Craig
Don't panic! English follows the Gaelic!
Dè an t-ainm a th' ort?
'S e Craig an t-ainm a th' orm.
Co às a tha thu?/ Càite a bheil thu a' fuireach?
'S ann à Sealan Nuadh (New Zealand) a tha mi bho thùs ach tha mi a' fuireach ann an Tàbost, ann an sgìre Nis air Eilean Leòdhais an-dràsta.
Dè thog d' ùidh anns a' chànan?
Bha cànanan eile mu chuairt orm on bha mi gu math òg. Rugadh mo mhàthair anns an Òlaind agus chaidh a togail (airson greiseag co-dhiù!) anns an Ind-Innse nuair a bha i beag. Bha leabhraichean ann an Òlaindis timcheall an taighe againn agus bhitheamaid a' dol a dh'fhuireach cuide ri mo sheanair 's mo sheanmhair tro làithean-saora an t-samhraidh gu math tric nuair a bha sinne beag. Dhìochuimhnicheadh iad gu tric nach robh Òlaindis againn agus bhiodh iad a' bruidhinn rinn anns a' chànan ud cha mhòr fad na h-ùine. Chaidh mo sheanair a thogail anns an Ind-Innse agus bha esan eòlach air cànanan agus dual-chainntean às an dùthaich ud cuideachd. Tha deagh sgeulachd aig mo mhàthair far an robh mise nam shuidhe ri taobh sgeilp nan leabhraichean le leabhar air mo ghlùinean agus coltas orm mar gun robh mi a' beachdachadh gu domhainn (bha mi dìreach air leughadh ionnsachadh aig an àm)
‘Dè tha thu leughadh?' arsa ise
‘Chan eil fhios agam' arsa mise ‘Chan eil mi a' tuigsinn nam facal!'
Tha sin air sgàth 's gur ann an Òlaindis a tha an leabhar ud, chan ann ann an Beurla! Chan urrainn dhut a leughadh!' arsa ise
‘Ach 's urrainn dhòmhsa leughadh!' arsa mise ('s mi a' fàs diombach agus a' tòiseachadh ri rànaich)
Oh, 's mi a bha brònach, cha robh mi a' tuigsinn idir carson nach b' urrainn dhomh na facail a leughadh, bha iad uile air an litreachadh ceàrr!
…agus tha mi air a bhith air mo bheò-ghlacadh le leabhraichean, cànanan agus facail o sin a-mach!
A bheil molaidhean agad airson luchd-ionnsachaidh eile?
Lean ort! Na gabh dragh mur eil thu a' tuigsinn a h-uile facal! Èist ris an rèidio, rud beag gach latha (fàsaidh e nas fhasa daoine a thuigsinn cuiridh mi geall ort!). Leugh leabhraichean, a-rithist chan eil e cudromach mur eil thu a' tuigsinn a h-uile facal! Bruidhinn ri daoine, air an t-sràid, anns a' phub, air a' bhus, air an làraich-lìn, gabh a h-uile cothrom a nochdas. Agus an rud as cudromaiche, ma dh'fhaodte, nach bu chòir dhut a bhith draghail mu dheidhinn mhearachdan! Tha a h-uile duine a' dèanamh mhearachdan fad na ùine, no ag atharrachadh an inntinn fhad 's a tha iad a' bruidhinn agus ag atharrachadh na tha iad a' dol a ràdh, tha e nàdarrach!
‘As fheàrr Gàidhlig bhriste, na Gàidhlig sa chiste!' mar a theireadh an seanfhacal!
Ciamar a tha thu a' cleachdadh Gàidhlig nad bheatha làitheil?
Cho tric 's as urrainn dhomh! Bidh mi a' cleachdadh na Gàidhlig aig m' obair gu tric agus le mo chàirdean cuideachd. Bidh sinn ga cleachdadh agus ga cluinntinn nas trice aig an taigh a-nis cuideachd, leis an t-sianal ùr air an TV, agus 's e rud math a tha siud gu teagamh!
Dè an abairt Ghàidhlig as fheàrr leat?
“Thug e a chasan leis!” – 's toigh leam an ìomhaigh ud, cuideigin a' toirt a chasan leis agus a' falbh “aig peilear a bheatha” (agus sin agad tè eile!)
Agus a thaobh an deilbh, chaidh a thogail aig taigh-solais Rubha Robhanais ann an Leòdhas nuair a bha càirdean a' tadhail oirnn an-uiridh.
What's your name? Craig
Where do you stay/are from? I'm originally from New Zealand , but I now stay in Tàbost in the Ness area of Lewis.
What inspired you to learn Gaelic? I have been around different languages all my life. My mother was born in Holland, and she was brought up in Indonesia when she was young. Our house was littered with Dutch books and I would go and stay with my grandparents in the summer holidays when I was wee. They would often forget that we didn't have Dutch and would speak to us in Dutch most of the time. My grandfather was brought up in Indonesia and he knew many languages and dialects of that country. My mother has a great story from my childhood. When I was learning to read, I was trying to read a Dutch book and I was very frustrated that I couldn't read Dutch, I have been hooked on books, languages and words ever since!
What tips do you have for other Gaelic learners? Keep going! Don't worry about understanding every word. Listen to a little bit of the radio every day (I'll bet it gets easier to understand people). Read books, again it doesn't matter if you don't understand every word. Speak to people at every opportunity, on the street, pub, bus, internet, grab every chance you get. The most important thing is that you are not scared to make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes.
How do you use Gaelic in your daily life? As often as I can! I use Gaelic at my work and with friends too. We use and hear it in the house too with the new channel, and that's a great thing!
Do you have a favourite Gaelic expression? “Thug e a chasan leis!” - He took his legs with him! – I like the image of someone taking their legs with them “aig peilear a bheatha” – bullet of their life, and there's another great phrase!
The picture was taken at the Butt of Lewis when friends were visiting.
