt (S)
milk…llefrith (N)…llaeth (S)
to swim…nofio (N)…oefed (S)
ice…..rhew (N)…iâ (S)
egg…ŵy (N)…wŷ..(S)
busy…prysur (N)…bishi (S)
untidy…blêr (N)…anniben (S)
nappy…clwt (N)…cewyn (S)
cattle…gwartheg (N)…da (S).
and the South can’t distinguish between ‘u’ and ‘ i’ (eg: they pronounce ‘mul’ [donkey] and ‘mil’ [thousand] the same but we don’t) so the accent is different too.
When they say ‘twyll dyn’ (man’s treachery) it sounds very much like ‘twll dîn’ (ar5ehole)…lol.
It’s similar to the difference between the Portuguese spoken in Portugal and that spoken in Brazil or British English and American English.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Welsh, i’m wels and mostly speak english but i have know it since i was 8.And i’m 12
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
prob welsh, but both hard
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
irish is more easy to learn my friend has learnt it in five months
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
im from ireland and irish is really hard and it doesn’t sound like any other language. I wouldn’t learn it if I were you.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Welsh by far
October 25th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Welsh and Southern Welsh,
Rolyn is having a dig yet again and generalising at the South this man may aswell be scottish because to him anyone south is bad news. I am a First language Welsh speaker from the south where the accent is less sharp and bad to listen to and the language is softer and flows more
I will post you two examples
This is Northern Welsh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztFkaw08EFM
This is Southern Welsh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vFw4ILv2Q
All Welsh speakers mutate its just some find it harder than overs its not a northern or a Southern Thing. Its like saying all northerners in England can spell but the southerners can’t its bollucks.
I’ve also tried learning Irish it’s very hard but as i have never learnt Welsh I’m afraid I can’t tell you how hard it is for me its naturally easier than any language because its my first language but i suppose that’s for you to decide.
Here is a usefull link give it a go and it might help you
http://www.saysomethinginwelsh.com.
I would learn southern basically because more Welsh speakers speak the Southern Variety than speak the Northern. But there isn’t much a difference it’s up to you which one you choose which ever form you choose you will be understood and a Welsh speakers.
Pob lwc i chi ar eich anterth
Good luck to you on your journey