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Thread: Stumped...

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  1. #1
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    Question Stumped...

    I've been wearing a kilt on and off for the better part of 5 years now and like many of you have heard most of the standard comments, compliments, jibes, and jokes. Ive learned a few good come-backs and tend not to let any of it get under my skin. There is, however, one particular situation that tends to leave me bereft of a response... and that's being spoken to in gaelic... usually by an older Scot.

    This has happened 7 or 8 times now and the last time (this past weekend), I wasn't even wearing a kilt! I'm thinking that it would perhaps be a nice gesture to learn a couple of light generic phrases so as to be able to respond in kind. I'm a guy who understands english (mostly) and a bit of high school french. I did manage to stumble my way through a couple of Italian phrases at my daughters wedding. But I don't particularly have a bent for languages and I think it's a bit late in the game to get into studying this one.

    From time to time, I see a few gaelic phrases being tossed around the board in posts and sigs. I have to assume there are at least a few Xmarks members who speak it or are familiar with it. I guess I'm trying to determine how best to approach this. Proper pronunciation would obviously be a challenge. Berlitz comes to mind but I think that costs about the same as traditional heavyweight. Any suggestions from the Xmarks gaelic contingent??... I'm stumped! ??:

    blu

  2. #2
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    Good to know the language is still alive up there in the old country.

    Here's an elementary Gaelic site I bookmarked when I signed on with an on line Yahoo Gaelic group that folded. Think there may be others too.

    Google is your friend...

    http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/ionnsachadh/ECG/

    My experience trying to learn Gaelic was very similar to my experience trying to learn Navajo....

    Ron
    Ol' Macdonald himself, a proud son of Skye and Cape Breton Island
    Lifetime Member STA. Two time winner of Utilikiltarian of the Month.
    "I'll have a kilt please, a nice hand sewn tartan, 16 ounce Strome. Oh, and a sporran on the side, with a strap please."

  3. #3
    Doc Hudson's Avatar
    Doc Hudson is offline Membership Revoked for repeated rule violations.
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  4. #4
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    Maybe that's unique to here, I had that happen last year. Mind, it was rude but there you go... If it sounds a bit like "back my hand", it's rude. Firstfoot.com has many phrases but no pronunciation guide.

  5. #5
    Graham's Avatar
    Graham is offline Oops, it seems this member needs to update their email address
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    I had an Irish drunk swear me in gaelic in our local town. He assumed that since I was kilted, I would know what he said.

    He was drunk so I ignored him.

  6. #6
    highlander_Daz's Avatar
    highlander_Daz is offline Oops, it seems this member needs to update their email address
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    Scots Gaidhlig is a beautiful language, the pronounciation is very different than how it is written.

    My favourite website is

    http://www.taic.btinternet.co.uk/taic.htm
    as you can download sound clips.

    I would suggest that you learn a few phrases, record yourself and compare to the sound clip.
    its eaisier to understand than it is to actually converse but good luck

  7. #7
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    Here's a couple more
    http://www.savegaelic.org/index.php
    Theres a forum here too.

    then there this one
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/alba/f...eag_air_bheag/
    Good old Aunty Beeb.....
    All the Best.....David.
    Why be part of the crowd Choose a Freelander Sporran
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