Gàidhlig na Còigich

Gàidhlig cho math 's a chluinnear an àite sam bith. Faigh an leabhar, leugh e agus éist ri na clàran aig an aon àm....

Scottish speech as good as you'll hear it anywhere. Get the book, read it and listen to the recordings at the same time....

Bhuail e orm gu mór cho làidir 's a bha Gàidhlig Mhurchaidh Iain MhicIlleathain. Bha i loma-làn gnàthasan-cainnte agus cha mhór gun bhuaidh bhon Bheurla idir....

It struck me greatly how strong Murdo John MacLean's Gaelic was. It was full up with idiom and almost without trace of influence from English language....

Ged a chaidh an leabhar seo fhoillseachamh, dé a' bhuaidh a thug seo air Gàidhlig na Còigich? An do dh' fhàg e dileab air bith?

Although this book was published, what effect did this have on Còigeach Scottish? Did it leave any kind of legacy?

Saoil am b' urrainn dhuinn cuideigin fhaodainn a bheireamh aire don dualchainnt agus a dh' ùisneachamh an leabhar seo agus na clàran a reinn an laoch beag ud, Calum MacIlleathain à Ratharsaigh, mar chlach an oisein de THOSGAIREACHD Chòigeach?

I wonder whether we could find someone who would take an interest in the dialect and who would use this book and the recordings that Calum MacLean of Raasay made, as the cornerstone of Còigeach TOSGAIREACHD?

Ge 'r bith cho math 's a tha an leabhar, chan eil luach sam bith ann aig a' cheann thall mur an dèan cuideigin rudaigin leis an obair a chaidh a dhèanamh agus a thàinig gu crìoch ann an 2005....

However good the book is, it has no worth whatsoever at the end of the day (at the far end) if no-one does anything with the work that was done and came to an end in 2005....

Tha sinn am feum ar beachd atharrachamh a thaobh mar a dhìonas sinn a' Ghàidhlig. Chan eil an dòigh a th' oirnn 's sinn a' feuchainn ris ar dualchas a ghléidheil gu math tàbhachdach ....

We are in need of changing our attitude towards protecting the Scottish Gaelic language. The way that we go about 'preserving' our culture is not particularly effective....

Gu dearbh, 's e sin fa' bheil an dragh air fad. Bithidh sinn a' cur seachad tuillidh 's a' chòir de ùine fhathast, a' feuchainn ri dealbhan tarraingeach a thogail, clàran iongantach a dhèanamh agus leabhraichean mun cuairt air a' chùis a sgrìobhamh....

Indeed, it is there that the problem lies. We still spend far too much time trying to take attractive photographs, make interesting recordings and write books about the subject....

'S e an fhìrinn ge-tà, gum bitheamh ar n-ùine air a deagh ùisneachamh le bhith cur seachad ar làithean fo riochd ar dualchas, leis na dualchainntean air ar teangan, na h-òrain às ar beòil agus an sean dòigh gar stiùireamh....

The truth however, is that our time would be very well used by spending our days 'living our heritage', with the dialects on our tongues, the songs never off our lips and the old way guiding us....

Cùin a chuireas sinn stad air sealltainn air dualchas na h-Albainn mar thaisbeanamh air choireigin, mar gu bheil sinn sgàraichte bhuaithe? Fhad 's a bhitheas sinn a' sealltainn air 's a' beachdachamh air, tha e dol à bith....

When will we put an end to regarding the heritage of Scotland as an exhibition of some kind, as if we are separated from it somehow? While we watch and ponder it, it disappears....

Ma bhitheas sibh 'g aontachamh leam, nach roinn sibh seo airson a' bheachd seo a sgaoileamh!

If you agree with me, please share this status that we might spread the word on this!

Gum math a bhitheas sibh!

Let you be well!

-
Àdhamh Ó Broin
Comhghall 's Meadhan Arra-Ghàidheil
adhamhobroin@gmail.com

Beanntan na Còigich

www.hughwebster.com

 

 

DROITSEACH http://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780955019838/G%C3%A0idhlig-C%C3%B2igich-Thairis-Air-Fhicheads-0955019834/plp

9780955019838: Gàidhlig Na Còigich Thairis Air Dà Fhichead's Deich Bliadhna 1955-2005 : Daoine, Sgeu

www.abebooks.co.uk

Gàidhlig Na Còigich Thairis Air Dà Fhichead's Deich Bliadhna 1955-2005 : Daoine,...See more

Diluain aig 16:52 · 'S math · Thoir air falbh an ro-shealladh

DROITSEACH http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/person/235

Tobar an Dualchais - Biography - Murdo John MacLean

www.tobarandualchais.co.uk

 

TOSGAIREAN

TOSGAIREAN

Current Dialect Ambassadors

Co-dhiù, seo na th' againn gu ruig seo!

Well, here's what we've got so far!

Ma tha fiosrachamh a dhìth oirbh mun cuairt air na dualchainntean a leanas no an ionnsachamh, o dheas gu tuath:

Diùra
Comhghall 's Meadhan Arra-Ghàidheil
Latharna
Baile Chaolais 's Gleann Comhain
Bàideanach
Leódhas an Iar-thuath

....seo agaibh na TOSGAIREAN a bheireas dhuibh cuideachamh!

If you lack information on the following dialects or learning them, from south to north:

Jura
Cowal & Mid-Argyll
Lorn
Ballachulish & Glen Coe
Badenoch
North-west Lewis

here are the TOSGAIREAN to help you out!

Agus tuillidh air sin, dé ur beachd air TOSGAIREAN ùra? Leis cho beag 's a tha an gnothach fhathast, tha TOSGAIR dhìth air an leòr den dùthaich....

And besides that, what do you think about new TOSGAIRs? Given that there are still only a few of us, much of the country lacks a TOSGAIR....

Bheil sibh eòlach air cuideigin a tha gu math fiosrachail air dualchainnt air choireigin, cuideigin a tha gu math fileanta ann an dualchainnt air choireigin no theaga cuideigin a bhitheas a' toirt aire mhóir do dh' eachdraigh Ghàidhealach na sgìre acasan?

Do you know of someone who is very knowledgable about a particular dialect, someone who is very fluent in a dialect, or perhaps someone who takes great interest in the Gaelic history of their area?

Tha sinn airson cluinntinn bhuaibh! Na leigibh dàil! Leasachamh sinn an lìon le bhith ag obair còmhla. Cuireamh sinn stad air a' ghrotachamh le bhith toirt neart 's sgàirt do na dh' fhàg an saoghal aig a chùl....

We want to hear from you. Don't delay! Let us develop the web by working together. Let's put a stop to the degradation by giving strength and vigour to what the world left behind....

Thoiribh dhuinn ur beachdan :)

Give us your thoughts :)

-
Àdhamh Ó Broin
Comhghall 's Meadhan Arra-Ghàidheil
adhamhobroin@gmail.com

Gàidhlig Arra-Ghàidheil anns an taigh-dhealbh! Argyll Gaelic on the big screen!

Gàidhlig Arra-Ghàidheil anns an taigh-dhealbh!

Argyll Gaelic on the big screen!

Fhuair Gàidhlig Arra-Ghàidheil a' chiad pàirt riadh ann an dealbh a chaidh a shealltainn don phoblachd anns an GFT ann an Glaschu an-dé....

The Scottish language of Argyll found it's way for the first time ever into a cinematic production which was shown yesterday to the public at the GFT, Glasgow....

Bha TOSGAIREAN Àdhamh Ó Broin agus Griogair Labhruidh anns an deilbh agus bha Iain MacPhàrlain à Taigh an Uillt ri fhaicinn cuideachd....

TOSGAIREAN Àdhamh Ó Broin and Griogair Labhruidh featured in the film, as did John MacFarlane of Taynuilt....

Ged nach cluinn thu Gàidhlig anns a' chrioman gu h-ìseal, bha sinn gu math toilichte gun d' fhuair dualchainnt na dùthcha deagh phàirt anns an deilbh fhéin....

Although you'll not hear Gaelic in the trailer below, we were very pleased that the Argyll dialect featured well in the film itself....

Tha sinn an dòchas gun cuidich an dealbh cùis nan dualchainnt a thoirt air aire an t-sluaigh ann an Alba, a' cur d' an cuimhne nach eil Gàidhlig air a deagh riochdachamh leis a' Chainnt Chumanta a-mhàin....

We hope that the picture will help bring dialect issues into the minds of Scottish people, reminding them that the Scottish language cannot be properly represented by the Standard Tongue alone....

Bithidh 'We are Northern Lights' ri fhaicinn ann an taighean-dealbh bho cheann gu ceann na dùthcha gu h-aithghearr....

'We are Northern Lights' will be on general release in cinemas throughout the country soon....

We Are Northern Lights - Teaser

www.youtube.com

This is a teaser from the feature film We Are Northern Lights! The film was created from footage submitted by the general public in Scotland over 3

Looking back on Badenoch Week!

Ar beannachd air Màirin mhór!

Looking back on Badenoch Week!

An deidh beagan làithean, tha mi fhathast air mo dhòigh le na chunnaig mi an t-seachdain seo chaidh aig DROITSEACH. Bha seachdain Bhàideanach gasta air fad agus 's mairg leam gu bheil e a-nis seachad!

After a few days, I'm still feeling delighted with what we saw last week at DROITSEACH. Badenoch week was just excellent altogether and I consider it a great shame that it had to come to an end!

Ach, mar a thig oirnn uile, tha beatha làitheil air gairm air Màirin a-rithist agus tha sinn a-nis am feum smaoineachamh air an ath thaisbeanamh a bhitheas againn. Ma tha beachdan agaibh air sin, air cuideigin a bhitheamh nan deagh THOSGAIR, no smaointean sam bith eile, nach cuir sibh gar n-ionnsaigh ead? :)

But, as with all of us, everyday life has called Maureen back again and we must now think about what we'll focus on next here at the page. If you have ideas on that, on someone who would be an excellent TOSGAIR, or other any thoughts, could you please share those with us? :)

'S urrainn dhomh bruidhinn as leth Mhàirinn le bhith ag ràdh gum bitheamh i uamharraidh toilichte cluinntinn bho dhuine sam bith a bhitheamh airson a cuideachamh le Gàidhlig Bhàideanach. Cuir fios ga h-ionnsaigh an seo, no gu: maureen.hammond70@gmail.com

I know that I can speak on behalf of Maureen when I say that she would be absolutely delighted to hear from anyone willing to help with the resurrection of the Badenoch dialect. Get in touch with her here, or e-mail to: maureen.hammond70@gmail.com

Co-dhiù, shin agaibh mar a tha an saoghal aig DROITSEACH a-nochd. Gur math a bhitheas sibh uile!

Well, there you have the world according to DROITSEACH tonight. Be well all!

-
Àdhamh Ó Broin
Comhghall 's Meadhan Arra-Ghàidheil
adhamhobroin@gmail.com

GÀIDHLIG BHÀIDEANACH Badenoch Gaelic le Màirin mhór Uilleim

GÀIDHLIG BHÀIDEANACH Badenoch Gaelic le Màirin mhór Uilleim

#gaidhlig

I was in two minds whether or not to post this as it is in its very early stages and I have not completed the translation. But I thought I would anyway as it’s bound ...See more

Am Baile - 'Guma Slàn Do Na Fearaibh' (Here's Good Health to the People)

www.ambaile.org.uk

A bi-lingual online archive of the culture of the Scottish Highlands - available in English and Gaelic

GÀIDHLIG BÀIDEANACH Badenoch Gaelic

GÀIDHLIG BÀIDEANACH Badenoch Gaelic

#gaidhligbaideanach

Seo Màirin mhór Uilleim a’ rithistich.

Amongst the Badenoch papers in the family chest was this story. (There’s a photograph of it in the accompanying photographs). Our family do not know who Ian Dubh was but the story was obviously of some significance to have been preserved. We already know that two Leslie ancestors aided Cluny Macpherson, a staunch supporter of the Jacobite cause, and were amongst a handful who knew of his hiding place, apparently building his shelter and bringing him supplies in secret after the ’45 uprising. Perhaps this is another of the few on the Macpherson side.

“ Ian Dubh had the honour in all probability of saving the Chief’s life on another occasion also. One day in the same year 1746 he saw a band of soldiers approaching from the North. It instantly rushed into his mind that this ought to be known at Cluny Castle [seat of Cluny MacPherson, a Jacobite sympathiser, near Laggan in Badenoch].

He put off his rough home-made brogues to facilitate his progress and started off to run to the castle taking the way by which his movements were least open to observation. He reached the castle in safety and warned the chief and his family of the coming of the soldiers. Cluny’s wife took refuge in a lime-kiln which was near the castle and Cluny himself betook himself to his cave in Craig Dhu [near Newtonmore, Badenoch]. One hour after Ian Dhu had given warning the soldiers came and set fire to the castle. Ian is said to have hurt his foot in his race for life. Ian knew of the chief’s hiding place but nothing would tempt him to reveal it.

He is also said as the Gaelic has it to have ‘nourished’ his chief. He probably supplied him with food. Such is one of the many acts of fidelity performed by the poor mountaineers of Scotland at that period. One thousand pounds was offered for Cluny’s capture, dead or alive.

Ian Dubh’s conduct must be remembered with more admiration when we reflect what such a sum would represent to him. He could have bought the whole of Badenoch. “You are a foolish man Ian” people are said to have said to him, knowing that he could have given up the chief had he pleased. But Ian had a “Highland heart as true as steel” and did not betray his chief.

He was hale and hearty when nearly eighty years of age and those who knew him said that he looked a fine figure in his Macpherson tartan kilt and plaid. He was an elder of St. Columba’s Church Kingussie and although he could not read he is said to have had a capital memory. When he heard others reading what the minister had read in church he knew when they made a mistake and said “That is not what the minister said”. He is buried with many more of his ancestors, relations and descendents in the old burying ground of Biallid [churchyard beneath Creag Dhubh, Newtonmore].”

A BADENOCH POEM From Thomas Sinton’s ‘The Poetry of Badenoch’

De ni mi gun léine ghlain,
Gun léine ghlain, gun léine ghlain ;
De ni mi gun léine ghlain,
'S mi dol as a' bhaile màireach.

Tha tigh agam, tha bean agam,
'S an bùrn aig ceann an tigh agam,
Tha punnd do shiabunn geal agam,
Is léine shalach ghnàd' orm.

'Nuair thug mi dhi gu nigheadh i,
'S ann thòisich i ri bruidhinn rium ;
'S an uair a fhuair mi rithist i,
Bu mhios' i na mar bha i.

Bidh 'h-uile fear a' farraid rium,
'Farraid am beil bean agam,
'Farraid am beil bean agam,
Is leine shalach ghnàd' orm.

What shall I do without a clean shirt.
Without a clean shirt, without a clean shirt
What shall I do without a clean shirt,
And I going from home to-morrow?

A house I have, a wife I have,
And a burn at the end of the house, I have;
A pound of white soap I have,
And a dirty ugly shirt on me!

When I gave it to her to wash for me,
She just began to speak to me ;
And when I got it afterwards,
'Twas worse than as it was.

Every man will be asking me
Asking if a wife I have ;
Asking if a wife I have,
And a dirty ugly shirt on me !

A BADENOCH LEGEND

The farm of Laggan near Kingussie, was in olden days the residence of a famous witch called “ Bean-a-Laggan” or the Wife of Laggan. Adjoining the farm was the crofting township of “Tigh-na-Camahe”. These crofters and the Wife of Laggan were continually at cariance in consequence of the stock of one encroaching on the rights of the other. The crofters’shepherd whose holding was nearest to the farm, suffered the most from loss and annoyance.
Finding the Laggan sheep one day eating his corn, the shepherd put them in the poindfold and demanded payment for the damage done. The Wife paid the money grudgingly and and vowed that she would make the crofters rue it.
After this the shepherd’s cows fell sick and died, his barn was burnt down and his house became haunted by a large black cat of a ferocious aspect. These calamities frightened his wife and family so much that he was obliged to leave the district. But his departure did not put an end to the misfortunes of the crofters. These occured at one or other of the holdings almost daily.
Another shepherd had to be obtained, and finally the duties were taken up by Donald Bane, who had much skill and experience and under whose management a change for the better took place. He advised that all cows should have a sprig of bog fir attached to the horn or tail, that byres be protected from evil by rowan branches, and house doors by horse shoes.
Still the black cat prowled about, and chickens and eggs were frequently missed. Donald suspected that the culprit was something more than a cat, so he put a silver button in his gun, and when a favourable moment came he fired at the brute, hitting it on one of the hind legs. \the cat gave a great scream and disappeared. The next time the Wife of Laggan was seen, it was noticed that she walked with a halt.
Shortly after this, during the month of July, Donald was with the sheep on the hills, staying in the bothy at Corrour. After a wet day he was sitting at the fireside drying his clothes when presently a black hen walked in at the open doorway and took up a position near him beside the fire. The dogs growled and Donald blessed himself. He perceived that the hen grew bigger and bigger and at last assumed the form of the Wife of Laggan.
She opened the conversation by requesting the shepherd to tie up the dogs, evidently fearing attack from them.
“ I have nothing to tie them with” answered Donald.
Taking a few hairs from her head, she said “Here, tie them with these”.
Donald put the hairs on the sleeve of his wet coat. She then sprang upon him like a tigress, whiloe the dogs barked and snapped at her. This was evidently more than the woman bargained for, and she cried out “Tighten hairs; cut and strangle!” But after a severe struggle Donald prevailed, and the witch took to her heels, being chased by the dogs. Donald followed at dawn next morning.
A short distance from the bothy he found one of his dogs dead, with a piece of human flesh in his mouth.
On his arrival home, Donald was told that the Wife of Laggan was dying. He then related what had happened in the bothy. Thereafter a number of the men preceded to Laggan farm-house, but they were too late, for the witch had just died.
They carried the remains to the top of a round hillock near at hand (where Kingussie’s War Memorial has been erected [since re-located to Kingussie gardens]) and there burnt them. It is a remarkable fact that, when the hill was planted, no trees took root near that spot.

From ‘Legends of Badenoch’ pub. 1965 Jas. Johnstone and Sons at the Badenoch Printing Works.

Thank you for reading,

Slàn leibh uile,
Màirin.

DUALCHAINNT BHÀIDEANACH - Badenoch Dialect - Day 3

DUALCHAINNT BHÀIDEANACH - Badenoch Dialect - Day 3

In common with many in the Badenoch area, some of my family spoke Gaelic up until around the time of the Second World War. It is a source of much sadness to me that it no longer exists in its native form in the area. But such was the association with English as the language of progression that Gaelic usage gradually dwindled.

Alexander Macbain says in his paper of 1892 (from The Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness) : “The number of Scotch and English words in the dialect of Badenoch is now very large; the people, especially the young people, appropriate English words, and impress them into a Gaelic sentence, with the utmost indifference. Such a sentence as follows I have good reason to believe was actually spoken by one Englified Gael from a far-away glen in the district;- " Tha mi 'g admiring most anabarrach am beauty aig an scenery th’ ann so"- “I am admiring most excessively the beauty of this scenery here." ”

The old family letters from the Macpherson chest are in English but my mother remembers the older relatives speaking to each other in Gaelic. How I would have loved to have been a fly on their walls.
There are now no remaining speakers of Badenoch Gaelic but there are two speakers of Strathspey Gaelic, one of whom is Dr Seumas Grannd who has researched both dialects. I am indebted to Dr Grannd for his kind permission to reproduce extracts of his paper here.

From looking at Dr Grannd’s research, it is apparent that Badenoch dialect shares many but not all the key features of Strathspey Gaelic. They are two distinct regions and it is possible that the geography of the area accounts for the difference in the dialects. Badenoch comes from the Gaelic ‘Bàideanach’ , meaning ‘the drowned place’, and the marsh of the NE part of Badenoch acts as something of a natural barrier between it and Strathspey.

SOME LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF BADENOCH GAELIC

I have been given kind permission by Dr Seumas Grannd to reproduce extracts of his paper “ The Gaelic of Strathspey and its Relationship with Other Dialects”, pub. Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, vol. LXI 1998-2000.

DROPPING OF –dh ENDING
For example: a’ bualadh (hitting) in Standard Gaelic becomes a’ buala’ in dualchainnt Bàideanach, a’ gearradh (cutting) becomes a’ gearra, samhradh (summer) becomes samhra’ and in the case of names Donnchadh would become Donncha’ and Murchadh would become Murcha’ in the dialect for example.

FINAL SLENDER nn PRONOUNCED ng
Dulachainnt Bàideanach has, in common with dualchainnt Strathspè, the “final slender nn when preceded by a close front unrounded vowel (the vowel normally represented by i in Gaelic) is pronounced as a medio-palatal nasal (a sound pronounced in a similar fashion to the ng in the English word ‘sing’)” according to Dr Grannd.
For example – (gu) tinn (unwell) becomes - gu ting in dulachainnt Bàideanach
Cinn (heads) becomes - cing, and grinn (lovely) becomes gling in the dialect.
(I have a fancy I heard this feature surviving in my elderly aunt’s spoken English but it could have been on account of her ill-fitting false-teeth).

DOWN(WARDS)
The adverb used for ‘down’ in Badenoch is a-bhàn. ‘He went down the stairs’ would be translated as ‘Chaidh e a-bhàn an staidhir’.
EAST (WARDS) and WEST (WARDS)
I quote here directly from Dr Grannd:
“ Although the principal meanings sìos and suas normally have in most dialects are ‘down(wards)’ and ‘up(wards), the principal meanings they have in Badenoch and Strathspey are are ‘east(wards)’ and ‘west(wards)’. This is probably due to the fact that the River Spey runs from the heights of Badenoch (in the west) to the lowlands of Moray (in the east).
The forms shìos and shuas are used in Badenoch and Strathspey for ‘east’ and ‘west’ where no movement is involved and have found their way into the toponomy of the area- the two entrances to Glen More, now known as the ‘Pass of Ryvoan’ and ‘The Sluggan’ were known to some of my informants as An Slugan Shìos ‘the eastern defile’ and An Slugan Shuas ‘the western defile’.”

(FRESH) WATER
The word used in most circumstances in dualchainnt Bàideanach is burn, whereas rain is uisg’ .
BOY
The form proitseach is used for ‘boy’ in the dialect.

There are two other features missing from this list but I am awaiting confirmation of these from Dr Grannd.

I have heard anecdotally that the genitives in the dialect can be different to Standard Gaelic but again need to confirm this with Dr Grannd before I can give any examples. In the word list I give below you will notice that the gender of nouns changes quite frequently in the dialect....something of a challenge for a learner like me!

SOME BADENOCH WORDS

From Dwelly’s Online Gaelic Dictionary.

faltraich va Badenoch & Strathspey for fairtlich, va Overcome.
ilimeag sf Badenoch, Strathspey, North Argyll, Wester Ross, North Sutherland and Lewis for imleag, sf The navel.
ilimich va Badenoch, Strathspey, North Argyll, Wester Ross, North Sutherland and Lewis for imlich, va Lick with the tongue.
beum sf Badenoch.
blè'ch (blàthach?) Pretty. Badenoch. breac-eunan sf Badenoch for breac-sheunain.
breac-eunan sf Badenoch for breac-sheunain.
cealair see ceallair. 2 Virago - Badenoch.
cluith v Badenoch for cluich.
dealtag sf Badenoch for ialtag.
dealtag-anmoch sf Badenoch for ialtag.
domar (MM) Badenoch for domail.
éile Skye, Badenoch & S. Argyll for féileadh.
fàithn Suth'd & Badenoch for àithne.
faltraich va Badenoch & Strathspey for fairtlich, va Overcome.
firmidh Badenoch for imiridh.
fos Badenoch for os, above.
freineach Badenoch for raineach.
irimich Badenoch & Gairloch for imrich.
irimidh Badenoch for imiridh
luramadh Badenoch for lomradh. meal-maig (AK) see mial-mhag — Badenoch.
meal-mhàgain see mial-mhàgain — Badenoch.
so-in (an so-in & an so-in-ich) Slang form of seo — Badenoch.
Ollaig Badenoch for Nollaig.
pàpar Badenoch, Glenurquhart &c. for pàipear.
piobar -air, sm Badenoch for peabar.
pronnastail Badenoch for pronnasg.
riadh Badenoch for riamh & ruith.
ritistich Badenoch for a-rithist. Thoir gaol do d' bhean (mhnaoi) rithistich, love your wife again.
sging Badenoch, Argyll & W. of Ross for sginn, s. Sging e troimh, he squeezed through.
so-in (an so-in & an so-in-ich) Slang form of seo — Badenoch.
stididh Badenoch for stìdean.

breac-eunan sf Badenoch for breac-sheunain.
cluith v Badenoch for cluich.
faltraich va Badenoch & Strathspey for fairtlich, va Overcome.
ilimeag sf Badenoch, Strathspey, North Argyll, Wester Ross, North Sutherland and Lewis for imleag, sf The navel.
ilimich va Badenoch, Strathspey, North Argyll, Wester Ross, North Sutherland and Lewis for imlich, va Lick with the tongue.
sleac Badenoch for leac.
buit a. Badenoch for buitidh. 2 "Fugy" as a fowl, see pùt.
sliosraig ‡ Badenoch for liosraig.
ciall sm in Badenoch, for ciall.
feagal -ail, sm Badenoch &c. for eagal.
boineid sm in Badenoch. See a' bhoineid. Correct form in Aberfeldy for mushroom, not boineid-smachain.
aitreabh sf in Badenoch.
baothailt s Fool. Badenoch.
beuc sf Roar. Badenoch.
deighreach sm Dirling - Badenoch.
ulbhach ‡ -aich, sm Ashes — Badenoch.
dorchadas (MS) sm Blind, but in Badenoch it is sf.
sleastair ‡ va Bedaub — Badenoch.
croineagan spl Small peat. Badenoch.
doidse sf Dint. — Badenoch.
earr -a, -an, sm [f. in Badenoch]. End, conclusion. 2 Extremity, limit, boundary, bottom. 3 Tail, as of salmon. †4 Champion. 5‡‡ Heroism. 6 see earran-geal. 7(AH) Deadwood in stern of a boat, see O3, p.73. 8* Extremity of a barrel. 9(DMy) Chimb of a tub or barrel. 10(DMy) Rock submerged on a promontory. 11(AH) Butt of a gun. 12(MS) Botch. Gum bu tapaidh thu fhéin air earr a' ghunna-ghlaic, how expert you were at the butt of the gun!
faileas -eis, -an, sm [sf in Badenoch]. Shadow. 2* Reflected image. 3** Shade. 4** Spectre, ghost. Mar fhaileas teichidh tu, as a shadow you shall fly; mar fhaileas ar làithean, our days are like a shadow; faileas an ré, the reflected image of the moon.

fearann -ainn, sm [sf in Badenoch]. Land, country. 2 Estate. 3 Farm. 4** Earth, land, in contradistinction to water. Fearann saor, freehold land; fearann bàn, lea-ground, 2 vacant (i.e. temporarily unoccupied) land; fearann treabhta, ploughed land; fearann àlainn na h-Éireann, the fair country of Ireland; fearann tioram, dry land; ann am fearann fàs, in a desert land; fearann comhroinn, suburbs; fearann oighreachd, a manor; fearann coillteach, woodland; fearann dlighe, manor.
fios -a, sm [sf in Badenoch]. Knowledge, information. 2 Notice, intelligence. 3 Word, message. 4‡‡ Science. 5 Art, understanding. 6‡‡ Vision. Fhuair mi fios, I got word; thoir fios, inform, give notice; fhuair sinn droch fhios, we received sad intelligence; am fios dhut? a bheil fios agad? do you know? tha fios agam, I know; cuine a fhuair thu fios? when did you get information? a-réir fios dhomh-sa, to the best of my knowledge; as fhios don bheò, what the living know; 'ga fios, to her knowledge; 'ga fhios, to his knowledge; thàinig e a-steach gun fhios dha, he came in unknown to him; gun fhios nach dig e, not knowing whether he may come; gun fhios dé a nì mi, not knowing what I shall do; gun fhios carson, without knowing why; thàinig fios ort, a message came for you; fios an torraidh, an invitation to the funeral; fios fuadain, a flying report; fios nam fàidh, fore-knowledge; am fios a bu lugha, the slightest knowledge; fios air an fhios, repeated information; an urgent invitation; is beag fios dhomh-sa, little do I know; fios freagairt, an answer to a leter; tha fios fithich agad, you have a raven's knowledge — supposed to be supernatural; also said to cheeky children; foighneachd air fios, foighneachd as miosa a tha ann, asking what in well known, the worst of asking; chuir mi fios air a-nìos thugam, I sent word to him to come from below to me. [see ex. under dathadair].

greann grinn, sm [f. in Badenoch, North Argyll and Poolewe, m. in Coigach,] Grim surly scowl, angry look, appearance of rage. 2 Hair. 3 Hue, colour. 4 Collision, act of striking. 5 Courage, boldness. 6 Bristling of the hair, as on an enraged dog. 7* Ripple on the surface of water. †8 Uncombed hair. 9** Beard. †10 Fair hair. 11** Gloom. †12 Noise, clangour, blast. 13 Siren (creature). †14 Friendship, love. 15 Joke. 16 Cloth. 17 Rough-piled clothing. 18* Head having the hair standing on end. Tha greann air an fhairge, the sea has a rippled, scowling aspect; bho gach greann a bhiodh teann do m' thòir, from every siren hard pressing me; dh'fhàs air cith is greann, he became angry and scowling; mar ghreann a bheireadh dà òrd, like the clangour of two hammers; is iomadh corp a chaochail a ghreann, many a body changed its hue; pòr as beadaraiche greann, a race of the loveliest hue; mar ghreann reòthaidh, like a wintry blast.

boitidh! int Call to a pig - Badenoch.
great sm Soap-sud — Badenoch. Scots, graith — warm water so wrought up with soap as to be fit for washing clothes.
bile sf Rim. sm in Badenoch.
robh'd s. Lump, bit — Badenoch.
gasgag ‡ -aig, -an, sf Step, stride —Badenoch.
teibeid sf Taunt, cut — Badenoch. see teabaid.
aitidh -e, a Moist, damp, wet. 2 Badenoch for aiteamh. Tha d' aodach aitidh, your clothes are damp.
nasg naisg, -an, sm [sf in Badenoch]. Tie-band, wooden collar for a cow, formerly made of plaited or twisted birch or other twigs. 2 Seal. 3 Deposit, pledge. 4 Store, provision. 5 Chain. 6 King. 7(AF) Chained dog. 8(MS) Air. 9(DMC) Wooden ring of a sieve or fan. 10(DMC) Film. Tha an t-airgead an nasg, the money is left in pledge, is deposited as security.

gòileag ‡ -eig, sf Haycock, cole — Badenoch
muidse -an & -achan, sf [m. in Badenoch]. Woman's common head-dress, mutch, linen, cap. [m. in Gairloch where it is muiste].
pruidh-dhé! int. Call to a cow — Badenoch & N. Argyll.
sid-naich (an), emphat. form of siud — Badenoch & Glen Urquhart, (siodanaich).
boit v Acquire a taste for - Badenoch.
buachar sm Cow dung, sf in Badenoch.
deudach sm The teeth. sf in Badenoch.
ladhar -air & -dhra, pl. -dhran, sm [f. in Badenoch]. Hoof. 2 Toe. 3 Claw. 4 Prong, fork. 5 Ludicrous name for a shanky leg. 6** Single hoof of a cloven-footed animal. Ladhar is toe (of a man) in Arran & Islay, where hoof is crodhan. Gach aon a sgoltas an ladhar, every one that has a cloven hoof; a' cur bruic á 'ladhran, kicking badgers out of his toes — said of one in a great rage; teas na luaithreach 'nan ladhairean, the heat of ashes in their feet — Arran; barail a' bhruic air a ladhran, the badger's opinion of his own claws — a poor opinion; cho bìth ris an luch fo ladhar a' chait, an quiet as a mouse under the cat's paw; cha déid mo ladhar, not a bit of me will go; chaidh a' bhròg oirre nuair a bha barr nan ladhar gearrta dhith, the shoe went on her (foot) when the tips of her toes were cut off.

smarach -aich, sm Lad, growing youth — Badenoch. 2* Large louse.
uainneart ‡ sm Bustle. 2 Wallowing — Badenoch.
bìd sm Shrill chirping sound. In Badenoch, sf.
cuirteir sm Serge cloth. 2 Plaiding - Badenoch.
teud -a & -éid, pl. -an sm [f. in Badenoch] String, cord, rope. 2 String of a musical instrument. 3‡‡ Music in general. 4** Harp. 5** Any stringed instrument. Feadh thorman gach teuda, through the music of every string; mairidh e am fonn nan teud, he will live in the music of the harp; clàrsach gun teud, a stringless harp; inneal binn nan teudan deich, a melodious ten-stringed instrument. [†† sf]

deò sf Breath. 2 Air. sm in Badenoch.
ath-thalmhainn s Mole (talpa europaea) - Badenoch.
ath-thalainn s Mole (talpa europaea) - Badenoch.
reabhtadh -aidh, sm Disporting, as of boys — Badenoch. 2** Skipping.
tiochaidh A thiochaidh fhéin! int Exclamation of surprise — Badenoch.
speadach * -aiche, a. Sheep-shanked. 2 Kicking — Badenoch.
stiùrag sf Gruel, hot oatmeal drink — Badenoch.
tallaid sf see callaid. 2 Partition — Badenoch.
diolan int A dhiolan sinne! An exclamation. Badenoch.
balair sf Opinion, for barail, sf in Badenoch, Perth and Strathspey.
riadh sm Row, drill, as of potatoes — Badenoch.
prog! (CR) int. Call for a horse — Perthshire, Badenoch & N. Argyll.
bruchd sm Sudden rushing forth. Is sf in Badenoch.
sineachdainn (an sineachdainn) adv emphat. form of sin — Badenoch & Gairloch.
lite gen sing litinn now in Skye, formerly also in Badenoch — Gael. Soc. Inv. xxiii, 84] sf Porridge, pottage. 2** Posset.
broilean sm is the more correct spelling than broilein. Badenoch.
sgarmaich sf Flux of stones on a hillside — Badenoch. (sgàirneach).
fuiteachadh sm Coaxing one to take or to do anything — Badenoch.
sgriothail ‡ spl Lot of small items, as small potatoes — Badenoch. Chuir e sgriotal (sgriothail) dheth, he spoke a great many words with little substance in them, {waffled}. 2†† Crowd of young creatures.

sgeul -éil, -éile & -euil, pl. -eòil & -an, sm [f. in Badenoch]. Narrative, relation, narration. 2 Tale, fable, story. 3 False or malicious report, falsehood. 4 News, information, tidings. Innis sgeul, tell a tale, relate a story; sgeul thairis! change the subject! — Arran; air aon sgeul, of one opinion; dé do sgeul? what is your news? sgeul mun Fhéinn, a tale about the Fenians; droch sgeul, bad intelligence; bi air sgeul, be in pursuit of information; a bheil e air sgeul? is he (or it) to be found? a dh'innseadh sgeòil, to tell the result; eadar dà sgeul, by the way; a' dèanamh sgéile, making a tale, telling a tale or falsehood; narrating, uttering a speech; a choigrich na sgéile truaighe! stranger of the mournful tale! air sgeul, found.

fraings' sf Scouring-brush made of cross-leaved heath — Badenoch [variant of roinnse, ruinnse in Badenoch, rainnse in Perthshire]. fraoch-frangach.
glùn -ùin & -ùine, pl. glùinean & glùintean, sm [sf in Badenoch]. Knee. 2 Joint. 3 Generation, race. 4** Step, degree, in a pedigree. 5 Descendant. 6 Joint in reeds. 7(AH) Ream-knee in boat, see under bàta, p76. Bean-ghlùin, a midwife; an t-aon nach teagaisgear ris a' ghlùn, chan fhoghlamar ris an uilinn, the child that is not taught at the knee, cannot be taught at the elbow; sìos air do ghlùinibh! on the knee! aon ghlùn, first cousin; dà ghlùn, second cousin; lùbadh gach glùn, let every knee bow.
leum léim pl. leuma, -an, & leumannan, sm [f. in Badenoch]. Leap, bound, spring, frisk, start, shake. 2 Leaping, act of leaping, jump. 3 Animal semen. 4 Emission. 5†† Flaw. 6(DU) Sudden rage, impulsive anger. 7(AF) Milk. Leum gàbhaidh, a desperate leap; thoir leum, leap; ghabh e seachd leumannan den chaothach, he became exceedingly enraged, frenzied. A' leum, pr pt of leum.
spead * -a, -an, sf Very small foot or leg. 2 Cow's or sheep's kick — Badenoch.

ùirsgeul -sgeòil, -an, sm Spreading, as of hay or dung to dry (for air-sgaoil) — Badenoch.
bàrd (CR) sm Meadow, land on the edge of a river. Strathtummel and Badenoch.
na prov. for don. Chaidh e na bhaile, he went to (into) the town — Badenoch &c.
fàsach -aich, -aichean, sm (except gen sing which is f. but f. in all cases in Badenoch). Desert, wilderness, solitude, desolation. 2 Mountain, hill, “forest.” 3 Stubble. 4 Choice pasture. 5‡‡ Edge, border. 6‡‡ Mark, spot. 7** Grassy headland of a ploughed field. Fàsach fiadhaich, a terrible wilderness; féidh na fàsaich, the forest deer; luchd-còmhnaidh na fàsaich, the dwellers of the desert.

blasachd sf Taste. Blasachd air, a taste of it. Arran. Boit air, in Badenoch.
càthar -air, sm Mossy, soft ground, boggy ground. 2‡ Dry part of a peat-moss. 3 Moss in situ - Badenoch. 4 Rough, broken surface (rarely). Bho chàthar 's bho chruaich, from marsh and from mountain.
stairleag (AF) sf Sea-maw, black-headed gull (ɫlarus ridibundus) — Badenoch.
fealan -ain, -an, sm see fiolan. 2 Itch, hives. 3** Fleshworm. 4** Furuncle, bile. 5 Rash on face or body — Badenoch. Duine aig a bheil am fealan, a man who has the itch.
lagh -a, pl. –anna & -annan, sm Law. Generally masculine but feminine in Sutherland and Badenoch (DMu). 2 Order, method. 3 Act of Parliament. 4 Stretch or bend of a bow. Lagh na dùthcha, the law of the land; bogha air lagh, a bow on the stretch; lagh nan deas-ghnàth, the ceremonial law; lagh a' chòir-cheartais, the judicial law; lagh nam modhan (of modhannan), the moral law; lagh na h-eaglais, the canon law; fo chasan an lagha, under the feet of the law — said of anyone who has committed a crime; air lagh, trimmed, ready for action; chan eil lagh no binn agam dha, I have neither law nor sentence for him — I don't want to have anything to do with him, I despise him.

broilein -e, sm Manyplies in an animal's stomach. [The Gaelic Dictionaries erroneously give "king's hood," which is currachd an rìgh]. 2‡ Pig's snout. —Badenoch.
còmhrag -aig, -an, sf Combat, fight, battle, struggle, strife. Dealan na còmhraig, the lightning of battle; Còmhrag a' Choin Duibh, the Black Dog's Fight — a well known folktale. In Badenoch it is sm.
thu pers pron 2nd pers sing You (sing) Emphatic thusa, yourself; thu fhéin, your own self. Tu, when nominative to a verb is always aspirated (thu), except with is and in the future indicative and the two tenses of the subjunctive active. The unaspirated form is never used with the passive forms of the verb. The accusative form always thu. A tendency to use tu instead of thu after verbs ending in s must be carefully guarded against. 'S e chrùnas tu le coron gràidh, given in some editions of the Scriptures (some are correct) as the equivalent of it is he who will crown thee, in Ps. ciii, really means “it is he whom thou wilt crown”. In the same manner tu is erroneously used in, an Tighearn a slànaich thu, ma ta e ann a fhreagras thu, có a bhrathas thu? &c. “Thusa” ach sibhse dar bhios sibh ann 'ur taigh fhéin, “thou,” but “you” when you have a house of your own — example of the peculiar idiomatic use of thu and sibh —Badenoch.

.......Phew! Sin agaibh e!

Thank you for reading.

Slàn leibh uile,
Màirin.

A’ RANNSACHADH -Searching Gàidhlig Bhàideanach

A’ RANNSACHADH -Searching Gàidhlig Bhàideanach

Slight technical hitch...my earlier post of this seems to have been lost! So here we go again....this piece was to accompany the pictures I posted previously.


I started learning Gaelic at primary school. For me it was a natural progression as I’d already learned a lot about the musicality of the language from those thin-walled, ‘Calum’s Ceilidh’ by proxy sessions. Music and Gaelic seem intertwined. With a few breaks along the way, my Gaelic studies have continued into adult life, and I juggle Gramar na Gàidhlig with the demands of raising a family.
I have a kind of Gaelic synaesthesia. When someone speaks it I ‘hear’ the landscape of their origin in their accent. Pictures flash of moors and the backlit space between the crofts in the Lewis Gaelic, of the burn rushing by the leaning alder and soft lichen-covered birch in Skye Gaelic. I became curious about the Gaelic of my own land, the pictures it would evoke. As I heard my own faltering learner’s Gaelic it had too many landscapes in it, like a tourist handbook of the Gàidhealtachd, and in that it had no roots of its own to speak of. It needed to come home. There was no getting around it. Although all but extinct, I had to learn the Badenoch dialect.
I decide to start my search for Badenoch dialect at home in Kingussie and visit my mother, in the hope that there may be something in writing in the chest of family hoardings. Although at times verging on an affliction, I am now at peace with the fact I come from a family of hoarders and have finally come to a place of gratitude to them. My great-aunt was a lady of taste and only hoarded quality, most of it still pristine. A chest of her yellowing papers and sepia photographs sits in my mother’s house (Ceann a Ghiubhsaich) amongst piles of her rare volumes, half-knitted aran jumpers ‘for the bairns’, dusty ornaments and Daniel O’ Donnell calendars. I am struck by the beauty of the chest’s contents, the quality of the paper, the miniscule detail of the stamps, the flowing watermarks. Letters preserved in their original envelopes in crisp, meticulous copperplate. My mother reads aloud the letters to me (at 43....I’m not allowed to touch). Desolate letters to ‘Parsley’ about the passing of ‘Aged’ (my great-grandfather), the early death of Bella-Ann who succumbed to ’flu in a strange bed away from home at the age of 20. Receipts for gravestones and the cleaning of musquash fur coats. All of them in a beautiful restrained script, neatly folded, the paper softened with age and the fingers of hands long passed. As hoped, as my mother pulls out some Gaelic papers. I am finally allowed the privilege of handling these on account of having passed her strict criteria in my dedication to learning Gaelic - and of having washed my hands. Hand-written by my great-great-grandfather, is a list of Gaelic words he drafted in a letter to the Editor of the Highland News , saying “ Perhaps the following will be interesting to ‘Lamh-Dhearg’ in answer to some of his queries.” We think the letter is from c. 1900.
I have tried to decipher the writing and drawn up a list here of the words he has written. I have referred to Dwelly and some of the words are listed as Badenoch Gaelic in his dictionary. Some words I could not find at all in Dwelly but that could be down to my interpretation of the written script.

Achanaich – prayer, petition [athchuinge in Standard Gaelic]
Socag - small clod of earth
Fhunntaininaich – damp cold weather
Corcaigean – bannocks or oatcakes
Lairganaich – waiting, expecting
Raoieil – roaring
Bhiuthanas – famous character [biuthas in Standard Gaelic]
Lorghanach – noisy
Uaigealta – solitary [uaigealtas in SG]
Graidealan – stick used for making porridge
Measrach – thinking, judging
Blathach – buttermilk
Slamhach, Slaman, na Slamanach – curdled milk
Muileann-leth-coise (?) – Probable this word should be Muileann-Laimh-Bradh – Quern
Poit-uirearaidh – pot for drying grain on the fire before it is made into meal by the quern. The meal made in this manner is Mui-uirearaidh (?). The bread – aran uirearaidh. This mode of making meal was quite common in some parts of the Highlands especially Skye some thirty or forty years ago, and may be yet”.
A M (Alexander Macpherson).

Seachdain Bhàideanach

Feasgar math a h-uile duine.

Seo Màirin mór Uilleim is bithidh mi a' sgriobhadh beagan air Bàideanach an t-seachdainn seo. Bithidh sgeulan, òrain, bàrdachd is eachdraidh ann, agus beagan air an dualchainnt Bhàideanach...tha mi'n dòchas gun chòrd e riubh uile.

Anns an dealbh seo - Baile Ùr an t-Slèibh, Bàideanach ann an 1928. Tha piuthar mo sheanair anns an dealbh (a chaileag leis na leabhraichean) -bha i dìreach air tighinn as an sgoil. Tha a seanair am fear cùlanach le each is cairt.

Slàn leibh uile,

Màirin mhór Uilleim.

Good evening everyone.

It's Màirin mhór Uilleim here and I'm going to be writing a wee bit about Badenoch this week. There will be stories, songs, poems and history, and a little about the Gaelic dialect of Badenoch...I hope you enjoy it.

In this picture - Newtonmore, Badenoch, in 1928. My great aunt is in the picture, (the girl with the books) - she was just home from school. Her grandfather is the chap in the background with the horse and cart.

Good health to you,

Màirin mhór Uilleim.

Caoraich aig Caitleag ann an Lagain

Caoraich aig Caitleag ann an Lagain, Bàideanach

Sheep at Catlodge, Laggan, in Badenoch

Caitleag, meaning 'hollow of the cats', has become 'Catlodge' in English. — with Maureen Hammond.

Gàidhlig Bhàideanach

Gàidhlig Bhàideanach!

The Gaelic of Badenoch!

Nach buidhe dhuinne aig DROITSEACH gu ruig seo ann an 2013! Tha sinn air fàilte a chur air Deòrsa aig a bheil deagh Ghàidhlig Dhiùra agus a-nis tha sinn air a' chiad deò den lasair ann am Bàideanach fhaicinn agus TOGSAIR ùr, misneachail a' gabhail an rathaid a dh' ionnsaigh beatha ùir airson Gàidhlig anns an dùthaich.

Aren't we lucky here at DROITSEACH so far in 2013! We have welcomed the fine Jura Gaelic speaker George Jones and now we are seeing the first spark of flame in Badenoch as our passionate new TOSGAIR begins on her journey to revive the Scottish language of that area.

Nach cuir sibh fàilte air Màirin mhór Uilleim à Ceann a' Giubhsaich a dh' ionnsaich beagan Gàidhlig an tóiseachad anns a' bhun-sgoil. Thug i Gàidhlig os làimh aig an àird-sgoil agus aig an oilthigh cuideachd agus chinn an aire a thug ris ar cainnt 's ar dualchas fad na h-ùine an sin.

Please welcome Maureen, daughter of William and native of Kingussie. She first learned Gaelic at primary school there, continuing this through High School and at University and her love of our language and culture has only grown stronger through the years.

Ged nach b' urrainn d' a pàrantan Gàidhlig an àite a bhruidhinn, bha 'd a' cur suim mhór ann an rudan Gàidhealach agus sean-chuimhneach. Bho cheann tacain, tha Màirin air a bhith feuchainn ris a cuid Gàidhlig a thoirt air aghaidh, gu sònraichte na gheobhas i de chainnt na dùthcha.

Although not native speakers, her parents were passionate about Gàidhlig and traditional culture. Maureen has in the last while been furthering her knowledge of the Scottish language especially the Badenoch dialect.

'S e na th' aice de dhùil, gum bith i comasach uair no uaireigin dualchainnt a dùthaich a bhruidhinn gu fileanta agus tha i air a bhith rannsachamh na cànain chum tuillidh fios a bhith aice air na bh' ann de dh' fhaclan 's gnàthasan sònraichte Bàideanach, rud nach eil furasta leis nach eil againn ach cuimhne air 's clàran den dualchainnt an-diugh.

She hopes that one day she will be able to speak the dialect of her homeland fluently and has been researching the language in order to acquire more knowledge on what especially Badenoch features and words were present, no mean task given that nought but memories and recordings of the spoken dialect now remain.

Aig a' cheann thall, bhitheamh Màirin air a dòigh nam b' urrainn dhith Gàidhlig Bhàideanach a thoirt air ais beò, ge bu bheag theaga an sluagh a bhitheamh ga bruidhinn. Ré ar beachd an seo aig DROITSEACH, 's e seo an dearbh rud ris a bheil sinn airson taic a chur. Tha Màirin brath gu bheil cainnt Bhàideanach mar clach an oisein don dòigh a th' oirre agus don cheangal a th' aice ris an dùthaich agus shin agaibh a' cheart mothachainn a thug oirnn DROITSEACH a stéidheachamh anns a' chiad dol a-mach.

With a view to resurrecting it in her own small way, Maureen would be thrilled if she managed to bring other people interested in the dialect into this project. As we see it here at DROITSEACH, this is exactly the sort of thing we wish to support. Màirin views the Badenoch speech as a vital part of her identity and connection to her homeland and the fostering of this spirit is precisely what caused us to establish DROITSEACH in the first place.

Agus ma tha sibh coltach rium-sa agus beagan eòlas air Gàidhlig an àite a dhìth oirbh, bithidh an TOSGAIR ùr againn a' toirt seachad na darna 'seachdain-dualchainnt' air ar son gu h-aithghearr. Chòrd na thug Griogair Labhruidh dhuinn de Ghàidhlig Bhaile Chaolais gu mór agus an t-seachdain seo tighinn, feuchaibh gum bith sibh uile ag arachd na duilleige airson na thig gu bàrr de Ghàidhlig Bhàideanach. Bithidh Màirin a' toirt dhuinn measgachamh de dhealbhan, faclan, gnàthasan-cainnt agus eachdraigh pearsanta le cuideachamh bho Sheumas Ghrannd a tha air iomamh bhliadhna a chur seachad a' rannsachamh nan dualchainnt.

And if you are anything like me and lack knowlegde on the Scottish tongue of Badenoch, our new TOSGAIR will be taking to the page from Monday to bring us our second 'dialect-week'. We thoroughly enjoyed out trip to Ballachulish with Griogair Labhruidh and this week coming, make sure you are all watching this space as Maureen shares with us some interesting points of Badenoch Gaelic as well as her own pictures and personal history connected with the area. With help from Seumas Grannd who has been researching Scottish dialects for years, we'll hear about how Badenoch Gaelic differs from other dialects.

Fàilte ort a charaid! Nach sinn tha toilichte gu bheil am bratach air a thogail anns an dùthaich bhòidheach agad fhéi'! Suas le Gàidhlig Bhàideanach!

Welcome friend! We are most pleased to see the flag raised in your own beautiful country! Up with the Badenoch Gaelic!

-
Àdhamh Ó Broin
Comhghall

Màirin Mhór Uilleim
Bàideanach
maureen.hammond70@gmail.com

TOSGAIR Dhiùra

Tha sinn dìreach air ar dòigh air fad a bhith cur fàilte mhór air Deòrsa, ogha Pheigi Chracaig don DROITSEACH mar THOSGAIR Dhiùra!

We are over the moon to be welcoming Dr George Jones to the team as TOSGAIR for the dialect of the Island of Jura!

'S ann à ceann deas Dhiùra a thàinig mèathair Dheòrsa agus is ann bhuaichese a dh' ionnsaich e Gàidhlig an tóiseachd. Tha Deòrsa cuideachd fileanta ann an Cuimris agus cànain eile agus bithidh e ag obair mar neach-eadar-theangachaimh: http://www.gjls.co.uk/

It is from the south end of Jura that George's mother hailed and it is from her that he learned Scottish initially. He is also fluent in Welsh and other languages and works as a translator at George Jones Language Services: http://www.gjls.co.uk/

Chuir Deòrsa crìoch air tràchdas PhD air cainnt an eilein ann an 2010, agus bithidh e fiadhaich fhéi' toilichte cuideachamh le duine sam bith a tha ag iarraidh tuillidh ionnsachamh mun cuairt air dualchainnt Dhiùra.

George completed his thesis on the language of the island in 2010, and he will be exceedingly pleased to help anyone who wants to learn more about the dialect of Jura.

Tha cuimhne agam glan a' chiad uair a bhruidhinn mi ri Deòrsa air an fhón agus an ainm an aigh, cha robh facal Beurla na chainnt! 'S e Gàidhlig Arra-Ghàidheil urramaichte math a bh' aige agus chan fhaigheamh sinn nas fheàrr airson TOSGAIR Dhiùra, leis gun do shiubhail an neach-labhairt fileanta mu dheireamh anns an eilean bho cheann bliadhna.

I remember well the first time I spoke to George on the phone and my goodness, there was not a word of English in his speech whatsoever! It is superbly good Argyll Gaelic he speaks and we couldn't get better as a TOSGAIR for Jura given that we lost the last fluent native speaker living on the island only a year ago.

Tha sinn a' còmhdachamh Arra-Ghàidheil beag air bheag! Nist, de mun cuairt air a' chòrr de dh' Alba? :)

We are covering Argyll little by little! Now, what about the rest of Scotland? :)

-
Àdhamh Ó Broin
Comhghall
adhamhobroin@gmail.com

Deòrsa Ogha Pheigi Chracaig
Eilean Diùra
george@gjls.co.uk

Abair bliadhna no dithist!

Abair bliadhna no dithist!

What a year or two!

Thóisich DROITSEACH mar bheachd aig Àdhamh ann an agallamh le Ruairidh MacIlleathain a thàinig gu bàrr ann an COTHROM, An t-Earrach 2011....

DROITSEACH began as an idea about two years ago in the mind of Àdhamh as later enshrined in COTHROM magazine from Spring 2011....

Bhon sin, tha sinn air Gàidhlig Chomhghaill a thoirt air ais beò air fad agus bho cheann ceithir mìosan, tha sinn air a' chiad ceithir TOSGAIREAN fhaodainn, le dithist an imeas tighinn air aghaidh gu h-aithghearr....

Since then, we have brought Cowal's Scottish language entirely back to life and from when we founded the group in earnest in September, we have now got our first four ambassadors with another two waiting in the wings....

Cha tachair gas gun obair, gun mhiann, gun léirsinn 's cha ruig duine beò leas sam bith le bhith feitheachd an dòchas cead fhaodainn à ughdarras air choiriegin....

Nothing happens without work, without desire, without vision and not one of us will reach the slightest advantage by waiting for permission from authority....

'S ann aig Luchd na Misneachd a tha a' chànain a-nis. Chan eil bacamh no bulbhag nar rathad, nach tog sibh gloinn do bhliadhn' ùr nan dualchainnt!

It is with the People of the Passion that Gaelic now lies. There is neither barrier nor boulder in our way, won't you raise a glass to a new Year of the Dialects!

Bàs dhualchainntean na Gàidhlig

Seo obair Uilleam 'Mac an Uain' air bàs dhualchainntean na Gàidhlig.

Here's Will Lamb's recent work on the death of Scottish Gaelic dialects.

'S fhiach sùil a thoirt oirre gun teaga....

It's well worth a look....

Is there a future for regional dialects in Scottish Gaelic?

www.academia.edu

The strength of the Gaelic dialects is an index - to a great extent - of how strong the language is in its native communities. In

East Sutherland Gaelic

Tha sinn fhathast a' feuchainn am faigh sinn fios air có a reinn an dealbh seo. A' bheil fios aig duine sam bith agaibh? :)

We're still struggling to work out who took this film and we would like to find out. Any ideas? :)

East Sutherland Gaelic Language

www.youtube.com

Two women from the village of Embo in Sutherland, who kindly let me make this recording, speaking about, and in their local language, a

TOSGAIR Leódhais an Iar-Thuath

Tha sinn air faodainn a-mach à Arra-Ghàidheal mu dheireamh thall!

We finally got out of Argyll!

Nach cuir sibh fàilte mhór chrìdheil air Catrìona Anna NicAoidh agus cothrom tuillidh ionnsachamh mun cuairt air dualchas agus cànan Leódhais an Iar-Thuath!

Please give a very warm welcome to Catrìona Anna NicAoidh and the opportunity to learn more about the heritage and language of North-west Lewis!

Thachair sinn air Catrìona bho cheann beagan mhìosan ann an Glaschu agus 's e an rud a bhuail ormsa gun robh i airson Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn o mhoch gu dubh coltach ruinne, rud air nach do thachair mi ro bhitheanta am measg nan Gàidheil óga. Shaoil leam aig an àm sin: nuair a chuireas sinn DROITSEACH air a chois, 's e Catrìona h-aon de na TOSGAIREAN againn!

We met Catrìona just a few short months ago in Glasgow and the thing that struck me was how much she was up for speaking Gaelic, from dawn until dusk really just like us, something you don't meet often among young Gaels. I thought to myself at the time: when we get DROITSEACH going, this lassie's a shoo-in as a TOSGAIR!

Leis gun ann à dùthaich far a' bheil Gàidhlig beò air beul an t-sluaigh a tha Catrìona, 's e suidheachamh eadar-dhealaichte a th' ann an comas ri Comhghall no Gallaibh no àiteachan eile far nach eil luchd-labhairt dùthchasach air fhàgail. Cha do thagh sinn Catrìona bho is i an neach-labhairt as fheàrr a gheobhamh tu, no bhon a tha ceum aice ann an Gàidhlig, no gas mar sin; thagh sinn Catrìona bhon a tha i cho misneachail agus bhon a tha i sealltainn air Gàidhlig seach mar cùis-nàire, ach cùis-pròis! Chan fhaigh thu sin a h-uile latha, fiù 's aig an fhaing!

With that Catrìona is from an area where Scottish speech is still very much on the lips of the people, we are in a very different situation from that of Cowal or Caithness or any other place where our language has no native speakers. We didn't ask Catrìona to be a TOSGAIR because she is the best Gaelic speaker in the whole district, or because she has a degree in Gaelic studies or anything like that; we wanted her on board because because she is a passionate speaker who looks at her Gaelic ability not as a matter of shame, but as a matter of pride! You won't get that every day, even at the fank!

'S mar sin, mas ann à Leódhas an Iar-Thuath a bha no a tha ur sinnsearan, mas e 's gu bheil thu fanachd anns an dùthaich, no mas e 's gu bheil thu toigheach air cainnt na dùthcha bhòidheach ghaothach sin, bruidhinnibh rithe agus tóisichibh air Gàidhlig na sgìre a neartachamh le bhith cur suim ìnnte.

So if you're people were or are from North-west Lewis, if it's that you live in the area, or if it's that you are fond of the language of that beautiful windy country, speak to Catrìona and together you can start to help strengthen the Scottish language in the area by giving it the attention it deserves.

Suas le Gàidhlig Leódhais!

-
Àdhamh Ó Broin
Comhghall

Catrìona Anna NicAoidh
Leódhas an Iar-thuath
catrionanicaoidh@gmail.com

Dé tha an DROITSEACH air a bhith dèanamh an t-seachdain-sa?

Dé tha an DROITSEACH air a bhith dèanamh an t-seachdain-sa?

What has DROITSEACH been up to this week?

Co-dhiù, tha sinn air a bhith bruidhinn ri TOSGAIREAN eile, airson 's gum bith daoine comasach, misneachail againn ann an àiteachan eile an Alba. Tha sinn air a bhith uamharraidh mothachail nach eil duine sam bith againn idir à taobh mach Arra-Ghàidheil! Bithidh h-aon no dithist ùr a' tighinn gu bàrr ceann tacain....

Well, we've been talking to other potential ambassadors, so that we can have capable, passionate people in other areas of Scotland. We have been very aware that we actually don't have anyone yet from outside of Argyll! There'll be one or two appearing in the next wee while....

A-raoir, thachair mi fhéi' agus an còrr den bhuidheann ri Dàibhidh MacLaghmainn ann an Taigh-òsta Ìle airson pìnnt no dithist. Chuir sinn seachad trì uairean ag éisteachd ri Dàibhidh agus e ag innseamh sgeultan dhuinn mun cuairt air na làithean a chur e seachad leis fhéi' no le Iain MacAonghais no Iain Frisealach a' siubhal na Gàidhealtachd air fad an toir nan luchd-labhairt mu dheireamh de na h-uile dualchainnt anns na 1970an agus 1980an....

Last night, myself and the rest of the team met up with David Clement, formerly of the School of Scottish Studies and spent a thrilling three hours with a pint or two listening to stories of his trips all round the Highlands alone or sometimes with John MacInnes or Ian Fraser, often in search of the last native speakers of Scotland's dialects in the 1970s and 1980s....

Agus oidhche Haoine, cluinnidh sibh Gàidhlig Chomhghaill agus Gàidhlig Leódhais ri chéile nuair a bhitheas Àdhamh agus Carina NicLeòid a' bruidhinn ri MacIlleMhìcheil aig Réidio nan Gàidheal....

And Friday night, be sure to tune into Radio nan Gael to hear the Cowal and Lewis varieties of Scottish speech together as Àdhamh pays another visit to John Carmichael, this time with Carina MacLeod....

-
Àdhamh Ó Broin
Comhghall

TOSGAIR Latharna

Tha sinn uamharraidh toilichte an naigheachd a thoirt seachad gu bheil Màiri (Alison) Ní Dhorchaidhe air an t-uallach a thogail chum Gàidhlig Latharna a thoirt air aghaidh anns na bliadhnaichean ra tha romhainn.

We are awfully pleased to announce that Màiri Ní Dhorchaidhe has taken on the ambassadorship for the Scottish language of Lorn and the promotion of the dialect in the years that lie before us.

Chan eil ach dithist anns an dùthaich air fad a-nis a tha fileanta ann an dualchainnt an àite agus tha sinn air a bhith toirt sùil gheur air an taobh dheas de Arra-Ghàidheal a Tuath bho cheann bliadhna a-nis airson taic a chur ri Iain MacPhàrlain ann an Taigh an Uillt.

There are but two people now resident in the region as a whole who are fluent in the dialect of the area and we have been keeping a close eye on the south part of North Argyll for about a year now in order to support the efforts of John Macfarlane of Taigh an UIllt.

Tha Àdhamh air a bhith toirt seachad beagan goistidheachd do Mhàiri agus i ag ionnsachamh Gàidhlig Chomhghaill anns an eadar-ama, ach tha i a-nis tuillidh 's deis togail oirre thun Taigh an Uillt gu bitheanta airson cànan, òrain, bàrdachd, eachdraigh agus beul-aithris -dualchas gu dearbh- na dùthcha ionnsachamh chum a ghléidheal mar bu cheart airson an ginealaich ri thighinn.

Àdhamh has been assisting Màiri in learning the Cowal dialect in the meantime but she is now entirely ready to take on the mantle of visiting Taigh an Uillt and surrounding area as often as possible in order to place her research into the language, song, poetry, history and folklore -DUALCHAS indeed- of the area and preserve its heritage in an active fashion for the generation to come.

Gum math a bhitheas tu a charaid agus na mìle taing airson na chuir thu ris na bha sinn dèanamh ann an Comhghall.

I wish Màiri all the very best with this and a thousand thanks for what she gave to the work I am doing in Cowal.

Tha TOSGAIR do Latharna a-nis, nach cuir duine sam bith aig a' bheil beachd tuillidh ionnsachamh air an dùthaich fios gu Màiri agus cuidichidh sin i le na bheireas i roimhche a thaobh rannsachamh.

Lorn now has an ambassador, but she -like all of us here at DROITSEACH- will be feeling her way along, so if anyone has anything they want to contribute, ask, learn, let her know and this can help steer her research in the area.

SUAS LEIS A' GHÀIDHLIG! :)

Màırı Ní Ḋorċaıḋe
Latharna a Deas
mairiruadhnidhorchaidhe@outlook.com

Gu dé tha sinn dèanamh an t-seachdain?

Gu dé tha sinn dèanamh an t-seachdain?

What are we up to this week?

Co-dhiù, tha sinn air a bhith bruidhinn ri cuideigin aig a' bheil ùidh ann an Gàidhlig Sgìre Pheàirt airson molamh no dithist a thoirt seachad. Bheir sinn dha -leis gu bheil sinn air an leòr de eòlas fhaodainn air- a h-uile fios a th' againne a thaobh dhaoine anns a' cheàrn aig a' bheil beagan fhathast, leabhraichean anns a' bheil Gàidhlig na dùthcha, clàran a gheobhamh e ann an Sgoil Eòlais na h-Albainn agus criomain eile a tha air tighinn gu bàrr againn.

Well, we've been speaking to someone who is interested in learning Perthshire Gaelic in order to recommend a thing or two to help out. We will pass to him -as we have got to know him well- anyone we know of in the area who has a little Perthshire Gaelic yet, books in which he might come across references to Perthshire Gaelic, recordings that we know of that he can listen to at the School of Scottish Studies and any other bits and pieces that come to mind.

'S e an ath cheum gun dealbhaich sinn dha mar a reachamh e air aghaidh a thaobh ionnsachamh na cànain. Càit an tóisich e? Dé mar a dhealachas e abairtean Peàirteach agus abairtean Gàidhlig chumanta? A' bheil feadhainn eile ann ris am faod e bhith bruidhinn aig a' bheil a' cheart ùidh anns a' Ghàidhlig seo?

The next step is to illustrate the road ahead, how he would go about learning the language. Where will he start? How would he separate Perth Gaelic from common Gaelic? Are there other folk with the same interest that he could speak to?

Bithidh an gnothach a' gabhail bhliadhnaichean, ach mas e obair latha tóiseachamh, 's e h-aon latha nas lugha tha seo a-nis.

This will take years, but if as it saying goes "beginning is a day's work", well that's one less day ahead now.

-

Tuillidh air sin, tha Màiri air a bhith shuas ann an Taigh an Uillt, a' ionnsachamh dualchas Latharna le Iain MacPhàrlain. Có aig tha fios gu dé a th' acasan an dùil, ach theirinn gum bith rudaigin tlachdmhor ri fhaicinn anns na mìosan ri thighinn agus theirinn cuideachd gum b' fhiach Seachdain Latharna ur sùil!

As well as that, Alison has been up on Lorn, learning more about the Gaelic heritage of Lorn with John MacFarlane. Who knows what they've got in mind, but I would venture that something very interesting will surface in the months to come and that Lorn Week will be worth a look!

-

Tha sinn cuideachd toilichte a ràdh gu bheil cuidegin againn a-nis a tha toileach dualchainnt Chill Mhàrtainn ionnsachamh, ged a tha sinn aig ìre bhunaiteach an ceartuair. Nach math na daoine a tha tighinn gu bàrr air feamh na dùthcha a-nis?

We are also pleased to say that we have someone who is raring to go with learning the dialect of Kilmartin, although this is also at ground level at the moment. Isn't it terrific how people are popping up all round the country?

-

'S e an rud a bhitheas sinne a' dèanamh an seo, 's e gum bith sinn airson na daoine a ghléidheil againn, airson taic a chur riuch agus airson 's gum bith sinn cinnteach gu bheil ead ag ionnsachamh gu dlùth na tha 'd a' cluinntinn. Ma tha ùidh agaibhse ann an dualchainntean, ann an cuideachamh le goistidheachd don fheadhainn a tha airson seo a thoirt air aghaidh, no ann an rudaigin eile a bhitheamh ùiseil, nach cuir sibh fios? 'S e rathad ùr a tha seo, ach faodaidh sinn coiseachd còmhla!

What we will be doing here is providing support by remaining in close contact with those who have taken up the mantle and also keeping a close eye on what is learned to help ensure it is close to what is heard. If you have an interest in Gaelic dialects, in helping to bring on those who wish to learn a particular one, or in anything else that would be useful to making this work, let us know? This is a new path, but we can walk it together!

-
Àdhamh

Gàidhlig Ghall-Ghàidhealaibh

Tha sgeulachd bheag agam mun cuairt air Gàidhlig Ghall-Ghàidhealaibh, a rèir am fear gun do dh'innis i dhomhs' co-dhiù. Aig àm, tron 70an, bha 'n duine se ag ionnsachamh na Gàidhlig. Thachair an duine seo air bodach anns an Eilean Sgitheanach, ann an taigh-seinns'. 's tóisich ead a' bruidhinn na Gàidhlig ri chéile. Bha ead a' bruidhinn mun cuairt air na dualchainntean, 's dh'innis an duine don bhodach gum b' ann à Siorrachd Pheairt 's Loch Abar a bha a sheanair 's sheanmhair. Thóisich am bodach a' bruidhinn mun cuairt air a shinn-seanmhair aige fhéi', 's thubhairt e gu robh blas annasach aicese. Thubhairt an duine "Cò às a bha i?" 's thubhairt am bodach "B' ann à Gall-Ghàidhealaibh a bha i"

A wee story about Galwegian Gaelic, according to the guy who told it to myself at least. At the time of the story, in the 1970s, the guy was learning Gaelic. He met an old man in Skye in one of the pubs and they started to speak Gaelic to one another. They were speaking about the dialects, and the guy told the old man how his grandparents had been from Perthshire and Lochaber. The old man started to speak about his own Great-grandmother and the unusual dialect that she had had. The guy asked "Where was she from?" and the old man told him "She was from Galloway"

Bha 'n duine ag ràdh gum bitheamh sin sònraichte inntinneach a chluinntinn. Thubhairt am bodach, "Am bu mhath leat a bhith ga cluinntinn?" Thubhairt an duine "Bu mhath! Ach cha bitheadh ur sinn-seanmhair fhathast beò cha chreid mi." Le sin, thóisich am bodach a bhruidhinn le dualchainnt Ghall-ghàidhealaibh!

The guy said that this would be especially interesting to heard. The old man said "Would you like to hear it?" The guy replied "I would! But I doubt that you're Great-Grandmother is still alive." With this, the old man started speaking to the guy in Galwegian Gaelic.

Chuir an duine fòn bhon taigh-seinns' gu sgoilear na Gàidhlig air an robh e eòlach. Ach, aig an àm seo, cha robh e aig an taigh. Cuimhnich gu robh seo sna 70s, 's cha robh fònaichean-làimhe aig duine sam bith. Thubhairt bean an sgoileir cha bhitheamh e aig an taigh gu Diluain, agus b' e oidhche haoine a bh' ann.

The guy clled from the pub to a Gaelic scholar that he knew well. At the time he wasn't at home. Remember that this was in the 1970s and no one had any mobile phones. The scholars wife told him that her husband would not be back home until Monday, and this was a Friday night at the time.

Chuir an duine fòn don sgoilear a-rithist Diluain 's dh'innis e dha. Thóisich an sgoileir a' cur a h-uile rud air dòigh airson clàr a dhèanamh. Chan eil fhios agam far an robh an sgoilear a' fanachd, Dùn Èideann no Obar Dheathain theaga. Cha robh e a' fanachd fàisg air an Eilean Sgitheanach co-dhiù. Mar sin, thubhairt e gum bitheamh e ann tro na seachdainean roimhe.

The guy phone his friend again on the Monday and told him. His friend began to make arrangements to go out and make a recording. I'm not sure where his friend was living, Edinburgh or Aberdeen perhaps. He didn't live close to Skye at any rate. He had said that he would be there during the coming weeks.

Shin agaibh an rud mì-fhortanach. Eadar an àm san taigh-seinns' ud agus an t-seachdain nuair a bhitheadh an sgoilear san Eilean Sgitheanach, shiubhail am bodach.

Here's the unfortunate bit. Between that time in the pub and the week when the scholar was due to be on Skye, the old man passed away.

Mar a thubhairt mi, cuimhnich gu robh seo sna 70an aig àm. Bha 'n bodach mu 90 bliadhn' a dh'aois agus b' ann a shinn-seanmhair a bha à Gall-Ghàidhealaibh. Cha chreid mi nach robh e fìor. Shin agaibh mar a chualig mi fhéi' e.

As I said, remember that this was the 1970s at the time. The old man was about 90 years old and his Great-grandmother had been from Galloway. I don't believe that it wasn't true. That's how I heard it myself.

Sgoil Eòlas na h-Alba

'S e latha air leth a chaidh a chur seachad an-diugh ann an Sgoil Eòlais na h-Alba. Bha mi ag éisteachd ri Gàidhlig à Cnapdail, Cille Mhàrtainn agus an Àpainn.

A great day spent listening to recordings at the School of Scottish Studies. Knapdale, Kilmartin and Appin all in there.

'S e na fhuair mi de bheachd à sin, mar a bha mi an dùil, gun robh a' Ghàidhlig bho Chreag Innis gu Comhghall agus bh
o thaobh dheas Loch Obha gu ceann deas Cnapdail, co-ionnain ach a thaobh facal no dithist an seo 's an siud.

What I gleaned from my visit was something I had strongly anticipated, that the Scottish language of Argyll south of Lorne and north of Kintyre, was identical, save for a few words.

Bhitheamh a' cheart Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn ann an Comhghall, Taobh Loch Fìn deas air Inbhir Aora, Cnapdail air fad, Cille Mhàrtainn, taobh deas Loch Obha agus Creag Innis. Tha mi cinnteach gun faodar sealltainn orra mar dhualchainnt air leth agus gun reachamh ath-bheòthachamh dhiuch còmhla gun dragh a thaobh blas 's a' chuid a bu mhotha de bhriathrachas.

Tha same Scottish speech would have been found in Cowal, Lochfyneside south of Inveraray, Knapdale as a whole, Kilmartin, the south end of Loch Awe and Craignish. I am now certain that these places taken together housed a specific dialect which could be resurrected as one without a problem in terms of accent and the greater part of vocabulary.

Cha bhitheamh tuillidh feum againn ach air faclan sònraichte a reachamh a chur ris a' chànain fa leth....

We would need nothing other than 'plug-ins' so to speak for extra vocabulary specific to particular areas within this....

Tha an rathad crioman nas giorra a-nochd ann an Dail Riata!

The road is a little shorter in Dalriada tonight!

-
Àdhamh
Comhghall 's Meadhan Arra-Ghàidheal

DROITSEACH

1. An déidh dhuibh tadhal an seo tacan uair no dithist, theaga gu bheil sibh gabhail iongantais air na th' againn an dùil an seo aig DROITSEACH agus carson a thóisich sinn air an iomairt seo?
   
   Having visited us a few times here now at DROITSEACH, perhaps you're wondering what it is we have in mind for the future and why it is we began the venture at all?
   
   Ma-tà, 's e sin gum bith cuideigin -no cuid mhath de dhaoine- ann an gach ceàrn far a' bheil, no far an robh agus gu dearbh far am bith -ma théid seo leinn- dualchainnt shònraichte. Tha sinn airson 's gun toir ead aire ris agus cinntinn air a' chainnt agus gum bith ead a' toirt seachad fiosrachamh gu toileach do dhuine sam bith aig a' bheil ùidh ìnnde a thaobh a h-ionnsachamh no a rannsachamh.
   
   Our purpose is to support or if necessary, to train someone -or maybe a group of people- for every area where there is or where there once was and if all goes well, where there will be again, a particular dialect of Ancient Scottish. We would like for them to protect and grow their dialect as well as being willing to assist anyone with an interest in learning or researching it.
   
   Feumar a ràdh ge-tà, nach ann airson sgoilearachd a chaidh seo a stéidheachamh, ach airson duine sam bith anns an dùthaich seo agus thall thairist aig a' bheil gaol don chànan agus meas don dòigh a bh' air an fheadhainn a bhitheas agus a b' àbhaist a bhith ga bruidhinn. Gun teaga, chaidh sùil gheur air an t-saoghal a chur às anns a' cheart àm a thàinig crìoch air làithean na cuid a bu mhotha de dhualchainntean na Gàidhlig. Tha uiread meas againn air sin 's a th' againn air a' Ghàidhlig fhéi'.
   
   It must be said however, that it is not for the sake of academia that this venture was established, but for anyone in Scotland or further afield who has a love for the language and respect for the ways of those who do and also those who once spoke it in their daily lives. Without doubt, a special perspective on the world was snuffed out at the same time as the end came on the days of the greater portion of our Scottish dialects. We have just as much respect for this perspective here at DROITSEACH as we do for the language itself.
   
   As aonais an t-seòrsa miann a bheir air daoine rannsachamh don ghnothach, chan eil Albannaich ar linn, no a' chuid as motha de Ghàidheil gu dearbh -mas e luchd-labhairt tùsach a th' annda no sgoilearan na cànain- a' faicinn ach na tha air a thoirt seachad dhaibh agus thig a' chuid as motha de sin às na meadhanan. 'S e an fhìrinn a gheobh ead à sin, nach eil gas a-nis air fhàgail ach luchd-ionnsachaimh agus muinntir nan Eilein Siar 's Sgitheanach.
   
   Without the kind of interest that makes people want to do their own research, the Scots of our era including the greater portion of Scottish Gaelic speakers -whether it is their first language or they are students of the tongue- are of course seeing only what information is available to them and most of that comes by way of the media. The truth which emerges from this is that there is nothing left of the speakership of our language but learners and the denizens of the Western Isles and Skye.
   
   Ach 's e an fhìrinn gu bheil cuid bheag dhinn ann a-nis a bhruidhneas dualchainntean na h-Albainn gu fileanta 's gu math agus tha a h-uile coltas ann gu bheil an uiread seo a' fàs nas motha. 'S e an trioblaid gu bheil sinn uile ag obair gu dicheallach gun fhios air a' chéile agus gun taic bhon a' chéile. Ma tha daoine eile ann aig a' bheil an aon sùil ri rudaigin coltach ri na tha sinne a' feuchainn a thoirt os làimh, chan eil fios no forfhais acasan gu dé air thalamh a bu chòir dhaibh dèanamh airson tóiseachamh air a' ghnothach.
   
   But the truth is that there are a small amount of us now who speak Scottish dialects fluently and well and there is every evidence to show that this number is growing rapidly. The trouble lies in that we are all working diligently without knowledge of each another and without the support we could easily offer to one other. If there are other people out there who are looking to attempt the same thing as we are doing, they are unlikely to have the slightest clue about how or where to get started on it.
   
   Shin agaibh mar a stéidhich sinn DROITSEACH, bhon a bha sinn a' creidsinn gum bu chòir dhuinn a bhith an cuideachd a' chéile air rathad cho cumhang, cruaidh. Ma tha sibh nur eòlaiche gu ìre sam bith air dualchainnt na Gàidhlig sam bith ann an ceàrn sam bith den dùthaich no den t-saoghal, nach cuir sibh fios gar n-ionnsaigh? Bhitheamh ar cridhean air an togail gu mór le bhith a' cluinndinn mun cuairt oirbh agus mar a tha e a' dol agaibh. Mur a' bheil fios agaibh air dé mar a dh' ionnsaicheas sibh dualchainnt, ach tha ùidh mhór agaibh anns an leithid, theaga gun reachamh againn ur cuideachamh?
   
   So that's why we started the DROITSEACH (good number). We believed very much that we should be walking together on this hard, narrow road. If you are familiar at all with a Gaelic dialect (including living ones!) from a particular area of Scotland, wherever you're from, we would love to hear from you. Our hearts would be lifted greatly from hearing about you all and how things are going with your dialect. If you don't know how you would go about learning a dialect, but you have a big interest in this sort of thing, perhaps we might be able to help?
   
   Tha sinn an dùil slighe a dhealbhamh don fheadhainn eile a bheireas an aon rathad orra. Cha téid ach aig greannan an aobhar a dhiùltamh nach ann ach aig a' chainnt chumanta a tha na h-uile goireas airson a' chànan ionnsachamh. Nam bitheamh cothrom ann dhuinn Gàidhlig ùisneachamh taobh mach a' chroit, tha sinn am feum air uiread fhaclan agus innealan ùra gun teaga. Mar a thachair ge-tà, tha sinn air bruidhinn ri cuid mhath de thuathanaich, croitearan agus Gàidheil eile aig a' bheil beatha den ghné a b' àbhaist a bhith aig a' chuid a bu mhotha againn anns a' Ghàidhealtachd aig nach eil dol-a-staigh idir a-nis don Ghàidhlig a chìtheamh sibh ann an leabhar sam bith gun tighinn air an inneal leis an do sgrìobh mi na tha gu h-àird!
   
   We would like to illuminate the way for others who will decide on taking a similar road. It would only be a handful of people who could honestly reject the reasons why 'Mid-Minch Gaelic' has received the backing it has in allowing people to learn it. If there is to be any chance of using Scottish language outside of the croft environment, we are without doubt in need of so many new words and tools. As it happens however, we have met many farmers, crofters and other Gaels whose lifestyles are of a type common to most of those who lived in the Scottish-speaking regions of our land who have now not the slightest insight into the kind of language you might see in any given book nevermind what you might see in this very computer with which I have written the above!
   
   'S e ar beachd -mar a thuirt mi- gun e call annamhor a tha air a bhith ann air cheann seo agus as aonais obair airson a sheachnamh tuillidh, gun téid anam na Gàidhlig a chall air fad ma chumas sinn oirnn mar a tha. 'S e cànan bhàn den t-saoghal dhuideatach a bhitheas ìnnde mur an urrainn do dhuine againn gas a ràdh a bheireas turaisgeul seachad mun cuairt air an dùthaich fhei'. Mar a chualaig mi à mo bheul-sa uair no dithist gu ruig seo: "Có às a thig na bàird (mas e ach glé bheag de bhriathrachas nàdarrach a th' aca airson òran a dhèanamh)?"
   
   It is our opinion that there has been an immense loss suffered due to this and without considerable work to avoid further loss, that the soul of the elder Scottish tongue will be lost altogether if we are to keep on going as we are. Tis a drab language of the digital world she will be if not one of us can say anything that gives genuine description of our homeland. As I have heard from my own mouth once or twice before now: "Where will the poets come from (if they have but a tiny lexicon from the natural world from which to make a song)?"
   
   Ged is ionraic an aobhar, nach iaranta gu bheil mi air tighinn air ais thun na Beurla airson an cuireamh a tha sinn a' toirt seachad a cho-lìonamh? Chan eil mi eòlach air a' ghnàthas-cainnt seo ann an Gàidhlig!
   
   Rather ironically, but most honestly, I revert to English idiom having translated in the opposite direction from the start -as I have yet to learn the Scottish (whither it's Lallan or Heilan leid!) equivalent to date- to complete our invitation to the 'good number'.
   
   Is cinnteach gu bheil sinn uile taingeil gu dearbh gu bheil uisge ga tharraing gu teth às na gocan againn, gu bheil ar taighean air an teasachamh gu furasda, gu bheil solast dealanach, an caochlamh bìdh, tuillidh na h-aon paidhir bhrògan anns am faod sinn a bhith beò agus innealan a bheireas cuideachamh dhuinn air iomairtean mar seo.... ach leis nach eil a' chuid as motha dhinn an eisimeil Geamhramhan reòite, glé bheag de theachd-an-tìr agus beatha nach robh stéidhichte ann an gas ach saothair gun dùil ri crìoch....
   
   We're content and pleased to have hot running water, central heating, electric lighting, varied diet, more than one pair of shoes in which to live and computers with which to aid our quest.... as we're sure you are too.... but now that exposure to the bitter winters, pitiful return from back-breakingly sowed crops and hopeless thirldom to a life of endless graft is at an end for most....
   
   ....will you help us prevent the baby going out with the bathwater and keep the richness of the language alive which maintained the character of our ancestors through it all?
   
   -
   Àdhamh
   Fear den DROITSEACH