(When I read it at first I translated it that way in my head, i.e., "where", but then when I translated it in writing I got bogged down in the words as usual ...)


The fact is dialects exist, especially in songs. We are just lucky there are enough enthusiasts in each dialect here to unlock some of the puzzles.

Thanks to Lughaidh also for that explanation.

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

They definitely exist, but right now, at this stage for me, it's hard to differentiate between them, so it just gets very confusing! I think I like Connemara, because that's a pretty word, but I also like Ulster So, I'm going to use a mix of them and make a whole NEW Dialect!!! Yayy!!!

You'll be in line with most learners, who tend to acquire a mixture of dialects.

It's all about communication, so being understood is the most important thing.

Redwolf

That is a very great point Still probably know more than half of Ireland

aye and you'll sound strange to everybody. And maybe sometimes people won't understand you, because every dialect is a consistent system and if you mix these systems up it may be hard to understand, especially in pronunciation. Most of the time, a certain set of letters is pronounced in one way in one dialect, and maybe in another way in another dialect. If you mix up dialects, people may not recognize the word because they won't know what rules you're following. For instance in Gweedore people pronounce slender r's like y between vowels and at the end of words. If you do that in Munster in the middle of a sentence which is otherwise in Munster Irish, people won't understand you because they'll think you pronounce everything according to Munster Irish and so they won't understand what is /d'eju:/ (for example), it means "end" in Gweedore but it may mean something else, or nothing (I don't know all Munster words ), in Munster Irish. You see the problem.

To me, if you like several dialects, the best thing to do is to learn these dialects one after another. Once you have mastered more or less one of them, you can start learning another one (it'll be easy).



speak English then, it's easier

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Where's the popcorn? I'm here for the show.... or should that be showdown?
One word worth mentioning - we are all on the same side here. We are just taking different routes to get there. And I happen to have got on a particularly slow train.

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Pardon? (Sorry, lol)