A new dialect?
Dualchainnt ùr?
Let's have a look at this discussion. By the end of this section, you will have learned some valuable phrases that you can use in lots of different conversations.
Tha mi ag ionndrainn nan dualchainntean uile.
I miss all the dialects.
Cò air a tha thu a mach a-nis?
What are you on about now?
Saoil a bheil dualchainntean againn sa Ghàidhlig mar a b' àbhaist? Tha mi air a bhith a' smaoineachadh air na diofar dhualchainntean agus bhlasan-cainnte roinneil a bha againn sa Ghàidhlig. Bha Gàidhlig Earra-Ghàidheal — Ìle, Muile, Tiriodh is Colla agus Lios Mòr ann.
Do you think the dialects we have in Gaelic are as they used to be? I have been thinking about the different dialects and local/regional accents we had in Gaelic. There was Gaelic from Argyll Islay, Mull, Tiree and Coll, and Lismore.
An aon sgìre, ach abair beairteas! Tha caochladh dhualchainntean againn fhathast, nach eil?
The same area, but what richness! We still have a variety of dialects, don't we?
Chan eil mi cinnteach. 'S e suidheachadh cugallach a th' ann air tìr mòr na Gàidhealtachd agus ann an cuid de sgìrean agus eileanan cuideachd.
I'm not sure. It is a precarious situation on the mainland of the Highlands and in some areas and islands as well.
Tha Gàidhlig Leòdhais, Gàidhlig an Rubha, mar a bh' aig mo sheanair agus Gàidhlig Bharraigh mar a th' aig mo sheanmhair ann an Dùn Èideann fhathast làidir. Agus nuair a bha mi a' teagasg chuala mi Gàidhlig bhrèagha na Hearadh a h-uile latha.
Lewis Gaelic, the Gaelic of Point, as my grandfather had and Barra Gaelic, as my grandmother has in Edinburgh, are still strong. And when I was teaching, I heard beautiful Harris Gaelic every day.
Bu mhath leam a chur nur cuimhne, aig an ìre seo sa chòmhradh, gur e ban-Sgitheanach phròiseil a th' annam. Tha mi moiteil às ar dualchainnt—ged a bhios a' Ghàidhlig sin ag atharrachadh bho Shlèite gu ruige Tròndairnis?!
I would like to remind you, at this point in the conversation, that I am a proud Skye woman. I'm proud of our dialect — even though that Gaelic changes from Sleat to Trotternish?!
Bidh daoine a' tarraing asam mun Ghàidhlig agam. Le màthair às Èirinn, agus athair à Uibhist a Tuath, bha mi riamh eadar dà shaoghal, agus dà chànan.
People tease me about my Gaelic. With a mother from Ireland, and a father from North Uist, I was always between two worlds, and two languages.
Na gabh thusa dragh, 'ille. Tha Gàidhlig mhath agad, ged a bhios blas Uibhisteach oirre aig amannan!
Don't you worry, son/mate. You have good Gaelic, although it has a Uist accent at times!
'S e blas Uibhist a Tuath a tha thu a' ciallachadh?
You mean a North Uist accent, don't you?
'S e! Tha Gàidhlig Uibhist a Deas gu tur eadar-dhealaichte. 'S ann à Uibhist a Deas a tha mo mhàthair, mar a tha fhios agad.
I do [mean]! South Uist Gaelic is completely different. My mother is from South Uist, as you know.
Thathas ag ràdh gur e sin tè de na dualchainntean as treasa a-nis, leis gu bheil i cho làidir anns na sgoiltean.
It is said that it is one of the strongest dialects now, because it is so strong in schools.
Tha mi duilich, ach tha mi a’ cur an aghaidh a’ bheachd sin. Ri linn nan sgoiltean, no cuid dhiubh, tha e coltach gu bheil dualchainnt gu tur ùr ann a-nis.
I'm sorry, but I have to dispute that idea. Because of the schools, or some of them, it seems that there is a completely new dialect now.