Collins Irish Pocket Dictionary

THIS IS A GOOD ADDITION TO OUR LIBRARY WITH OTHER LANGUAGES. WE WILL USE IT OFTEN AS WE TRY TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE.

This is a good book, with lots of words packaged into a small space. I have run into words that I couldn't find in this book, though. However, if you are a serious student of any language you know that you can never make do with just one dictionary. I typically have about three or four dictionaries per language. Cross-reference your dictionaries to make sure you are getting the nuance you want from the word (I once heard a girl ask for "facil queso!" No, no, no!(Sorry about the Spanish reference in the middle of an Irish review. It's the point that counts, though.)). This is a good dictionary for having on your shelf full of dictionaries.

Having learned Irish for years, I find this dictionary to be quite a break from the norm, very up-to-date compared to other dictionaries available. Those that are complaining about the lack of pronunciation guidelines should know that there are three distinct dialects in Irish, with distinct pronunciations, and that it would be unfair to single one out to include in this dictionary. However, there is a standardised dialect, shunned by many people, especially native speakers, although it is accepted. If you don't mind using this dialect, then you should have a look for the "Foclóir Póca" published by An Gúm. I don't know the details because the covers are gone from years of use. It is a bit bigger than the typical Collins and has a blue and orange cover.

A bucketload of words in a small format. If you need pronunciation and grammar, though, this is not for you. It is what it says, a dictionary, not a how-to book. But if you are learning Irish, this is a great reference to have, just like your Webster's and Roget's.

Everyone I know who is an Irish speaker or a student has a well worn copy of this little gem. There is a grammer in the center (between the English and the Irish) that is very useful. The only problem is that the type is quite small, well to be fair so is the book, and it doesn't have more obscure words. I highly recommend this book, particularly for students and travellers to Ireland as it is very compact and fits easily into a backpack.