I apologise for the delay since my last post, but this is kind of a #sorrynotsorry apology as I've been having lots of fun on holiday. I've still managed to squeeze in some Gaelic though.
I'm at episode 13 now as I found them all on YouTube and so I'm skipping ahead of what's currently on BBC Alba. And it's really picking up the pace in terms of what you learn. Here are some of the phrases from episode 13:
B'aill leibh? - Pardon?/Come again?
Gabhaibh air ur socair - Take it easy/Slow down (polite/plural)
Gabh air do shocair - Take it easy/Slow down (informal singular)
Can sin a-rithist - Say that again
Dè thuirt sibh? - What did you say?
Chan eil mi a' tuigsinn - I don't understand
Chan eil fhios agam - I don't know
Dè tha sin a' ceallachadh? - What does that mean?
As you can see, the phrases are becoming more complicated. I was laughing with Tormod about this episode and about the silly scenarios that you see in them. In one of the scenarios for Gabh air do shocair, a young boy is stuffing his face with a sandwich when his mother says "Gabh air do shocair". I can only imagine the directional instructions to the boy:
"OK, now I want you to take that sandwich, and keep taking bites out of it without swallowing until the "mother" tells you to slow down. Got it? Really jam it in your craw. OK. And aaaction!"
More to come once I'm back at home in the real world again... While I've been on holiday I've really taken the instruction gabh air do shocair to heart ;-) ;-)
Friday 29 May 2015
Thursday 21 May 2015
Justify yourself!
***Warning! This post contains very little Gaelic and is rather ranty!***
Anyone learning a language will often reflect on why they are bothering to learn it. This often happens once the sheen of a language wears off - the little things about a language that send a exquisite shiver of excitement up your spine every time you encounter it. Then you need to persevere, and you consider whether it's worthwhile persevering. In most cases, it is simply enough to say to oneself, "I'm learning this because I want to speak the language". Just wanting to learn it is sufficient reason to carry on.
However, when mentioning to others that you are learning a language, they will ask which language you are learning and why you want to learn it. Parroting Billie Piper "Because I want to" doesn't usually satisfy your interlocutor.
When I say to others that I can speak French and German, they usually don't inquire to much as to why I learnt these languages because they are standard languages to learn at school. (Or at least they were - German has basically been phased out across Scotland. Idiotic.) Most people view utility as an acceptable reason to learn a language. Learning Spanish? That's ok - it's such a global language. Learning German? Well Germany is an important economic driver in Europe. Polish? Hmm. Well the Slavic countries are quite important in Europe and there are many Poles in the UK.
"Gaelic?" Cue blanched looks and sideways glances. "Seems a bit pointless."
I hate this. Why do we have to justify learning a language that is native to the country? I'm learning it because I want to, because I like the language, because it opens me up to part of my native culture. Because it's beautiful and expressive. Because because because.
Anyway, I don't care what people think when I say I'm learning Gaelic. I'm a language geek. I can get away with it ;-)
I'm going to turn the horrible question on you now. Why are YOU learning Gaelic?
Anyone learning a language will often reflect on why they are bothering to learn it. This often happens once the sheen of a language wears off - the little things about a language that send a exquisite shiver of excitement up your spine every time you encounter it. Then you need to persevere, and you consider whether it's worthwhile persevering. In most cases, it is simply enough to say to oneself, "I'm learning this because I want to speak the language". Just wanting to learn it is sufficient reason to carry on.
However, when mentioning to others that you are learning a language, they will ask which language you are learning and why you want to learn it. Parroting Billie Piper "Because I want to" doesn't usually satisfy your interlocutor.
When I say to others that I can speak French and German, they usually don't inquire to much as to why I learnt these languages because they are standard languages to learn at school. (Or at least they were - German has basically been phased out across Scotland. Idiotic.) Most people view utility as an acceptable reason to learn a language. Learning Spanish? That's ok - it's such a global language. Learning German? Well Germany is an important economic driver in Europe. Polish? Hmm. Well the Slavic countries are quite important in Europe and there are many Poles in the UK.
"Gaelic?" Cue blanched looks and sideways glances. "Seems a bit pointless."
I hate this. Why do we have to justify learning a language that is native to the country? I'm learning it because I want to, because I like the language, because it opens me up to part of my native culture. Because it's beautiful and expressive. Because because because.
Anyway, I don't care what people think when I say I'm learning Gaelic. I'm a language geek. I can get away with it ;-)
I'm going to turn the horrible question on you now. Why are YOU learning Gaelic?
Monday 18 May 2015
Laithean-Saora!
I'm going on holiday and I hope to learn some more Gaelic while I'm away. I think I need to be a bit more systematic in learning it. I've decided I'll listen to An Litir Beag more often, noting down vocabulary. I think this is the best way to learn vocabulary and certain common grammar structures.
I also plan to nag Tormod a bit more about speaking Gaelic. We don't really chat in Gaelic at all when we meet, but I would like to try out some sentences on him. I want to make sure that my pronunciation is acceptable at least. Once of my biggest uncertainties is the pronunciation of the slender "r", i.e. the "r" when preceded or followed by "e" or "i". When listening, I often hear a sort of soft "th" sound, but at other times I hear a more normal-sounding "r".
I also hope to talk about Gaelic resources and their available and usefulness, especially when compared to resources for learning other languages.
Till then, here's Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
I also plan to nag Tormod a bit more about speaking Gaelic. We don't really chat in Gaelic at all when we meet, but I would like to try out some sentences on him. I want to make sure that my pronunciation is acceptable at least. Once of my biggest uncertainties is the pronunciation of the slender "r", i.e. the "r" when preceded or followed by "e" or "i". When listening, I often hear a sort of soft "th" sound, but at other times I hear a more normal-sounding "r".
I also hope to talk about Gaelic resources and their available and usefulness, especially when compared to resources for learning other languages.
Till then, here's Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
Monday 11 May 2015
Transformers and Dieticians
I met up recently with my very good friend Dàibhidh and I tried to explain to him the whole Seòras/Sheòrais thing - a feature of Gaelic that I love. The whole explanation ended up being complicated and I don't think I did a good job, unfortunately. Nevertheless, I'm going to try and outline the principles involved here.
As a language geek, I don't shy away from the proper terminology used for grammatical phenomena, although I do sometimes find it obfuscatory rather than illuminating. The features that take place in the Seòras/Sheòrais thing are called lenition and slenderisation.
Let's start with lenition*.
Lenition is when the letter H is inserted after the first letter of a word. However, not all letters can be lenited - vowels can't, nor can L, N or R.
The effect of this is that the pronunciation is transformed. Hence the "sh" sound in Seumas becomes a "h" sound in Sheumais. The "d" in "Dàibhidh" becomes a voiced gutteral sound a bit like the throaty French "r" (so Dhàibhidh sounds a bit like the French ravi). Màiri with an "m" becomes Mhàiri with a "v". Etc. etc. But Ruairidh stays Ruairidh.
Now for slenderisation.
Slenderisation is when the letter I is inserted before the final consonant in the word, or the last broad vowel is changed to a slender one (usually to "i" as far as I can tell). This also affects the pronunciation, "slimming" the final S in Seumas and Seòras turn into a "sh" sound in Sheumais and Sheòrais. This is why Seumas and Hamish are technically from the same Gaelic name for James.
In personal names, this only happens for male names and it doesn't happen if the final vowel is already an I as in Iain.
These rules happen elsewhere, often separately from each other, according to various other grammar rules which I will talk about once I've actually learnt them ;-)
*Help on how to pronounce the words lenite and lenition would be greatly appreciated. Is the first I long like the pronoun I or short as in it?
P.S. I apologise for this rather dry and bland post. Something better next time - promise!
Here's some Skipinnish
As a language geek, I don't shy away from the proper terminology used for grammatical phenomena, although I do sometimes find it obfuscatory rather than illuminating. The features that take place in the Seòras/Sheòrais thing are called lenition and slenderisation.
Let's start with lenition*.
Lenition is when the letter H is inserted after the first letter of a word. However, not all letters can be lenited - vowels can't, nor can L, N or R.
The effect of this is that the pronunciation is transformed. Hence the "sh" sound in Seumas becomes a "h" sound in Sheumais. The "d" in "Dàibhidh" becomes a voiced gutteral sound a bit like the throaty French "r" (so Dhàibhidh sounds a bit like the French ravi). Màiri with an "m" becomes Mhàiri with a "v". Etc. etc. But Ruairidh stays Ruairidh.
Now for slenderisation.
Slenderisation is when the letter I is inserted before the final consonant in the word, or the last broad vowel is changed to a slender one (usually to "i" as far as I can tell). This also affects the pronunciation, "slimming" the final S in Seumas and Seòras turn into a "sh" sound in Sheumais and Sheòrais. This is why Seumas and Hamish are technically from the same Gaelic name for James.
In personal names, this only happens for male names and it doesn't happen if the final vowel is already an I as in Iain.
These rules happen elsewhere, often separately from each other, according to various other grammar rules which I will talk about once I've actually learnt them ;-)
*Help on how to pronounce the words lenite and lenition would be greatly appreciated. Is the first I long like the pronoun I or short as in it?
P.S. I apologise for this rather dry and bland post. Something better next time - promise!
Here's some Skipinnish
Tuesday 5 May 2015
Corrections and comments welcome!
BTW, just a quick post on the fact that I'm bound to make lots of mistakes, embarrassing mistakes on here.
In that regard, I welcome absolutely any comments and corrections from anyone, though I do favour those from native or experienced Gàidhlig speakers. I'm a balach mòr, I can take it. I once spent an entire semester in Germany where a fellow Mitbewohner used to correct my German on the spot, even interrupting what I was saying. While I found this highly irritating, not to mention unhelpful and discouraging, it did give me a much thicker skin when it comes to receiving criticism when speaking a language that isn't English*. Criticism should ideally be polite and respectful and it should come at the end of my poorly constructed sentence, not halfway through it. Give me time to think, Britta!!
[repress... deep breath... and carry on a Sheòrais]
Ahem, anyway, I exhort, encourage and enjoin you to leave comments and criticism.
Here's some Julie Fowlis to cheer you up this dreich feasgar Dimàirt.
* I accept corrections in English less kindly
In that regard, I welcome absolutely any comments and corrections from anyone, though I do favour those from native or experienced Gàidhlig speakers. I'm a balach mòr, I can take it. I once spent an entire semester in Germany where a fellow Mitbewohner used to correct my German on the spot, even interrupting what I was saying. While I found this highly irritating, not to mention unhelpful and discouraging, it did give me a much thicker skin when it comes to receiving criticism when speaking a language that isn't English*. Criticism should ideally be polite and respectful and it should come at the end of my poorly constructed sentence, not halfway through it. Give me time to think, Britta!!
[repress... deep breath... and carry on a Sheòrais]
Ahem, anyway, I exhort, encourage and enjoin you to leave comments and criticism.
Here's some Julie Fowlis to cheer you up this dreich feasgar Dimàirt.
* I accept corrections in English less kindly
Sunday 3 May 2015
Upstart verbs
This dreich Sunday morning I've decided to talk about verbs.
Verbs are a contradiction for me. I love verbs and I hate them. They make or break your skill in a language. They can be simple or horribly complex. With this all in mind, let's take a look at the verb system in Gaelic...
The first main feature of Gaelic verbs is their position. The upstart things come first in a sentence or clause unless following a question word or negation words or such like. For example:
Tha mi sgìth - I am tired
Chunnaic i am balach - She saw the boy
Tha (from "to be") and chunnaic (from "to see") come first in the above sentences, even before the pronouns mi (I) and i (she). I still find this very hard to get used to as it makes every sentence sound like a question in my mind. Even though I've learnt languages like German where the verb shifts about from the second position to the final position depending on whether it is a conjugated verb, in a subordinated clause, etc., or Latin where the verb is usually at the end, the position at the front seems to mess more with my head because it occupies the verb "question position" in English and so many other foreign languages. That said, I am getting more used to it the more I read and listen to Gaelic.
So how does Gaelic form closed questions if the verb is at the beginning already? It does so by a form of conjugation into a "question form" of the verb and preceding it with the question particle "an" ("am" before labials). E.g.:
A bheil thu sgìth? - Are you tired?
Am faca e an nighean? - Did he see the girl?
Am bheil can also be seen though a bheil seems to be more common. The same process also occurs for negating verbs, where cha(n) is placed before the negative form of the verb. The negative question form is formed in a similar way with nach:
Chan eil i sgìth - She is not tired
Chan fhaca sinn an cù - We did not see the dog
Nach eil iad sgìth? - Aren't they tired?
Nach f(h)aca sibh an cat? - Didn't you see the cat?
This way you have all of the essential ways of using a verb positively or negatively and in statement or question form. I'll take a look at tense and other verb aspects in due course. Meanwhile it's time for mo bhracaist.
Verbs are a contradiction for me. I love verbs and I hate them. They make or break your skill in a language. They can be simple or horribly complex. With this all in mind, let's take a look at the verb system in Gaelic...
The first main feature of Gaelic verbs is their position. The upstart things come first in a sentence or clause unless following a question word or negation words or such like. For example:
Tha mi sgìth - I am tired
Chunnaic i am balach - She saw the boy
Tha (from "to be") and chunnaic (from "to see") come first in the above sentences, even before the pronouns mi (I) and i (she). I still find this very hard to get used to as it makes every sentence sound like a question in my mind. Even though I've learnt languages like German where the verb shifts about from the second position to the final position depending on whether it is a conjugated verb, in a subordinated clause, etc., or Latin where the verb is usually at the end, the position at the front seems to mess more with my head because it occupies the verb "question position" in English and so many other foreign languages. That said, I am getting more used to it the more I read and listen to Gaelic.
So how does Gaelic form closed questions if the verb is at the beginning already? It does so by a form of conjugation into a "question form" of the verb and preceding it with the question particle "an" ("am" before labials). E.g.:
A bheil thu sgìth? - Are you tired?
Am faca e an nighean? - Did he see the girl?
Am bheil can also be seen though a bheil seems to be more common. The same process also occurs for negating verbs, where cha(n) is placed before the negative form of the verb. The negative question form is formed in a similar way with nach:
Chan eil i sgìth - She is not tired
Chan fhaca sinn an cù - We did not see the dog
Nach eil iad sgìth? - Aren't they tired?
Nach f(h)aca sibh an cat? - Didn't you see the cat?
This way you have all of the essential ways of using a verb positively or negatively and in statement or question form. I'll take a look at tense and other verb aspects in due course. Meanwhile it's time for mo bhracaist.
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