One thing I've noticed throughout the beginning process of learning Irish, is that every phrase that is introduced seems to be translated to the learner to a form that is the best way to say it in the language the person already knows. For instance, from one of the courses on Memrise:

Tá an aimsir go breá

... is translated to the learner as:

The weather / is / fine.

I wonder if it would be less confusing were it presented in the literal form of Irish as:

Is / the weather / fine.

Or maybe if it showed both methods; one literal and one in the way the learner would say it in their present language.

It just seems to me that it might be slightly less confusing to catch on to Irish grammar if it were to be presented in a manner like this. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I'm not keen on literal translations for learners, outside of helping them learn basic sentence structure at the very beginning. With Irish you rapidly progress to the point where literal translations don't make a huge amount of sense. Better to learn the idioms from the outset.

Redwolf

If the learning of the structure is embedded in the learning of the phrases, there needs to be some explicit reference to the structure (we don't learn by just "absorbing" rules). Well-ordered instruction would render the hyper-literal translations unnecessary (as you'd be learning the structures progressively), but if you aren't lucky enough to have a well-ordered course (and if you're learning grammar through Memrise flashcards, that's a pretty good indicator that you don't) then a hyperliteral translation can be helpful.

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A language belongs to its native speakers, and when you speak it, you are a guest in their homes.
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I tend to agree with the advice given above. If the goal is to think within the context of the language then thinking literally would only be used as an aid as a beginner. After awhile, you don't need to think literally, it just comes naturally. And well-structured courses as mentioned above can help a great deal.

Part of me feels that if you completely relied on literal translations full-term and didn't challenge yourself to think like a native speaker then thinking literally would just get in the way.

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Irish Gaelic Tutor
http://www.Irishgaelictutoring.com

Go raibh maith agaibh. Maybe I just feel like I'm moving slower than I would personally like haha I'll get it : )

Good point. It's similar to what I tell people about phonetics.

Initially everyone wants me to write out for them (or they write out for themselves) "phonetic" renderings of the words they're learning (in other words, they want me to write the Irish out as if it were English). Of course, that's problematic for a couple of reasons -- chief among them the fact that Irish has sounds that can't be accurately rendered using English phonics. But another, which I think is just as important, is the fact that people become very reliant on those phonetic renderings. I know a couple of people who can't read written Irish aloud after years of classes because they've let themselves become so dependent on those "phonetics."

I'll give then phonetic renderings at the start, but I always caution them to a) listen to the word and try to recreate it as I say it (I always encourage them to bring recording devices to class) and b) start weaning themselves off the phonetic renderings right away by covering up the "Gaelgish"" and looking directly at the word or phrase as they repeat it.

Redwolf

This makes me think of a reading scheme they tried using in the 1970's in England, where the first reading books children had were in a sort of pseudo 'Scandinavian' phonetic' spelling. Once the children had mastered it, they had to unlearn it a couple of years later just in order to able to read normal English. Needless to say it didn't last very long. What would be interesting to know is how this is tackled in schools in Ireland, not only for children for whom Irish isn't their first language but also for children in the Gaeltachtaí and at the Gaelscoileanna. It's a pity you still can't watch the video sequences (educasts) on Active Learning as Gaeilge that you used to be able to watch on the PDST.ie website.

Don't feel bad Rob :}, you'll be ok! I remember when I first met Redwolf on the old translation forum and she was an inspiration to me. That was 8 years ago now! Irish takes awhile to learn for most people since it is a Celtic branch language with those annoying declensions and genitive cases

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Irish Gaelic Tutor
http://www.Irishgaelictutoring.com

If it helps you to memorize the structures, it may help you to make up songs and poems with grammar and knowledge that you know for certain. This is a fun way to improve your writing and memorization without doing the usual writing down the same word over and over again which can get boring.

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Irish Gaelic Tutor
http://www.Irishgaelictutoring.com

Ah, the "Cambridge Initial Teaching Alphabet". I met someone once who was taught like that -- she was on my English course (grammar and history of the language for native speakers) and she found the International Phonetic Alphabet dead easy. But overall it was a disaster.

You win some, you lose some.

_________________
A language belongs to its native speakers, and when you speak it, you are a guest in their homes.
If you are not a good guest, you have no right to complain about receiving poor hospitality.