Mike
Don't panic! English follows the Gaelic!
Tha mi ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig le Beag air Bheag, agus tha mi air beagan àrdachadh a dhèanamh (tha mo sgòran math sna ceisteachan). Tha mi air Aonad 4 a' ruighinn agus tha cuimhne agam air abairt no dhà agus dh' aithnich mi feadhainn eile. Bidh an logic gam chur ceàrr aig amannan.
'S e m' adhbharan son ionnsachadh:
- Bha Gàidhlig aig teaghlach mo sheanmhar.
- Tha ùidh agam ann an cànanan, gu h-àraidh on na h-eileanan Breatainneach.
- Tha ùidh agam ann an Eachdraidh nan Ceilteach agus an cànanan.
- Nuair a tha gu leòr agam bu mhath leam bruidhinn no sgrìobhadh gu luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig no luchd-labhairt.
Chan eil mi comasach gu leòr son Gàidhlig a chleachdadh agus far a bheil mi an- dràsta, chan eil cothrom agam. Tha mi fileanta ann am Fraingis is Spàinnis, tha beagan de Gearmailtis is Rùisis agus Eadailtis agam. Is toigh leam a bhith ag innse do dhaoine gu bheil cànanan on dùthaich seo a tha nas sine na Beurla!
Beagan mu mo dheidhinn-sa, rugadh mi ann am Peairt (Alba) agus 's e Albannach a th' annam bho theaghlach m' athar, 's e ainmean Gàidhealach a th' aca. Tha mi a' fuireach le mo mhnaoi ('s ann às an Fhraing is Ameireagaidh a tha ise) air iomall Lunnainn. Tha mi ag obair pàirt-ùine ann an dà cholaiste, ach tha e a' faireachdainn mar làn-ùine le na cuairtean bus.
I am currently learning Gaelic using Beag-air-bheag, with modest success so far (I do score well on the quizzes). I have made it to unit 4 and can remember a few phrases and recognise others. The logic baffles me somewhat.
My motivations are:
- My Scottish grandmother's family spoke and wrote it.
- I am interested in languages especially those of the British Isles.
- I am interested in the history of Celtic peoples and their languages.
- When I can say enough, to correspond with another student of Gaelic or even a native speaker.
- I have as yet not enough knowledge to use it and hereabouts don't know where I would. I have good fluency in French and Spanish and also have some knowledge of German, Russian and Italian. I like telling people who are not natives of this country that there are other native languages here that pre-date English!
A little about myself. I was born in Perth (Scotland that is) and am Scottish by "blood" on my father's side, probably entirely of Highland stock, judging by the family names I live with my foreign born wife (USA & France) in a London suburb. I work part-time at two local colleges of further education, although it feels like full-time when you add in the bus journeys.
