FAQS
How do I type the Gaelic accents?
You can just copy and paste these
Lowercase letters
Uppercase letters
Keyboard shortcuts
Windows
Some simple ways to type grave accents in MS Windows, depending on which version you use. The grave accent ` is next to the number 1 at top of keyboard
à, è, ì, ò, ù Ctrl+`, release and type letter;
À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù Ctrl+Shift+`, release and type letter
OR
Alt key + character code on the numeric keypad on right of keyboard (laptops will vary). Ensure that the NUMLOCK is on.
à Alt+133 or 0224
è Alt+138 or 0232
ì Alt+141 or 0236
ò Alt+149 or 0242
ù Alt+151 or 0249
À Alt+0192
È Alt+0200
Ì Alt+0204
Ò Alt+0210
Ù Alt+0217
Mac
Push and hold a character to bring up a menu and choose.
E.g. hold the letter e to choose the letter è
What is the Gaelic Alphabet?
> Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu
For more information visit LearnGaelic’s Scottish Gaelic Alphabet https://learngaelic.scot/scottish-gaelic-alphabet.jsp
How do I pronounce Gaelic sounds?
SpeakGaelic always gives you a sound file for the word you are learning. For more information on individual sounds, visit LearnGaelic’ Sounds section https://learngaelic.scot/sounds/index.jsp
What are slender and broad vowels?
The slender vowels are e and i.
All the others are broad.
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Somhairle MacGill-Eain
Sorley Maclean
Listen to this recording where Somhairle MacGill-Eain (Sorley Maclean) is talking to Dòmhnall Eairdsidh Dòmhnallach (Donald Archie MacDonald) about the impact of the church on music and songs:
www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/67441
0:00—3:17
Dòmhnall Eairdsidh Dòmhnallach: Right. Uill a-nist, an aon cheist eile a tha mi airson beagan a dhèanamh oirre fhad ‘s a tha sinn ag obair ann an Gàidhlig ann a sheo, ‘s e rud air an robh sinn a’ bruidhinn an-ceartuair, agus sin gnothach nan eaglaisean agus dè a’ bhuaidh a bh’ aca air òrain agus air ceòl ‘s air gnothaichean.
Dè do bharail fhèin air a seo a–nist, a Shomhairle?
Somhairle MacGill–Eain: Uill, tha mi a‘ smaoineachadh gun robh buaidh mhòr aca an aghaidh ciùil agus an aghaidh òrain, ach bha teaghlaichean ann a chumadh sin a dh‘aindeoin.
Dòmhnall Eairdsidh Dòmhnallach: ‘S bha seo ann an Ratharsaigh fhèin?
Somhairle MacGill–Eain: Ò, bha seo an Ratharsair fhèin.
Ach feumaidh tu cuimhneachadh, bha an eaglais, coltach ris an Eaglais Shaor Chlèireach agus an Eaglais Shaor mar a bha iad aig an àm, cha bhiodh còignear às a h–uile ceud a‘ gabhail comanachaidh, agus mòran dhe na daoine nach robh a‘ gabhail comanachaidh, ged nach cailleadh iad searmon uair sam bith, uill, nuair a bhiodh rudan ann coltach ri bainnsean ‘s an dèidh beagan deoch, agus fios agad, cha robh an dà eaglais sin riamh ag ràdha nach robh còir aig duine deoch–làidir òl uair sam bith, fios a‘d, bha òl fìona sa Bhìoball, agus tha fhios aig a h–uile duine nuair a, fios agad, mar a thèid aon drama gu dà dhrama ‘s gu trì dramaichean, agus an uair sin, fios agad, bhiodh na h–òrain fhaoine ‘s na dannsaichean, bhiodh iad dìreach mar gum biodh iad a‘ tighinn chan eil fhios cò às, agus bha fad a bharrachd eòlais, nuair a bha mi fhìn òg, air rudan sin am measg an t–sluaigh na shaoileadh duine.
Ach bha luchd–aideachaidh glè fhada an aghaidh sin.
Tha cuimhn‘ agamsa, duine dhem aois fhìn ag ràdha mu athair, ‘s ann anns an Eaglais Shaor a bha an duine seo, gun robh athair anabarrach eòlach air eachdraidh ‘s rudan mar sin, ‘s gun robh e na phìobaire, agus nuair a bhiodh a mhac a‘ faighneachd dheth mu dheidhinn eachdraidh, eachdraidh dhaoine, ‘s ann a stadadh e agus chanadh e: ‘S e obair fhaoin a tha sin.
Gheibhear an còrr dhen agallamh agus an tar– sgrìobhadh air an duilleig fhèin.
Right. Well now, the only other question I want to do a little on while we are working in Gaelic here, is something we were talking about just now, and that is the matter of the churches and what effect they had on songs and music and affairs.
What is your own opinion on this now, Sorley?
Well, I think they had a great negative impact on music and song, but there were families who retained that/those despite that.
And this was actually in Raasay (itself)?
Oh, this was (actually) in Raasay.
But you have to remember, the church, like the Free Presbyterian Church and the Free Church as they were at the time, there wouldn‘t be five people out of every hundred taking communion, and many of the people who did not take communion, although they never missed a sermon, well, when there were things like weddings and after a little drink, and you know, those two churches never said that a person should not drink alcohol at any time, you know, drinking wine was in the Bible, and everybody knows when, you know, how one dram goes to two drams and three drams, and then, you know you, there would be [the] vain (foolish/trivial) songs and [the] dances, they would just be as if they were coming from who knows where, and there was far more knowledge, when I myself was young, of these things among the people (in society) than a person would think.
But professing Christians/communicants were very much against that.
I remember, a man of my own age saying about his father, this man was in the Free Church, that his father was extremely knowledgeable about history and suchlike, and that he was a piper, and when his son would ask him about history, the history of people, he would stop and say: That is vain/foolish work.
The rest of the interview and transcription can be found on the same page.
Somhairle MacGill-Eain used an tràth caithte gnàthach (the habitual past tense) many times in this recording.
See if you can find six examples where you see it.
Ciamar a chaidh dhut?
How did you get on?
| bha teaghlaichean ann a chumadh sin … |
| Cha bhiodh còignear às a h-uile ceud … |
| …ged nach cailleadh iad searmon … |
| …nuair a bhiodh rudan ann … |
| …bhiodh na h-òrain fhaoine ‘s na dannsaichean, bhiodh iad dìreach mar gum biodh iad a’ tighinn chan eil fhios cò às … |
| …nuair a bhiodh a mhac a’ faighneachd dheth … |
| ‘s ann a stadadh e agus chanadh e: ‘S e obair fhaoin a tha sin. |