A thread for (Scots) Gaelic learners

[Miguel Sanchez]

Here's a thread that will probably be useful:

 

[MazzyStar]

3 minutes ago, Black_and_White_Stripes said:

Did you find it very difficult, not have the time, or just didn't apply yourself? Not meaning to be cheeky, btw, genuinely interested.

Just didn’t apply myself. I used Duolingo occasionally for a few weeks, but realised that it wasn’t for me. I don’t want to put anyone off of learning it though, so if you have a genuine interest then go for it.  

[Black_and_White_Stripes]

51 minutes ago, Miguel Sanchez said:

Here's a thread that will probably be useful:

 

Thanks for this. I searched the forum before creating this thread. Unsure why it didn't return any results.

 

47 minutes ago, MazzyStar said:

Just didn’t apply myself. I used Duolingo occasionally for a few weeks, but realised that it wasn’t for me. I don’t want to put anyone off of learning it though, so if you have a genuine interest then go for it.  

At least you gave it a go. 

[A Diamond For Me]

7 hours ago, mathematics said:

@A Diamond For Me, do you do translations? 

 

For some things, yes.  If it's for something like a tattoo then you're probably better going to a professional, but I'm happy to at least look at something and make suggestions.  You can PM me if you like.

[BillyAnchor]

When I lived in North Carolina I went to a presentation on the history of Scots Gaelic speaking in the Carolinas.. Fascinating stuff. Here's a few links:

 

https://www.ncpedia.org/gaelic-language

 

https://magazine.college.unc.edu/the-scoop/falzett-gaelic-studies/

 

https://museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov/history-go-scots 

[Black_and_White_Stripes]

7 minutes ago, BillyAnchor said:

When I lived in North Carolina I went to a presentation on the history of Scots Gaelic speaking in the Carolinas.. Fascinating stuff. Here's a few links:

 

https://www.ncpedia.org/gaelic-language

 

https://magazine.college.unc.edu/the-scoop/falzett-gaelic-studies/

 

https://museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov/history-go-scots 

Interesting, thanks.

There's a guy from North Carolina who produces YouTube videos about his efforts to learn Japanese, Gaelic and Welsh! A few of those who left comments are from North Carolina, too, so I was wondering if there might be a history of Gaelic speakers settling there.

[A Diamond For Me]

Yeah, loads of Gaels settled in the Carolinas in the earlier eighteenth century.  There and upstate New York were the main areas of Gaelic settlement in North America until the American Revolution, after which Gaelic migration redirected northwards to Canada - mostly but not exclusively to Nova Scotia, where there are a still a few hundred elderly native speakers and a decent-sized cohort of younger people who have learnt the language from them.  There's a Gaelic-medium primary school in Mabu in Nova Scotia, as well as a Gaelic college. 

[BillyAnchor]

The presenter that I saw said that the Scots in Carolina hated the English and refused to speak the language sticking only to Gaelic. They traded with America Indians and African Americans who had to learn some Gaelic to do business. There is a small college in the Cape Fear area called St Andrews College that apparently has a museum with all kinds of historical interest. Sadly I never got there.

[Richey Edwards]

John Motson was fluent in Gaelic.

[Black_and_White_Stripes]

So, first ten days of Duolingo and I'm very impressed with the app. Progress is slow but steady.

Here's a list of the vocabulary I have learned so far:

 

Taing (tyne-g) - thanks
Agus (eh-oos/ag-us) - and
Siucar (shoo-carh) - sugar
Bainne (banya) - milk
Forca (for-sca) - fork
Spain (span-e) - spoon
Ceic (cay-ke) - cake
Tioraidh (cheer-ee) - bye
Caise (cash-a) - cheese
Blasta (blast-a) - tasty
Hama (ham-a) - ham
Tha (ha) - is; there is; there are, e.g. Tha ceic = cake is.
Aran (a-ran) - bread
Ris (ree-sh) - rice
Im (eem) - butter
Uisge (ish-ka) - water
No (noh) - or
Piobar (pee-par) - pepper
Biadh (bee-agh) - food
Salann (sa-wan) - salt
Math (mah) - good
Chan eil (han eel) - No; is not; does not
Tomato (tomato) - tomato
Iasg (ee-asg) - fish
Sailead (sah-lad) - salad
Brot (bra-ht) - soup
Le (leh/lay) - with
Feasgar (fees-gard) - evening/afternoon
Madainn (Matt-ing) - morning

 

I highly recommend it to everyone. 

[Black_and_White_Stripes]

On 11/05/2024 at 13:01, A Diamond For Me said:

You also get to know excellent words like sitheannach ("abounding in venison"), and who couldn't use a word like that in their life? 

I just wanted to clarify, is that used instead of 'wonderful', 'brilliant' or is it literal?

[A Diamond For Me]

It just literally means that.  It could also mean "pertaining to venison".

[DonnieMurdo]

On 11/05/2024 at 13:01, A Diamond For Me said:

I learnt Gaelic as an adult - starting as a student - and now speak it fluently.  I think the decision to study it has been about the single best decision I've made in my life, as it's given me so, so much: friends I would never otherwise have met, books I would never otherwise have read, the experience of taking part in Gaelic Psalm singing - and not least my daily bread, as I work with Gaelic as an academic.   You also get to know excellent words like sitheannach ("abounding in venison"), and who couldn't use a word like that in their life? 

I've found the Gaelic community to be welcoming and friendly, and if you're up for putting the effort into getting to a good level with the language, you will absolutely have something valuable to contribute to the community as a speaker and also as someone with your own particular experience, interests and expertise.  My experience has been that, with it being a minority and endagered language, the contributions that people can make by combining their Gaelic with their experience in, say, botany, or photography, or knitting, or organisng walking groups or whatever, are genuinely appreciated and are genuinely welcomed as something valuable to the community.  That's certainly a nice feeling.

There are a few Gaelic speakers here, @Crùbagis one, and @DiegoDiegohas at least some Gaelic as I saw on another thread the other day.  Not sure if they and others are native speakers or learners like myself.

I'm happy to give advice if it's wanted.

Sin thu fhein a bhalaich!

As someone who has English as a second language I commend you on learning gaidhlig, I'm told it is one of the most difficult languages to learn, especially as an adult.

[A Diamond For Me]

Mas urrainn dhomh-sa a dhèanamh, b' urrainn do neach sam bith a dhèanamh!

[Black_and_White_Stripes]

I have a 60 day streak on Duolingo and am quite happy with my progress. I'm also starting classes in a month. My main problem at the moment is not the grammar but the vocabulary. Though much of it sticks, I'm struggling with some words. I think I'll have to stop learning new words for the time being and concentrate on ensuring I know the words I've encountered thus far.

I try to remember words by associating them with something, e.g. Putan (button) - 'will Putin push the (nuclear) button?' Gorm (blue, pronounced 'goram') - Andy Goram is a bluenose.

I have also written all the vocab in a big book, which I will read each night. 

Any other tips on learning vocab?

[Salt n Vinegar]

8 hours ago, Black_and_White_Stripes said:

I have a 60 day streak on Duolingo and am quite happy with my progress. I'm also starting classes in a month. My main problem at the moment is not the grammar but the vocabulary. Though much of it sticks, I'm struggling with some words. I think I'll have to stop learning new words for the time being and concentrate on ensuring I know the words I've encountered thus far.

I try to remember words by associating them with something, e.g. Putan (button) - 'will Putin push the (nuclear) button?' Gorm (blue, pronounced 'goram') - Andy Goram is a bluenose.

I have also written all the vocab in a big book, which I will read each night. 

Any other tips on learning vocab?

I've mentioned this before, but I still think it's useful.

When you learn a noun, learn with it an adjective.  That's important because all nouns are either masculine or feminine -no neutral, and the gender affects the pronunciation of the adjective.  E.G. "little boy" and "little girl" would be  "balach beag" and "caileag bheag".  It saves a lot of work later on.

[A Diamond For Me]

2 hours ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

I've mentioned this before, but I still think it's useful.

When you learn a noun, learn with it an adjective.  That's important because all nouns are either masculine or feminine -no neutral, and the gender affects the pronunciation of the adjective.  E.G. "little boy" and "little girl" would be  "balach beag" and "caileag bheag".  It saves a lot of work later on.

Yes, learning in the context of a short phrase is really useful - either an adjective or a phrase with an article (which changes by case) will help with remembering the gender.

Glad the Duolingo course is helping you, and all the best for your class!

[Black_and_White_Stripes]

3 hours ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

I've mentioned this before, but I still think it's useful.

When you learn a noun, learn with it an adjective.  That's important because all nouns are either masculine or feminine -no neutral, and the gender affects the pronunciation of the adjective.  E.G. "little boy" and "little girl" would be  "balach beag" and "caileag bheag".  It saves a lot of work later on.

 

1 hour ago, A Diamond For Me said:

Yes, learning in the context of a short phrase is really useful - either an adjective or a phrase with an article (which changes by case) will help with remembering the gender.

Glad the Duolingo course is helping you, and all the best for your class!

 

Thanks guys. 

[invergowrie arab]

17 hours ago, Black_and_White_Stripes said:

I have a 60 day streak on Duolingo and am quite happy with my progress. I'm also starting classes in a month. My main problem at the moment is not the grammar but the vocabulary. Though much of it sticks, I'm struggling with some words. I think I'll have to stop learning new words for the time being and concentrate on ensuring I know the words I've encountered thus far.

I try to remember words by associating them with something, e.g. Putan (button) - 'will Putin push the (nuclear) button?' Gorm (blue, pronounced 'goram') - Andy Goram is a bluenose.

I have also written all the vocab in a big book, which I will read each night. 

Any other tips on learning vocab?

Find a subject you want to speak about and speak about it or write about it.

 

If you don't have anybody to speak to write wee 10 line plays.

Re; the highlighted its the flashcard way of learning a language and really doesnt do much to help you think in a language. It won't do harm but there are more effective ways to use your time.

 

 

If you aren't learning words in context you won't be able to recall them in context. 

 

If people want to post stuff here there are enough of us to give feedback or just reply in Gaelic for conversation practice.

 

[Black_and_White_Stripes]

5 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

Find a subject you want to speak about and speak about it or write about it.

 

If you don't have anybody to speak to write wee 10 line plays.

Re; the highlighted its the flashcard way of learning a language and really doesnt do much to help you think in a language. It won't do harm but there are more effective ways to use your time.

 

 

If you aren't learning words in context you won't be able to recall them in context. 

 

If people want to post stuff here there are enough of us to give feedback or just reply in Gaelic for conversation practice.

 

Thanks, pal. That's very helpful.