Vocabulary lists

I have now finished putting a very full vocabulary list (258 words and expressions) from Sgeulachd Bheniàmin Coineanach on Flashcard Exchange (FCX for short). The words are translated as they are used in the book, and appear in that order.

You can access it here
http://www.flashcardexchange.com/
Scroll over to the top right of the page, and enter the tag "beatrix".

I'm certainly not going to do this for everything I read, but I wonder if we can work out a way of doing co-operative vocabulary lists for Gaelic books?

If each person posted five words that were not already on the list, we'd have a useful resource, with a bit of "crowd wisdom" thrown in.

FCX is okay, but it is a little cumbersome to use, and it would be a bit complicated, though not impossible, to combine different people's lists, under one heading.

Does anybody know of a good, free to use website where one can post vocab lists and share them easily?

btw, the best way to see the list, once you have followed the instructions in message 1, is to click on the button that says "List/Edit". That way, you just get them in a list. Please DON'T edit them - if you spot any mistakes, or would like to add something, please let me know here, and I will fix it.

If you press the "Study" button, they come up in the form of flashcards, i.e. you see the Gaelic word, then after a delay (which you can set) you see the English.

What do you do with new vocabulary from reading? Are you an assiduous writer-down in a notebook, or do you pencil tiny notes in the margins and between the lines? Do you do anything with the vocab after reading?

I prefer not to mark my books, though a few do have pencilled notes. I like to add new vocab to FCX, but don't always have the energy. I do re-read vocab notes later, but would welcome any suggestions for more constructive use.

>3 mta: One way I find works for me is to write on a Post-it or similar sticky note as I read.

I usually write down the unknown word or phrase and read on, letting them pile up until I really don't know what I'm reading about any more, then look them up in a batch.

The vocab can accompany me through the book or be left on the relevant page and moved out of the way when necessary. You can get sticky notes in all shapes and sizes, so it works on any size of book.

Just discovered that flashcardexchange.com is now cram.com, but, best of all, discovered there are apps to download my favourites lists (most of which are yours mta) to learn anywhere.

>Just had a look at cram.com, as I hadn't been to FCX for a while. I like the download app, and the new look. I still don't really like the site - the social bits and pieces we take for granted now are still not there, it's difficult to see what you want all in one place, and Memrise is better for actually memorising.

Still, I haven't given it a fair trial yet, as I have had to e-mail them for a password reset and explain that my old e-mail address has been hacked (PM me, a Shile, if you want the new one). I might at least rescue all my work and duplicate it somewhere else.

Thanks for the kind words and the heads up!

I had a look at Memrise, but I didn't see any Gàidhlig there at all.

Try this link:

http://www.memrise.com/course/64167/air-cuan-dubh-drilseach/

That's for ACDD vocab.

This one has at least nine courses:

http://www.memrise.com/courses/english/?q=scottish+gaelic

You have to click the browse icon (top, towards the RHS),
then use the search box. As usual, it's worth trying Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic and Gaidhlig (with and without accent) and perhaps even Gaidhlig na h-Alba.

It's as bad as living in the UK / United Kingdom / Britain / Great Britain and /or England! Not to mention the British Isles and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Strangely, I did search for all those terms earlier and nothing came up. Very odd. I have sent you a PM, not sure if you got it.

Thanks for the PM! I can't think why that wouldn't work on Memrise. Can you see other subjects? I have joined it, but I wouldn't think that would make a difference. I'd try sending them a message if you still can't see any Gaelic courses (they call a vocab set a course - presumably the programmed intervals make it more than a list). Hope you get it sorted.

I used your link and that worked, but when I search on my own, nothing appears. Very odd. I just use the courses you provided, and it brings up similar, so that's okay. I'll find them all one way or another. I'm creating some of my own memory prompt graphics for the number vocab list. I'm also liking the test feature.

Although Memrise allows the creators to upload audio files, few seem to do it. :(

Apparently, there are still some bugs with uploading the audio, which makes it take longer. Perhaps there will be more when they sort that out.

I have added some courses to my new favourite site, Memrise. There is one for Teach Yourself - 3 chapters so far.

There is one for the short story we are reading in class - "An Dotair Eile" from the Saorsa sgeulachdan goirid collection. There are three "levels" to this one as well.

Finally, I have added two pages' worth from the Tintin (alright, I'll spell it that way!) book, An t-Eilean Dubh. This one includes words for some things seen on the page but not mentioned in the text. I plan to make each page a level - only another 60 pages to go!

Hopefully, this should make it possible for readers to check something specific without necessarily doing the whole course. Comics and illustrated books are very suitable for this treatment, as they have to keep the same pagination in different editions, because of the artwork. Sgeulachd Bheniamin Coineanach le Beatrix Potter next, perhaps?

All the course titles are preceded by the words "Scottish Gaelic" to make them easier to find by browsing, and I plan to update them all, "mean air mhean" (bit by bit).

Do check them out, and let me know (here, or in the forum attached to each course) if you find any errors, or have any other feedback.

1.

How did you go about compiling your vocabulary list? This interests me as I have a wee book by George McLennan Scots Gaelic, A Brief Introduction and on page 54 he tells about Elaine Swanson's 300 word list that are commonly used across all languages and are enough to get by. I have seen lists like these before that compile the most popular words used across all countries.

I use two sites for vocab lists, cram.com and memrise.com. Each allows you to create a vocab list very easily, by typing in to their templates.

I have actually used some of Elaine Swanson's list on cram, also gleaned from MacLennan's book!
You can find them here:

http://www.cram.com/search?query=swanson%27s&submit=Search&sm=1

These days I tend to use memrise more, as I like their learning function - they have a formula for working out the ideal intervals to refresh your memory. I find it is very effective.

I intend to copy some of my cram lists on memrise, but this will take a while.

I love vocabulary! I collect sets of words, the quirkier the better - see also my German Invasion lists, beekeeping vocabulary and "sound effect" words from Gaelic comics on cram.

Hope you find them useful.