Unit 10 - Talking about music and dance
Is toil leam ceòl "I like music"
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Many people are attracted to the Gaelic language through a love of Gaelic music and song. In this section, you can pick up some simple vocabulary related to music and learn how to express likes and dislikes. The Gael’s love for his music and song is expressed in this proverb which is still very true today:
- Thig crìoch air an t-saoghal ach mairidh gaol is ceòl.
- The world may come to an end, but love and music will last for ever.
Further on, you’ll come across the word mòd, which refers to a gathering, in which competitions are held in Gaelic music and arts. The annual Royal National Mod, Am Mòd Rìoghail Nàiseanta, is Gaeldom’s largest gathering and lasts several days. It is held in a different place each year. A fèis is a gathering, usually non-competitive, in which students learn skills in music, song and dance. Fèis has gone into English as a loan-word, even in its plural form, fèisean.
Here is some vocabulary to get you started:
- ceòl
- music
- mòd
- mod
- mòdan
- mods
- fèis
- fèis
- fèisean
- fèisean (the plural)
- danns
- dance
- dannsaichean
- dances
- a’ dannsadh
- dancing
- a' seinn
- singing
- fìdheall
- fiddle
- pìob mhòr
- Highland bagpipe
- clàrsach
- clarsach, Celtic harp
Listen to this simple conversation. When we are talking in the present tense about habitual occurrences we actually use the future tense (known in this instance as the present habitual). That is why Iain, in this conversation says "am bi iad a’ seinn ann an Gàidhlig?" and not "a bheil iad a’ seinn ann an Gàidhlig?" The latter would only refer to what the group was doing at the time of the conversation.
