Scots Gaelic - Why would you want to learn it?

**be da veva** · 16th July 13, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by imrichmond

Although I own several thousand paper books and have spent my life reading books (and being paid for it) I must confess that I love my Kobo Glo, a brilliant little device that weighs almost nothing and lets me read anywhere, even in the dark.

I was wondering about the Kobo Glo. I have a older Sony reader, checked out the new one, but it has less options on it. Still works great. My book intake has, at the least, doubled . Maybe tripled. I used to read a lot, maybe I read to much now....
I admit it took me a while to take the plunge. (nothing romantic about technology, the Feel, Scent, Weight...) I don't have to buy a book anymore, so many are free that I could read for the rest of my life. (but I do buy one once in a while...)

**Nathan** · 16th July 13, 09:31 PM

Interesting sidetrack about ebook readers.

Back to the original question. The answer is when the language dies the culture, in large part, dies with it. We have volumes of songs, poems, stories, histories all written in the language of the Gael. If nobody learns that language, nobody can appreciate that legacy and nobody can pass it on.

**Hawk** · 16th July 13, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by Nathan

Interesting sidetrack about ebook readers.

Back to the original question. The answer is when the language dies the culture, in large part, dies with it. We have volumes of songs, poems, stories, histories all written in the language of the Gael. If nobody learns that language, nobody can appreciate that legacy and nobody can pass it on.

Agreed.....

It's something that we, as Indigenous Tribal People have passed on to the next generation, to insure the next seven generations continue. We have always said, the language, the songs, the ceremony must continue for the People to continue.

Hawk

**A Lenape Scot** · 17th July 13, 07:35 PM

I agree with that. I have worked on Scottish Gaelic and know just enough to have a short introductory conversation. I have found radio lingua network very helpful as I can listen to it on my iPhone on the way to work. I also have a fun app from utalk scottish gaelic I paid $10.00 for. Unfortunately they is not anything effective I have found to learn the Lenape/Delaware language and I live 4 hours away from tribal headquarters. Ironic that I know how to have a short conversation from a culture thousands of miles away and I only know one word from a culture a few hundred miles away.

**RyanMac** · 18th July 13, 04:53 AM

Radio Lingua has Scots Gaelic? I could only find Irish Gaelic when I was searching through their podcasts on iTunes.

**Nathan** · 18th July 13, 05:13 AM

BBC has a great free online resource for learning Gaidhlig called Beag air Bheag. Type that into Google or the Xmarks search function or browse the threads in the Gaelic Languages section of Xmarks for the URL.

Regarding transliteration, I know it can be complicated at first but once you learn a few tricks about how letters effect those around them, you shouldn't need it. For example if you think of the following names:

Sean - Shawn
Sine - Sheena
Sinead - Shinaid
Siobhan - Shuvaan

You'll soon recognize that an S followed by e or I is pronounced sh.

You'll also quickly notice that bh = v.

Once you see this repeat itself 20 or 30 times, you start to see a Gaelic word and sound it out according to Gaelic rather than English pronunciation conventions.

**A Lenape Scot** · 18th July 13, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by RyanMac

Radio Lingua has Scots Gaelic? I could only find Irish Gaelic when I was searching through their podcasts on iTunes.

Just put gaelic. It does not have the word Scots.

**RyanMac** · 19th July 13, 05:23 AM

I did just that yesterday evening and found it. The one minute Gaelic series. I wish it was as large and robust as the "coffee break Spanish" is/was, but I'll take it. Thanks a bunch for the added info.

**piperchris** · 17th July 13, 09:49 PM

I hope to study Scots Gaelic someday, I think it's a beautiful and unique language!

**bluebonnet** · 18th July 13, 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by Hawk

Agreed.....

It's something that we, as Indigenous Tribal People have passed on to the next generation, to insure the next seven generations continue. We have always said, the language, the songs, the ceremony must continue for the People to continue.

Hawk

I consider myself very fortunate in that my parents could both speak their languages and were able to pass on the linguistic ability to me.

When I was posted in Nova Scotia, I had the chance to head on up to the Gaelic Mod/college in Cape Breton for a few summer leave periods. Got awesome dancing, piping and language lessons while there. http://www.celticheart.ca/gaelic-col...rts-and-crafts

Ottawa also has a gaelic community group... http://www.gaidhligottawa.ca/