Ionnsacach Gaidhlig

From: writesong
Date: 24 Sep 2003
Time: 08:55:24

Comments

Latha Math, Mo Chairdean:

Trying to learn Scottish Gaelic is like taking two steps forward and three steps back.

It turns out that the Gaelic-English dictionary I downloaded from this web site, and the Gaelic-English dictionary that Leam sent me by "snail" mail don't exactly agree with each other.

However, the Gaelic-English dictionary Leam gave me seems to be the biggest help, for it taught me a new (and important!) phrase I haven't yet found in the other books, i.e., "Gabh mo leisgeul", or "Pardon me".

Is that pronounced as "leesh-gool"?

One book says "help" is "cabhair", but the other book says "help" is "cuidach".

I never could find "amen" in either book (I now pray exclusively in Gaidhlig), so I tried "So be it", but each book gives a different translation for "So be it".

One book says "Bu seath chum", and the other book says it's "Mar sin bi e".

So, I'm using "Mar sin bi e" until I learn differently.

The most helpful resource has been the SPEAKING OUR LANGUAGE interactive compact disc, for I actually saw and heard Scottish human beings speaking common everyday phrases in their native tongue, and I could imitate the sounds.

It's taken me a long, long time, but I feel like I'm finally making a little progress.

I still have to guess at a lot of sounds, but Leam and Mr. Miles have helped a lot.

Oh, following the example of others in this forum, I've been saying "Slainte mhath", but the book Leam sent says it's "Slainte mhor".

Another thing that's tricky is "Good luck!"

On the SPEAKING OUR LANGUAGE compact disc, the lassie says something that sort of sounds like "ghura math aich leibh", but since I never see it in writing, I don't know for sure how it's supposed to be spelled, although I can imitate the sound.

Anyway, can one of you tell me how to say "amen" in Gaidhlig?

Also, I've been addressing God as "Athair Ni Math A Neamh", or "Father God in Heaven", pronouncing it (remember, I'm GUESSING!) as "ah-hair nee mah ah neev".

Is that correct?

Curiously, I notice the word for "name" and the word for "soul" are identical, "anam".

Any comments on that?

I'm sure having a lot of fun with this stuff!

And I sure do appreciate all the guidance and advice you all so generously give.

Tapadh leibh agus slainte mhath!

Iain Mac Uilliam a Clann Mac Eanruig, Armed Forces Retirement Home, Washington, D.C. 20317

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From: US
Date: 27 Sep 2006
Time: 23:11:50

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