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Behold the fiddle

Cìdh an Fhidheall

Let's listen to a song on Tobar an Dualchais. 

In this recording, Eòin MacDhòmhnaill (Jonathan MacDonald) sings a port à beul (mouth-music) called 'Cìdh an Fhidheall' (Behold the Fiddle). 

He won a competition at the National Mod with this song in 1972. 

The chorus of the song refers to a fiddle on a table, and in the verses the author talks about a girl he saw in the fort. 

rann
verse, stanza
cofhuaim
rhyme
fonn
tune, air
sèist
chorus
duan
ditty, ode, rhyme
ceathramh
quatrain
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FAQs

What does “Level” mean (A1, A2, B1, B2)?

All courses and resources on SpeakGaelic are organised according to internationally recognised language levels. If you have learnt a language before you may be familiar with this terminology—the SpeakGaelic levels map onto those defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Within SpeakGaelic, levels are colour-coded to help you find your way about.

A1 is “Inntrigeadh” (Entry). Absolute beginners should start here!

A2 is “Bunaiteach” (Foundation). Widen your knowledge of sentences and frequently-used expressions. Communicate simple tasks and basic descriptions.

B1 is “Eadar-mheadhanach” (Intermediate). Start becoming an independent user of Gaelic.

B2 is “Adhartach” (Advanced). Complete your journey to becoming an independent user of Gaelic.

How do I type the Gaelic accents?

Tap or click on a letter to put it on your clipboard, you can then paste it anywhere:

Lowercase letters:

Uppercase letters:

Alternatively, these methods may work for you:

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

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.

What are slendar and broad vowels?

The slender vowels are e and i.

All the others are broad.

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