Take two: Aren't you fluent yet?
An dàrna turas: Nach eil thu fileanta fhathast?
Let's have a look at this conversation again.
Dè cho fada 's a tha thu air a bhith ag ionnsachadh na Fraingis, Anna?
How long have you been learning French, Anna?
Tha mi air a bhith ag ionnsachadh fad fichead bliadhna!
I have been learning for twenty years!
Iochd! Nach eil thu fileanta fhathast?
Jings! (Heavens!) Aren't you fluent yet?
Tha mi fileanta! Bu chòir dhomh a ràdh gu bheil mi air a bhith ga bruidhinn fad fichead bliadhna. Tha mi a' faireachdainn nas misneachaile mar–thà!
I am fluent! I should say that I have been speaking it for twenty years. I feel more confident already!
Tha mi leat! Mar as trice bidh daoine a' bruidhinn air ionnsachadh. Ach … bidh sinn a' bruidhinn, agus ag èisteachd agus gu tric a' leughadh fhad 's a tha sinn ag ionnsachadh cànan no cuspair sam bith. Tha sinn ga dhèanamh.
I'm with you! Usually, people talk about learning. But … we talk, and listen and often read while learning a language or any subject. We are doing it.
'S e gnìomh a th' ann an ionnsachadh, le fileantas an ceann-uidhe!
Learning is an action, with fluency the destination!
Tha e inntinneach nach bi daoine a' bruidhinn air ionnsachadh ann an spòrs, mar eisimpleir, ag ionnsachadh ball-coise. Bidh iad a' cluich.
It's interesting that people do not talk about learning in sports, for example, learning football. They play.
Agus is iomadh spòrs a th' air a bhith againn ag ionnsachadh na Fraingis, mi fhìn is Fearchar, an duine agam.
And we've had a lot of fun learning French, myself and Farquhar, my husband.
Dè rinn sibh?
What did you do?
Mar thoiseach-tòiseachaidh, bhiodh sinn a' gabhail cuairt sa bhaile far an robh sinn a' fuireach, agus a' frithealadh nam bùithtean diofraichte. Bha sinn airson ar briathrachas a leasachadh.
For starters (as a starting point), we would take a walk in the town where we were staying, and visit the different shops. We wanted to improve our vocabulary.
'S e gnìomh a tha sin! Bhiodh spòrs na lùib, cuiridh mi geall.
That's action! There would be fun involved, I bet.
Dè mu do dheidhinn-sa? A bheil thu am beachd beagan ionnsachadh thu fhèin? Dè tha fa-near dhut?
What about you? Are you thinking of doing some learning? What do you have in mind?
Mar a tha fhios agad, dh'ionnsaich mi cunntasachd nuair a bha mi na b' òige. A-nise, tha mi air a bhith a' leughadh leabhraichean mun lagh. Chan eil mi air a bhith a' frithealadh chlasaichean fhathast.
As you know, I learned accountancy when I was younger. Now, I have been reading books about the law. I have not attended any classes yet.
Uill, feuch air! Cha dèan e cron sam bith! 'S e buannachd a bhios ann dà theisteanas mar sin a bhith agad. Tha an saoghal feumach air cunntasairean onarach a tha eòlach air an lagh!
Well, try it! (Give it a go!)It won't do any harm! It will be an advantage to have two qualifications like that. The world needs honest accountants who know the law!